Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation Bocas del Toro Biological Station Isla Colon, Bocas del 
Toro, Panama. Phone: 507-6499-5570, Email: lceballosmeraz@gmail.com
Education
- Ph.D. candidate. University of Melbourne, Australia – Animal Behavior and Evolution.
- M.S. 2004. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Mexico – Natural Resources and Tropical Entomology.
- B.S. in Biology 2002. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico.
Teaching Experience
I have been an undergrad and graduate professor at institutions and universities at my home country, Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and El Colegio de la Frontera Sur) and overseas (University of Melbourne, Australia, and School for Field Studies (SFS), Panama). I have taught a wide variety of courses including general biology, biodiversity, animal diversity, resource management, insect structure and function, and tropical rainforest ecology. While teaching, I seek to stimulate an integrative approach in such a way that students are inspired and encouraged to think critically, and to provide them with practical and theoretical tools to work with. I believe that stimulating critical thinking in students will encourage them towards careers in research and therefore add to our global scientific community.
Research Interests
My research has taken me to several countries in Latin America and to Australia. I have extensive field experience in tropical ecosystems in Panama, where I collaborate and develop conservation and community outreach projects. My academic interests include conservation strategies, tropical rainforest restoration, socio-ecological systems, and local ecological knowledge.
Publications
Ceballos, L., Jones, T. M., & Elgar, M. A. (2015). Patterns of Sperm Transfer in the Golden Orb‐Weaver Nephila edulis. Ethology, 121(6), 617-624.
Ceballos, L., Hénaut, Y., & Elgar, M. A. (2012). Effects of male size and female dispersion on male mate-locating success in Nephila clavipes. Journal of Ethology 30: 93 – 100.
Ceballos, L., Hénaut, Y., & Legal, L. (2012). Prey selection in a nocturnal web building spider, Eriophora edax (Araneae: Araneidae). Ethology Ecology and Evolution 24: 1- 13.
Ceballos, L. & Nieto, N. (2008). Special Feature: Is Global Warming effecting spider populations? A case study from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Conservation Science 5: 5 – 6.
Ceballos, L., Hénaut, Y., & Legal, L. (2005). Foraging strategies of Eriophora edax (Araneae, Araneidae): a nocturnal orb-weaving spider. The Journal of Arachnology 33: 509 – 515.
