Education
1985 University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS       PhD Entomology
1978 Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA          BS Biology
 
Employment
1996-present      Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Ohio State University
1991-present      Faculty, Neuroscience Graduate Studies Program, Ohio State University
1990-1996        Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Ohio State University

Postdoctoral Training
1988-90 ARL Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson "Neuroethological Studies of Memory In a Model System"
                    with Dr. John G. Hildebrand
1987 Department of Entomology, University of California at Berkeley, "Olfactory conditioning in Honey Bees" with Dr. Wayne M. Getz
1986 Institute for Neurobiology of the Free University of Berlin, West Germany, "Neurophysiological and behavioral analysis of olfactory
                    learning in Apis mellifera." with Dr. Randolf Menzel

Research In Neuroethology and Sensory Ecology
A major objective of my research is to understand behavioral and physiological mechanisms of learning and olfaction.  The fundamental basis for all of this work begins with the detailed study of behavioral mechanisms in the laboratory and in the field. In addition, I have attempted to weave together behavioral analyses with several other techniques in order to investigate behavioral mechanisms at other levels of analysis. For example, physiological techniques help us to understand the neural mechanisms underlying behavioral processes. In addition, I have collaborated with mathematicians to develop dynamic programming and computational models in order to set up and vet hypotheses about behavior and underlying neural mechanisms.

My interst in learning and olfaction began with work on my Ph.D. thesis, which involved studies of learning about odors for kin recognition in primitively eusocial bees.  Several years ago I was drawn to work with honey bees, which was motivated by the need to study the actual learning and perceptual mechanisms in more detail.  Honey bees are ideal for this kind of work. For example, worker honey bees quickly learn to associate floral rewards such as nectar and pollen with olfactory cues given off by flowers.  Much of this learning under both field and laboratory conditions can be studied in terms of non-associative, associative and instrumental paradigms.  Furthermore, the insect olfactory system is structured very much like that of vertebrates, which might indicate that these vastly different phylogenetic groups have converged upon similar processing mechanisms.  Thus they provide a vehicle for the comparative analysis of behavior in regard to this specific sensory modality.  Furthermore, because of the well developed management techniques for honey bees under field conditions, it is an excellent animal in which to study the adaptive nature of olfactory learning. Finally, the family Apidae, to which honey bees belong, contains approximately 1,000 species of bees. Thus it provides an excellent group with which to pursue one of my new, developing intersts - the evolution of brain morphology.

Teaching Interests
The motivating force behind my entire career, beginning well before I entered college, has been an intense interest in behavior and evolution. I feel that evolution in particular is one of the most poorly understood concepts in modern science. Therefore, I have always been interested in inclusion of Introductory Biology into my teaching program. In my hands, this course strongly emphasizes evolution as one of the most powerful concepts that unites the biological sciences. In addition, my professional interests obviously lead me toward courses in Animal Behavior, Neuroscience and Neuroethology.

Selected publications
Smith BH (1987) Effects of genealogical relationship and colony age on the dominance hierarchy of the primitively eusocial bee Lasioglossum zephyrum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). Animal Behaviour 35: 211?217.

Smith BH. (1996) The role of attention in learning about odorants. Biol. Bull. MBL. 191: 76-83.

Smith, BH. (1997) An analysis of blocking in binary odorant mixtures: An increase but not a decrease in intensity of reinforcement produces unblocking. Behav. Neurosci. 111: 57-69.

Bhagavan S, Smith BH. (1997) Olfactory conditioning in the honey bee (Apis mellifera): Effects of CS intensity. Physiol. & Behav.61: 107-117

Linster C, Smith BH. (1997) A computational model of the response of honey bee antennal lobe circuitry to odor blends: Overshadowing, blocking and unblocking can arise from lateral inhibition. Behav. Brain Res. 87: 1-14

Thorn,  RS, Smith BH. (1997) The olfactory memory of the honeybee, Apis mellifera III.   Bilateral sensory input is necessary for induction and expression of olfactory blocking. J. exp. Biol.200: 2045-2055.

Stopfer M, Bhagavan S, Smith BH, Laurent G. (1997) Impaired odour discrimination by desynchronization of odor-encoding neural assemblies. Nature.390: 70-74.