Eric Ricci

I'm a rising 3rd year PhD student at the University of Arizona.  Currently on leave for the Fall 2026 semester, with plans to return in 2027.

As a former member of the Warden Lab, I independently performed end-to-end fiber photometry experiments.  From animal procurement to stereotaxic surgery to behavioral testing and data analysis, I completed 2 experimental cycles studying the collaborative effects of independent neuromodulatory systems in producing threat-induced emotional behavior.  During this time I gained experience in taking ownership of and accountability for research projects, troubleshooting and solving complicated problems without straightforward answers, and working collaboratively with others to produce rigorous, foundationally-strong research datasets and processing pipelines.  Using partial and ordinary differential equations, I generated specific and falsifiable models of serotonin and norepinephrine's co-neuromodulation of defensive behaviors, with an emphasis on the relationship between internal states and environmental variables.  During this time, I was most inspired by the research domains of evolutionary biology, systems neuroscience, and cognitive ethology.

While currently on leave, I am unavailable for professional / academic contact.