Hang Kyo

Lim, Ph.D

Programs I Teach 

Animal Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, Anatomy & Physiology, Environmental Science

Education

PhD in Entomology, University of Kansas MS in Biology, Seoul National University BS in Biology, Seoul National University

Biography

I have built my career around the study and teaching of chemical ecology and animal behavior, passions that began during my undergraduate studies in Korea. My fascination with animals is driven by a desire to understand their behaviors in nature and the underlying reasons for these actions, which extends to a broader curiosity about human behavior and society, including my own. I am deeply committed to student mentorship, guiding students through research that often leads to academic recognition and awards. Since the beginning of my graduate studies, as a graduate teaching assistant, I have embraced the idea that "teaching is the best way of learning," finding joy in helping students expand their understanding of nature through shared experiences. In addition to teaching, I am actively involved in professional organizations such as the Animal Behavior Society. Outside of my academic pursuits, I enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly hiking and camping, as a way to connect with nature—an interest I have had since my teenage years.

Research Interests

My research focuses on olfactory communication in foraging, mating, and reproduction, using earthworms, fishes, and insects as model systems. My work has included studying the ant-plant mutualism in Korea, exploring pheromone communication and its role in reproduction in moths in Kansas and Florida, and investigating chemical ecology and reproductive communication in Cyprinid fishes, such as goldfish, common carp, and invasive carps in Minnesota. Through these diverse projects, I aim to deepen our understanding of how animals interact with their environments and each other through chemical signals.

Publications and Presentations

Representative Publications Sorensen, P. W., & Lim, H. (2024). Extreme olfactory sensitivity of silver and bighead carp to overlapping suites of 21-carbon steroids suggests that these species and likely all other Cyprinoidei employ them as pheromones. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 350, 11447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114471 Baek, M. K., Lawin, M., Codden, C. J., Lim, H., Yang, E., Kim, H.-Y., Lee, S. I., & Jablonski, P. (2020). Water strider females use individual experience to adjust jumping behaviour to their weight within physical constraints of water surface tension. Scientific Reports, 10, 18657. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75564-x Kim, C. Y., Her, Y., Kim, C., Jung, K., Lim, H., & Suh, K. (2019). Evaluating the effectiveness of HOCl application on odor reduction and earthworm population growth during vermicomposting of food waste employing Eisenia fetida. PLOS One, 14(12), e0226229. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226229 Bae, H.-G., Nightingale, C., Jeoung, D. H., Cha, S., Jeon, H.-B., Lim, H., & Suk, H. Y. (2019). Genetic diversity and population structure of Kichulchoia multifasciata in South Korea. Conservation Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-019-01147-7 Lim, H., & Sorensen, P. W. (2012). Common carp implanted with prostaglandin F2α release a sex pheromone complex that attracts male conspecifics in both the laboratory and field. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 38, 127–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0062-5 Representative Presentations Lim, H. (2023). 21-carbon steroidal sex pheromones likely determine when and where invasive Bigheaded carps (Family Xenocyprinidae) spawn. Animal Behavior Society Meeting, Portland, OR. Lim, H. (2023). Acute olfactory sensitivity of bighead and silver carp to 9 sex steroids strongly suggests that 21-carbon steroids function as species-specific priming pheromones in the Bigheaded carps. International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Crete, Greece. Lim, H. (2023). 21-carbon steroidal sex pheromones likely determine when and where invasive carps spawn. Minnesota Chapter of American Fisheries Society Meeting. Lim, H. (2021). The Influence of Sexual Maturity on the Herding Behavior of the Eisenia fetida. Animal Behavior Society Meeting. Lim, H. (2014). Field evaluation of sex pheromone attractants to control Asian carp and development of protocols for field verification of response. American Fisheries Society 144th Annual Meeting.

Professional Affiliations and Membership 

Animal Behavior Society American Society of Naturalists Association for Biology Laboratory Education