PhD Candidate Department of Biological Sciences University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Madison Rittinger

I’m a behavioral ecologist who is broadly interested in understanding how and why animals behave the way they do using a cognitive perspective. To investigate these questions, I use a variety of field and lab-based techniques ranging from field experiments to microCT imaging. Outside of research I am passionate about teaching in higher education and mentoring undergraduate researchers. One of my career goals is to give undergraduates research experiences I did not have access to when I was in their position. Outside of work I thoroughly enjoy being outside, playing board games, playing/watching basketball, and antagonizing my cat — Ollie.

Currently

Teaching Patterns in Nature and Ecology Lab

Portrait of Madison Rittinger

News

Sep 08, 2026 New paper published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Jul 17, 2026 Presenting at the Animal Behavior Society (ABS) conference.
Jun 01, 2026 Website launched.

Selected Publications

  1. gallery-p-phalangioides-2022.jpg
    Pholcus phalangioides cellar spiders solve a prey capture problem differently across repeated trials
    Madison A. Rittinger, Ava Mueller, and Rafael Lucas Rodríguez
    Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2026
  2. instinct-insight.jpg
    Instinct to insight: a variation-based framework to test hypotheses about how animals solve problems
    Madison A Rittinger and Rafael Lucas Rodríguez
    Biology Letters, 2025
  3. web-spider.jpg
    Heuristic test reveals little effect of learning and maturation on early prey capture experiences in a web-building spider
    Madison A Rittinger, Rafael L Rodríguez, and Ignacio Escalante
    Scientific Reports, 2024