In this episode, Matthew speaks with Susan Alberts (@susan_alberts), who co-directs the Amboseli Baboon Research Project (@AmboseliBaboons), a long-term longitudinal study of wild baboons.They start out by talking about what behavior is and why animal behavior is of particular salience.  Then they talk about the history of the Amboseli project, how Susan became involved in baboon research in the[...]

In this episode, Amy speaks with Esteban Fernandez-Juricic (@EstebanFerJur), a Professor of Biological Sciences at Purdue University and the current President of the Animal Behavior Society. They start out discussing how sensory physiology can help answer questions about animal behavior, and why there is so much variation in visual systems across taxa. Then they talk about how[...]

In this episode, Matthew speaks with Eleanor Caves (@EleanorCaves), a Marie Curie fellow and soon-to-be assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara. They start out by talking about the concept of the umwelt and the importance of sensory ecology in understanding animal behavior.  Then they talk about Eleanor's work exploring the signaling and sensory worlds of cleaner shrimp and their[...]

In this episode, Amy speaks with Ted Stankowich (@CSULBMammalLab), an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Biological Sciences at California State University Long Beach. They start out discussing the ecological conditions that favor extreme morphological traits such as armor and weaponry. Then, they talk about Ted’s research into mammal coloration, including the relationship between skunk stripes and[...]

In this episode, Matthew speaks with Marcela Benítez (@mebenitez85), an assistant professor in the department of Anthropology at Emory University and co-director of the Capuchinos de Taboga research project. They start out by talking about social comparisons in humans and non-human primates. They discuss mutual assessment and Marcela's work exploring mutual assessment in geladas. Then they talk about non-human[...]

In this episode, Amy speaks with Eileen Hebets (@hebets_lab), a Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and the current President of the Animal Behavior Society. They start out discussing sensory systems and the evolution of multimodal communication in arachnids. Then, we learn about sexual cannibalism and the evolution of this[...]

In this episode, Matthew speaks with Dai Shizuka (@ShizukaLab), an associate professor in the school of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. They start out by talking about social networks in humans and non-human animals. They discuss applying these techniques to non-model organisms, like the golden-crowned sparrows that Dai has studied. Then they talk about the[...]

In this episode, Amy speaks with Jeff Podos, a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and a previous President of the Animal Behavior Society. They start out discussing how a diet of fruit can explain elaborate sexual ornamentation in animals. Then, we learn about Jeff's work on Darwin's finches in[...]

In this episode, Matthew speaks with Mike Ryan, the Clark Hubbs Regents Professor in Zoology in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas as well as a senior research associate at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Balboa, Panama. They focus their conversation around Mike's book, A Taste for the Beautiful. They discuss the túngara[...]

In this episode, Amy speaks with Floria Mora-Kepfer Uy (@AvispaTica), a Research Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester. They discuss the selection pressures that favor the evolution of sociality, how brain architecture varies among individuals with different social roles, and brood parasitism in a social insect.[...]