News

We are accepting applications for a full-time research technician to coordinate and conduct research on cognition and behavior in primates and humans. This position provides extensive research experience and is ideal for recent college graduates who are considering attending graduate school in the future. Read more about our research and research sites here.

Overview of responsibilities

• Assisting in primate cognitive experiments and/or behavioral observations
• Assisting with on-campus human research subject recruitment, scheduling, and testing
• Supervising/training new lab members, including undergraduate assistants in research
• Administrative assistance related to Cognitive Evolution Group research, including managing research ethics protocols

Required qualifications

• High school diploma or Associate’s degree
• 1 year of research experience
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
• Some experience conducting behavioral research with primates or other animals

Desired qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Anthropology, Biology, or a related field
• Experience with animal cognition research and/or observational research
• Experience in field conditions, familiarity with statistical software, and/or video coding systems
• Language experience with French and/or Spanish is a plus

Timeline

• Start date: Anticipated start date is August 2023
• Review timeline: We will begin rolling review of applications on April 14
• Position duration: This position is term-limited to one year and can be renewed for a second year. Candidates able to make a two-year commitment are preferred
• Questions: get in touch with Dr. Alexandra Rosati

How to apply

For more information about the position please access the online application portal. This entails uploading you CV and a cover letter specifying your research experience, interests, and career goals. In addition, please arrange to have two letters of recommendation sent to Dr. Alexandra Rosati at rosati@umich.edu.

Margaret, Averill, Natalia, Yiyun, Natalie, and Isabelle all presented their work at the recent Midwestern Primatology Interest Group meeting at the University of Michigan.

Natalie Awad Schwob recently joined the Cognitive Evolution Group as a postdoctoral scholar, Rosa Munoz joined as a new graduate student in biopsychology, and Isabelle Monroe joined as a new lab coordinator. Welcome!

Congrats to Lauren, Kendall, Palak, Julia, Kathleen, and Joanna!

This week Kendall and Julia presented their senior honors thesis posters in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, and Palak presented a poster for her research for Psychology 331. Congrats!

Margaret Bryer has recently joined the Cognitive Evolution Group as a postdoctoral scholar, working as part of our collaborative project on chimpanzee leadership with the Kibale Chimpanzee Project. Welcome!

A big congrats to Averill for receiving a Leakey Foundation Research Grant for her project “The evolution of cognitive and behavioral flexibility in chimpanzees.” Stay tuned for her future research!

Congratulations to Dr. Bettle for a great defense talk on her research, entitled “The evolution of social intelligence in macaques.”

Huge congrats to Megan Mulhinch, who will be starting her PhD in Psychology at UC San Diego, and to Francesca De Petrillo who will be starting her own research group as a Lecturer in Psychology at Newcastle University!

Our inaugural Primate Cognition and Behavior Internship, in partnership with the Cayo Santiago Field Station and the Kibale Chimpanzee Project, wrapped up this week with an amazing series of presentations from our first class of undergraduate interns! Thanks to all the interns, science mentors, and special guests who made this internship possible. Til next year!

Rosie Bettle, Yiyun Huang, and Megan Mulhinch from the Cognitive Evolution Group, together with collaborating student Alexis Diaz from the Quantitative Ecology Lab at CSU Long Beach and Scientific Director Dr. Alyssa Arre, have been working to refresh the computer lab at Cayo. Check it out and stay tuned for more improvements!

Our inaugural internship, in partnership with the Cayo Santiago Field Station and the Kibale Chimpanzee Project, kicked off remotely in June. Stay tuned for more news about our interns’ research projects!

Check out this new collaborative website with games, activities, learning modules, research multi-media, and more focused on primates! Content on this website covers primate behavior, cognition, and conservation, aiming to making this information accessible for groups ranging from parents and children to professional scientists.

Check out a recent special issue of Philosophical Transactions B on primate economics. The issue includes three contributions from Francesca, including our recent paper on risk preferences across primates.