I am currently engaged in two related research projects: (1) my long-term study of chimpanzee vocal communication and its significance for understanding chimpanzee social organization and the origins of language; and (2) a series of theoretical analyses from the perspective of primate behavioral ecology exploring the effects on early hominid socioecology of the evolution of bipedalism and behavioral flexibility. I have conducted field work in the Kibale National Park, Uganda, and collaborate with field workers at other sites to explore regional differences in chimpanzee communicative behavior.

My teaching interests include the behavioral ecology of primates, aggression and reconciliation in primates and humans, the evolution of language, and ethnoprimatology. I am also planning to develop a class that will explore the evolution—intelligent design debate. I require collaborative work in my classes, and my course on primate social behavior includes a field trip to the Syracuse Zoo to collect behavioral data on captive primates.