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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Congrats are in order for Giuliana Centofanti, Amber Shaw, Mariana Correia and Fede Sanchez Vargas who all passed their qualifying exams and have advanced to candidacy! Well done!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Mariana and Sophie presenting at the Southeast Evolution and Human Behavior conference!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Congratulations to Fede Sanchez Vargas, who won the Outstanding Student Presentation Award for his poster on CapuchinAI at this year’s AABA conference!! This award recognizes the important contributions students make to the field and celebrates innovative, rigorous research by emerging scholars.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

The last APE lab meeting of the semester was made extra special by our newest member, Luisa Elena (center)! She was a fantastic audience member and offered thoughtful insights during Federico’s presentation on capuchin cognition.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Congratulations to APE Lab member Jackie Zhou for defending her honors thesis on same-sex sexual behavior in white-faced capuchin monkeys!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

The APE lab wishes a very happy birthday to chimpanzee Gremlin, who turned 55 this week!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Always a fun time at the October lab meeting.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Graduate student Evan Cunningham (Advisor: @mebenitez.bsky.social) is also working on field research at the Taboga forest reserve, studying social learning in capuchins.🐵🧠

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Undergraduate Jackie Zhou (Advisor: @mebenitez.bsky.social) was awarded the Outstanding Junior Award in Anthropology and participated in capuchin research at the Taboga forest reserve in Costa Rica.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Graduate students Giuliana Centofanti and Amber Shaw (Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf) were awarded a Halle Institute research grant and visited the Gombe Stream Research Centre to study chimpanzees.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

This summer, members of the APE Lab have been out in the field working on some great research. Check out photos from their trips below! 🌿🥾🐒

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Recently, graduate students @nicolefurgala.bsky.social, Federico Sánchez Vargas, and Amber Shaw were awarded Lewis and Clark Expedition grants. Evan Cunningham was also awarded a Leakey Foundation Research Grant. We are so excited to see their research advance!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

On April 18th, @sarahkovo.bsky.social (Advisor: @mebenitez.bsky.social) defended her doctoral dissertation “From Conflict to Cohesion: The effect of intergroup competition on affiliation, oxytocin, and group cohesion in wild capuchin monkeys.” We are so proud of all her amazing work!

Photo with Dr. Sarah Kovalaskas and her advisor, Dr Marcela Benítez, at her doctoral defense.

Dr. Sarah Kovalaskas with a celebratory cake after presenting her dissertation.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

In May, undergraduates Elise Isakov and Grace Cayless both graduated with their Bachelor's degrees. We'll miss them, but we are so excited to see what they do next!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Also in April, lab members Grace Cayless, Jackie Zhou, and @sarahkovo.bsky.social all received awards for their outstanding work at the Anthropology Honors and Awards Ceremony 🥳

Group photo with the award recipients at the ceremony.

Photo of undergraduate Grace Cayless with her advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

In April, two of our graduate students, @nicolefurgala.bsky.social and Evan Cunningham, successfully advanced to PhD candidacy. Congrats to both on this milestone!

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

The APE Lab had a busy semester this year, so here is a highlight reel of some of our favorite moments... #SemesterRecap 🐵 🎓📚

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Reposted by Anthropology Primatology at Emory

Dr. Gita Gnanadesikan @ggnanadesikan.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Details TBD, but I'm planning to do a teach-in later this month! Tentative topic: "How do our pets think? And how do we know?" 🐶🐈‍⬛ Fellow scientists: what spiel can *you* give to a general audience? Everyone: what do you want to hear about? #StandUpForScience #FundScience #Dogs #Cats #Animals

Calico cat curled up on a couch, one eye partially open, front paws crossed over her back legs and tail.

Photo of a young retriever puppy following a pointing finger towards an overturned cup. The puppy is about to touch the cup.

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Amber Shaw on causes of mortality in wild chimpanzees

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Federico Sánchez Vargas on machine learning methods and primate cognition

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Arianna Mistry on reproductive senescence in capuchins

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Giuliana Centofanti on orphan chimpanzees in Gombe

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

Grace Cayless on early life adversity in chimpanzees

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

APE Lab members had a fantastic time at the South Eastern Evolution and Human Behavior Conference last weekend 🐵 Keep scrolling for a recap of our posters and presentations! #SEEHB2025

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

Happy New Year from the APE Lab! Wishing everyone a wonderful 2025 🐵 🥳

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Join members of the APE Lab at #SEEHB2025 this February 8th, 2025! Faculty and students across anthropology, biology, psychology, and beyond are all welcome to submit abstracts (250-300 words) for poster or podium presentations.🧠🐒 Register here by January 17th, 2025! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

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Reposted by Anthropology Primatology at Emory

Dr. Marcela Benítez @mebenitez.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

🌡️🔥Check out our new Science Advances paper on how #ClimateChange impacts the immune performance of wild capuchins 🐒! Lead by Jordan Lucore check out the full paper: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... Watch the explainer video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7yl...

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Anthropology Primatology at Emory @apesemory.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Hi there! We are the Anthropology Primatology Lab at Emory. As a joint lab between Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf and @mebenitez.bsky.social, we study primate social behavior, cognition, health, & development. Check out our website at apes.emory.edu and follow along here to see our work and recent news! 🐵🧠📚

apes.emory.edu

APE Lab Home - Anthro Primatology @ Emory

Anthro primatology at emory Welcome to the APE lab! The APE lab is the home of Anthropological Primatology at Emory. Our two PIs, Dr. Marcela Benítez and Dr. Elizabeth Lonsdorf lead us in studies of p...

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