It's Officially Conference Season: ISBE 2014

I'll be presenting my hamadryas baboon handedness poster this week at International Society of Behavioral Ecology (ISBE) conference in NYC. This a pilot study I did at The Prospect Park Zoo last year, prior to the birth of the two new male baboons. Don't forget to catch my poster on Saturday, August 2nd between 7 PM to 9:30 PM at NYU Kimmel Center (10th floor). I will be volunteering as well, so say hi when you see me giving you your conference packets. If you are attending #ISBE2014 and needed any NYC-related advice or tips, don't be shy to ask. Catch you on the flip side! 

ISBE 2014 Poster Abstract

Checking Out Duke Lemur Center

Duke Lemur Center. Durham, North Carolina

Hi all! I flew down to Durham, North Carolina earlier this week to check out Duke Lemur Center where I will be conducting experiments for my Masters thesis. But before I get to that, I just want everyone to know that I overslept and woke up an hour before my flight is supposed to depart.! Lucky for me, I live near the airport so I dashed out the door (I had packed the night before), grabbed a cab, and got to the airport in 20 minutes. That leaves me 10 minutes before the start pre-boarding and guess what? I made it! Achievement unlocked! North Carolina is definitely not like the Northeast (no shit, Raymond). The first day I got to Durham, I immediately noticed the "southern drawl". I felt like everyone's life is moving on a slow pace except mine, so when I talk to them I haaaaad tooooo taaaaaaaaaalk veeeeeryyyyyy slooooooow (New Yorkers are known to talk really really fast). I've only been to Durham and Chapel Hill for the duration I was there but I enjoyed it. Can't wait to go back and explore the area more when I am collecting data.

Prosimians of the world!

Oh, right. Duke Lemur Center. I got to see all the ruffed lemurs, both red ruffed and black-and-white ruffed, (Varecia variegata spp.) that I will be working with. They are precious, and cute, and adorbs. They somehow reminded me of cats (Yes, I'm a cat lady). I coordinated the trip to the lemur center with the Research Manager at Duke Lemur Center, Erin Ehmke, so that I can see the ruffed lemurs as well as their enclosures. This way, it would be easier for me to plan/imagine where the experimental apparatus will be set up. My research will be on foraging ecology, and I hope to be able to do my data collection in late Fall, if not the beginning of Winter.

Photo by David Haring, Duke Lemur Center.

I was lucky enough to be able to get inside the enclosures with the ruffed lemurs (I have to provide proof of negative TB result from a PPD test). Now I have photographic proof that I'm actually at Duke Lemur Center! Thanks to David Haring for taking pictures of me with the ruffed lemurs! Totes cool. You can check out Haring's portfolio here.