Research Experience

BoyCardsDouble.jpg

Field Work

  • Likouala region, Republic of the Congo (2 months); 2019

    Postdoctoral research; design, organization and supervision of research team to establish a field site in the Likouala region.  Demographic and cognitive data collection for both Bondongo and BaYaka communities, including interviews, biometrics and cognitive task administration.

  • Likouala region, Republic of the Congo (3.5 months); 2018

    Postdoctoral research; implementation, organization and supervision of research team for the Evolution, Variation, and Ontogeny of Learning project.  Data collection procedures included interviews, cognitive tasks, biometrics, and focal follows.

  • Koakoland region, Namibia (2 months); 2017

PhD Research; Project design, funding, organization and supervision of research team, implementation, and data collection for the LS-DS touch screen task with both Urban and Traditionally-living semi-nomadic Himba.


Lab Work

  • Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia;  2012–2017

    PhD Research advised by Dr. William D. Hopkins; Eye-tracking, questionnaires, touchscreen task coding and data collection for cognitive flexibility assessment of children and adults, both on the university campus and with Zoo Atlanta.

  • Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia; 2012–2017

    PhD Research advised by Dr. William D. Hopkins; Touch screen task programming for cognitive flexibility testing of chimpanzees and humans. Building and designing reinforced, automated touch screen units for chimpanzees. Do-as-I-do imitation positive reinforcement training in chimpanzees. Diffusion Tensor Image (DTI) chimpanzee scan collection and analysis.

  • MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in Bastrop, Texas; 2011, 2015

    PhD Research advised by Dr. William D. Hopkins; Study design and data collection for a project involving socio-cognitive testing, problem-solving strategies, and imitation training with chimpanzees.

  • Station de Primatologie in Rousset, France; 2013–2017

    Phd Research advised by Dr. Joël Fagot & Dr. Adrien Meguerditchian; Experimental design and implementation of a cognitive flexibility touch screen task with baboons and positive reinforcement Do-as-I-do imitation training in baboons.

  • Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia; 2012

    Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistant to Dr. Jared Taglialatela; Data acquisition and analysis for chimpanzee vocalization and gestural communication.                                 

  • Yerkes National Primate Center in Atlanta, Georgia; 2009–2011

    Undergraduate Research Assistant to Dr. Jared Taglialatela; Observational data collection on chimpanzee gestural and vocal communication.

 
Billy1.jpg