Gitanjali Gnanadesikan
About Gitanjali Gnanadesikan
I am an evolutionary biologist and comparative psychologist who is interested in social behavior and cognition. I work with Evan MacLean in the Arizona Canine Cognition Center studying the development and evolution of behavior and cognition in dogs and wolves.
Selected Publications
Courses Taught
ANTH 170C2 - Animal Minds (TA)
Areas of Study
Cognitive evolution, sociality, epigenetics, endocrinology.
Research Interests
My research focuses on cognitive evolution and social behavior, especially in domesticated species. I am particularly interested in developing experimental paradigms that enable meaningful comparisons of cognitive abilities across species. I also aim to design experiments that link biological mechanisms--spanning genetics, epigenetics, and endocrinology--with individual differences in cognitive and behavioral phenotypes.
Contact Information
Degree(s)
M.A. Anthropology - University of Arizona - 2019
A.B. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology - Princeton University - 2014