Rate My Professor Sarah Benson-Amram

Sarah Benson-Amram is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Zoology and Forest and Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia. She earned a B.A. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Her previous appointments include Postdoctoral Scientist at Michigan State University, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of St. Andrews, and Assistant Professor and Adjunct Professor at the University of Wyoming.

Her research examines the behavior, ecology, and cognition of urban carnivores to understand how cognitive abilities support adaptation to urban environments. Studies focus on species including raccoons, skunks, and coyotes, exploring connections between cognitive performance and diet, health, social behavior, and space use. Additional work investigates individual variation in cognition related to personality and social learning, including studies with Asian elephants and zebra finches. Findings are applied to reduce human-wildlife conflict and to advance the use of technology in wildlife research and conservation.