Third Thursday at CEIE |Dialogue

"How Animals Think" with Tom Langen, Ph.D.

Beacon Institute presents Tom Langen, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and psychology at Clarkson University, for a fascinating perspective on animal behavior on Thursday, May 17 at 7pm at the Center for Environmental Innovation and Education at Denning's Point in Beacon. The event is free and open to the public.

In his talk titled “How Animals Think”, Dr. Langen will discuss research documenting how animals make choices when at risk, sharing surprising similarities to humans in their decision-making processes. Dr. Langen, who teaches animal behavior, ecology, conservation biology and global environmental change at Clarkson University, is also an active researcher who applies his knowledge of animal behavior to real-world challenges.

Dr. Langen’s research interests span from biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, to the predictive modeling of hotspots of amphibian and reptilian road mortality. He has helped to design wildlife barriers and passageways for turtles. A certified senior ecologist and master bird bander, his work with New World Jays — primarily the white-throated magpie-jay and the western scrub-jay — has revealed new insights into learning and memory in vertebrates. See the scrub-jay in action.