Ph.D. student in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology at the Istc-CNR Unit of Cognitive Primatology & Primate Center

Email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: +39 06 3221198

Fax: +39 06 3217090

Address: Unit of Cognitive Primatology and Primate Center
Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies
National Research Council
Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 16 b - 00197 Roma

Short bio

I am currently a Ph.D. student in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology at Sapienza University of Rome. Since 2013, I collaborated with the UCP for my Master thesis on the ability of tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) to solve a visual discrimination problem presented with computerised and non-computerised procedures. Then, in 2014, I had a 30-month ISTC-CNR research fellowship to study the influence of tactile information on capuchins’ visual object discrimination. In 2015 I obtained the CNR Short-Term Mobility grant to spend a period at the Haidlhof Research Station of the Messerli Research Institute (University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna), during which I had the opportunity to study if tactile information affects visual object discrimination in kea (Nestor notabilis). For my PhD I am working towards carrying out a study investigating the synergy between the information coming from the sensory systems of sight and touch in object discrimination tasks in non-human primates and children. I am a member of the Italian Primatological Association since 2015 and I took active part in several national and international congresses. Besides research activities I'm developing a strong interest in science communication, animal welfare, photography and video editing (See the video of capuchins’ lunch here).

Research interests

I am interested in primate behaviour, cognition and evolution. In particular my research focuses on visual perception, manipulation patterns and manual dexterity, visuo-tactile integration.