Wendy M. Erb, Ph.D.

Trained in biological anthropology and behavioral ecology, for the last two decades, I have studied how ecological, social, and physiological variation and change influence the behavior, communication, and conservation of wild primates – from lemurs in Madagascar, to tamarins in Bolivia, and orangutans in Indonesia. My present-day participatory research program draws on diverse theories and methods from ecology, bioacoustics, anthropology, and conservation, to understand primates, people, and our relationships to each other and the natural world we share.

Since 2005, I have lived and worked with Indigenous communities in Indonesia and I am committed to cultivating deep relationships with local people and co-creating meaningful research that matters to them. Through the co-construction of participatory research, conservation, and capacity-sharing programs around bioacoustics, biocultural heritage, and human-environment connection, my partners, collaborators, and I seek to highlight the critical importance of local knowledge, values, and voices to achieve equitable, sustainable, and just outcomes. Beyond research, I am deeply passionate about developing education, outreach, and training programs with and for local partners from academic, civil society, and community groups that highlight and support people’s connections to the landscapes we share with our more-than-human kin. As a first-generation college student, I am committed to lifting up and supporting talented and dedicated leaders – especially those who face economic and social barriers – to advance knowledge and pursue careers in science and conservation. 

Fun fact: During the course of twenty years of fieldwork, I have been bitten by all but one of the following animals: leeches, army ants, centipede, cat snake, giant forest gecko, feral cat, and orangutan. Can you guess whose bite I’ve evaded so far?

Recent Publications