Neil Chace ’26, an animal behavior, ecology and conservation (ABEC) major at Canisius University has co-authored a new study with Biology and ABEC Professor Susan W. Margulis, PhD, as part of the school’s Team Ape research group. Their paper, “Space Use Preferences and Species Proximity in a Mixed-Species Zoo Monkey Exhibit,” was published in the Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
The study examined the behavior of three New World monkey species—white-faced sakis, black-capped squirrel monkeys and common squirrel monkeys—housed together in a mixed-species exhibit at the Buffalo Zoo’s M&T Bank Rainforest Falls. Over the course of a year, Chace and Margulis analyzed how the monkeys shared space and interacted with one another, offering insights into both the benefits and challenges of mixed-species zoo habitats.
Key findings show that the squirrel monkeys utilized more of the exhibit space than the sakis, while the sakis spent more time in close proximity or contact with one another compared to the other species. Notably, when housed alone, the sakis used more of the exhibit, suggesting that species combinations influence how animals interact with their environment.
As a new academic year gets into full swing, the Department of Public Relations would like to remind everyone of our streamlined process for submitting requests for news and publicity.
With lectures, events, accomplishments and research initiatives gaining momentum across campus, the Department of Public Relations is here to help communicate and showcase all the great stories happening in our community.
To submit news or request publicity, please follow these simple steps:
Navigate to “University Communications” in the left-hand column
From here, click on the “Project Request Form” in the left-hand column
Under the tab “Job Type,” click on “News/Announcement”
Complete the project request form and submit.
To ensure we can provide the best possible support, please submit your requests at least three weeks prior to the event or desired publication date. This lead time allows us to properly plan and execute your communication and meet media deadlines for event announcements.
While we strive to accommodate all requests, those submitted with less than three weeks notice may receive limited support based on our current workload and existing commitments.
Submitted by: Audrey Browka, director, Public Relations
Canisius University Physics Professor Michael Wood, PhD, recently presented at the BDX & Beyond Workshop held September 4-5 at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) in Newport News, VA. Jefferson Lab is home to one of the world’s premier electron accelerators, where Wood conducts his research.
He is a collaborator on the Beam Dump eXperiment (BDX), an initiative that would use the laboratory’s beam dump—a device that absorbs high-energy electron beams that do not interact during measurements—as a source to produce a Dark Matter beam. The experiment has the potential to open new pathways for understanding one of the most mysterious components of the universe.
At the workshop, Wood presented on ways undergraduate students at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) like Canisius can engage with large-scale national research projects. His talk emphasized the role that liberal arts institutions can play in advancing particle physics while providing students with direct access to cutting-edge science.
“This kind of research experience is transformative for students,” Wood said. “It connects them to the global scientific community and allows them to see firsthand how their work can contribute to solving some of the most fundamental questions in physics.”
The BDX & Beyond Workshop brought together researchers from across the country to explore new experimental opportunities at Jefferson Lab.
The 21st Annual Hassett Reading will be “The Humanities, Education, and Democracy: A Conversation with Dame Louise Richardson, President of the Carnegie Corporation.” The event will take place on Thursday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center.
Born and raised in County Waterford, Ireland, Dame Louise Richardson earned a degree in history from Trinity College Dublin, the first in her family to attend university. She earned an MA in political science from UCLA and an MA and PhD in government from Harvard University. For 20 years she was a professor at Harvard, where her teaching and scholarship focused on the roots of international terrorism. In 2009, she became the first woman to serve as principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and in 2016, the first woman to lead Oxford University as vice-chancellor. In 2023, she became the 13th president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The Carnegie Corporation was established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace. As of September 30, 2024, the endowment value was $4.5 billion. During fiscal year 2023–2024, 353 grants were awarded for a total of $174 million.
Seating is limited: first come, first served, Doors open at 6:30 p.m. A reception will follow the conversation.
To watch a livestream of the event, email series coordinator Mick Cochrane, cochrane@canisius.edu, who will send you a link.
You can learn more about Dame Louise Richardson on the writers series website: www.canisius.edu/writers
Submitted by: Richard Bailey, PhD, associate dean, School of Arts & Social Sciences
