I am interested in the flexibility of communication as it is affected by internal and external factors.  More than just the content of our conversations, how do we choose to express ourselves as a function of circumstance?  How do the types of relationships one has between audience members affect one's self-expression?  And how does an increasingly flexible communication system develop without crippling under the pressure of a corresponding increase in the potential for misinterpretation?  What advantages do we gain with flexibility that lack in a static communication system (ie. consistent across individuals and situations)?  I intend to explore these questions by studying what has been considered an analogue of our own language origins: through gestural communication of the great apes. 

I am working under the supervision of Professor Richard Byrne and am funded by the National Science Foundation (USA).

CV