Irene Pepperberg

Parrots have fascinated mankind since Aristotle. Once thought to be mere mimics, these affable, entertaining and often lovable creatures are now known to possess remarkable intellectual abilities. Since 1977, Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s studies in animal behaviour, and animal-human communications, have provided insight into the capabilities of these animals to talk and to understand. Pepperberg, currently at MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning, has also been an Adjunct Professor at Brandeis University and an Associate Professor at MIT’s Media Lab.

The main focus of her work is to determine the cognitive and communicative abilities of Grey parrots, and compare their abilities with those of great apes, marine mammals, and young children. Her book, The Alex Studies, describes over 20 years of peer-reviewed studies on Grey parrots, and received favourable mention in The New York Times and in Science magazine. Pepperberg earned her PhD from Harvard and has received fellowships from the Harry Frank Guggenheim and Whitewall Foundations. She was recently named a Radcliffe Fellow for 2004-2005.