Sarah Partan
Papers
3
Total Citations
247
H-Index
3
About
Sarah Partan is a leading behavioral ecologist whose research illuminates how animals communicate using multiple sensory channels—a field known as multimodal communication. Her pioneering work combines careful field observation with innovative robotic models to study animal signaling in natural contexts. Partan’s most influential studies focus on gray squirrels, where she demonstrated that these animals integrate visual and acoustic signals to enhance threat detection, a phenomenon she terms "multisensory enhancement." Her 2009 paper on squirrel responses to robotic alarm behavior has garnered 106 citations, while her 2010 follow-up comparing urban and rural squirrel communication has earned 102 citations, revealing how urbanization shapes signaling behavior. Partan has also applied robotic models to study display variability in brown anoles, showing surprising flexibility in what were thought to be stereotyped species-identity signals. Her work bridges ethology, sensory ecology, and conservation behavior, offering profound insights into how animals perceive and respond to their changing environments. For students and researchers, Partan’s research exemplifies how creative experimental design—using robots as realistic, controllable stimuli—can unlock the secrets of animal communication.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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