Scientist Andrea Bailey presents to Honors Biology students

Researcher Andrea Bailey demonstrates the difference between humans and other primates by showing that humans have dexterous fingers.

It’s the final class meeting before spring break for Honors Biology students. As they shuffle into class, a stranger stands in the front of the room, setting up a presentation on the projector.

On Mar. 13, primate behavior researcher Andrea Bailey presented her experience in Africa, where she had studied the behavior of olive baboons, specifically the levels of aggression in non-receptive females. A perfect tie in with the current unit on evolution and population genetics, the presentation was relevant, fun, and engaging.

“I initially thought her visit would be just another lecture, I mean, who thinks about baboons that often? However, she was so passionate and with a touch of funny, her presentation became something worth talking about later. She was excellent at connecting the students with the material being taught. I hope she’ll come visit again,” sophomore Jane Jackson said.

In the video above, Bailey describes a funny encounter with a baboon from when she was conducting research in Africa.