Benjamin Ashton

Dr. Benjamin Ashton serves as an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University, Australia. He maintains dual institutional affiliations with both Macquarie University and the University of Western Australia, where he completed his PhD and held several postdoctoral positions. His research profile demonstrates active engagement in cognitive ecology with substantial funding support from the Australian Research Council.

Dr. Ashton's educational background includes a PhD in Zoology from the University of Western Australia (2013-2017) with supervisors Amanda Ridley, Alex Thornton, and Leigh Simmons, and an MBiolSci from the University of Sheffield (2007-2011). His academic trajectory shows progression from postdoctoral positions at the University of Bristol and University of Western Australia to his current research fellowship.

His research primarily investigates the causes and consequences of individual variation in cognition, with particular emphasis on the relationship between sociality and cognition in wild animals. He also explores how anthropogenic changes affect cognitive processes in wildlife. His work spans multiple disciplines including behavioral ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation science, with a strong focus on avian species, particularly Australian magpies.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a clear research trajectory examining how environmental and social factors influence cognitive performance in wild bird populations. His work integrates field observations with experimental approaches to understand cognitive mechanisms in natural settings, with increasing attention to climate change impacts and urbanization effects on wildlife cognition.

Scientific Awards:

• Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) (2022-2025)
• Macquarie University Research Fellowship (2019-2022)
• Endeavour Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2017)

Dr. Ashton actively supervises research students and collaborators, as evidenced by his publication record showing multiple co-authored papers with junior researchers. His current grant portfolio includes significant Australian Research Council funding supporting multiple projects on cognition in changing environments. His research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life on land and climate action.

His laboratory work involves field studies of wild bird populations, particularly Australian magpies, using behavioral experiments, physiological measurements, and ecological monitoring techniques. His research team collaborates extensively across Australian institutions and internationally, with notable partnerships at the University of Bristol and other research centers.