Leslie J. Digby

Leslie J. Digby is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University, affiliated with the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis (1994). Her research focuses on primate behavior and ecology, particularly cooperative breeding strategies in marmosets and lemurs, thermoregulation adaptations to temperature extremes, and behavioral mechanisms mitigating ecological challenges. She has extensive experience in field studies of wild and captive primates.

Dr. Digby teaches courses including EVANTH 344L: Primate Field Biology and EVANTH 495S: Advanced Research in Evolutionary Anthropology. Her work spans over 20 years, with notable contributions to understanding reproductive skew in marmosets and female dominance in lemurs. She has been a reviewer for journals like American Journal of Primatology and served as Director of Undergraduate Studies in Evolutionary Anthropology.

Her research highlights include studies on pinworm prevalence in lemurs, spatial ecology of marmosets, and social learning in ring-tailed lemurs. While active in research and teaching, she currently does not accept graduate students. Professional activities include presentations on primate behavior and editorial roles in primatology publications.