Jeremy Hyman

Jeremy Hyman is a Professor and Department Chair of Biology at Western Carolina University (WCU), affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BA from the University of Chicago. His research focuses on animal behavior, particularly in birds, with an emphasis on personality traits, territorial aggression, and behavioral adaptations to urbanization. He has collaborated on books such as Bird Talk: An Exploration of Avian Communication (2021) and published widely on song sparrow behavior, habitat effects, and climate change impacts on endangered seabirds.

Dr. Hyman teaches courses like Introduction to Ecology and Evolution, Animal Behavior, and Ornithology, emphasizing evolutionary theory and scientific inquiry. His work explores how aggression correlates with anti-predator behavior and communication, as well as how urban environments alter animal behavior. He has also studied behavioral syndromes in urban vs. rural bird populations and the ecological consequences of territorial strategies.

Notable research contributions include studies on boldness in urban/rural song sparrows, the impact of territory quality on aggression, and the effects of hurricanes on endangered seabirds. His work bridges theoretical and applied ecology, addressing both fundamental questions and conservation challenges.