Kay E Holekamp

Kay E Holekamp is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University's College of Natural Science. Her research focuses on the complex interplay between social, ecological, and endocrine factors in mammalian behavioral development and evolution, particularly in spotted hyenas.

• Smith College (B.A.)
• University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D.)
• Michigan State University (1986-present)

For over three decades, Holekamp's lab has conducted longitudinal fieldwork in Kenya's Maasai Mara, maintaining an exhaustive database tracking hyena behavior, social networks, and physiological traits. This work has produced groundbreaking insights into social inheritance, parasite-induced behavioral changes, and the evolutionary basis of animal cognition.

Notable scientific recognitions include:

• 2019 Distinguished Animal Behaviorist Award (Animal Behavior Society)
• 2017 MSU Graduate School Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award

Holekamp has mentored numerous students and researchers, including:

• Dr. Lily Johnson-Ulrich (PhD in Animal Behavior)
• Dr. Eli Strauss (J. Animal Ecology, PNAS publications)
• Dr. Julie Turner (Ethology cover study on personality)
• Dr. Zachary Laubach (Nature Communications epigenetics work)

The Holekamp Lab maintains the Mara Hyena Project, one of the most extensive animal behavior databases globally, and collaborates with institutions including University of Pennsylvania, Bar-Ilan University, and University of Nebraska.