Susan Healy

Prof Susan Healy is a Professor in the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews. Her research focuses on animal cognition, particularly nest-building behavior in birds and the cognitive mechanisms underlying ecological adaptations. She leads projects funded by the BBSRC, Royal Society, and Templeton World Charity Foundation, exploring topics such as avian brood parasitism, nest architecture coevolution, and the evolution of cognitive traits in hummingbirds. Healy holds a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) and supervises PhD students including Laura Douglas and Jeanne Godard.

• Affiliations: Centre for Biological Diversity, Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences, Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution
• Key Projects:
  • NEURONESt (EU-funded)
  • Nest Building in Birds: Collaborative Intelligence (Templeton Foundation)

Her research integrates behavioral ecology, genetics, and neuroscience to understand how cognitive processes drive ecological success. Recent work highlights the role of previous reproductive success in nest design, and the global patterns of avian nest traits. She has over 170 publications in journals like Behavioral Ecology, Science, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

• Awards: FRSE (2020), Templeton World Charity Foundation Grant (2022)

Healy collaborates internationally, advising on fish welfare research and organizing symposia at the International Ornithological Congress. Her lab investigates topics such as spatial memory in hummingbirds and socio-ecological influences on nest-building innovation.