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Angela Dassow
Professor Angela Dassow received her B.S. degrees in wildlife ecology and entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003. After spending several years as the head preparator and assistant curator of herpetology at a natural history museum, she joined Prof. Michael Coen’s lab and earned her M.S. in zoology in 2010 and Ph.D. in zoology in 2014. She joined the Carthage faculty in 2015.
Prof. Dassow’s research focuses on computational analyses of animal vocalizations, exploring correlates with human linguistic phenomena at the phonetic, morphological, and syntactic levels. This work has centered on understanding the vocal communication systems of wild and captive white-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar); however, she has examined other species as well, ranging across a variety of taxa including cetaceans, bats, canids, and songbirds. By combining aspects of ecology, linguistics, computer science, and information theory, we are able to gain new insights into the communicative abilities of white-handed gibbons and demonstrate previously unrecognized complexity and structure in their vocal communication system.
Audio Clips:
White-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) produce a female-specific great call and male-specific coda sequence to announce their territory at the Racine Zoological Society. Listen to the audio clip
Media Mentions:
Animal Welfare Institute Funds Original Research on Human-Wildlife Conflicts
Professor Dassow is one of six recipients to receive Animal Welfare Institute funding for original research on human-wildlife conflicts. (Animal Welfare Institute, November 12, 2019)
Ape Conversations: Researchers Listen To, Analyze Gibbons At The Racine Zoo
Prof. Dassow researches the vocalizations of two white-handed gibbons at the Racine Zoo. (WUWM 89.7, August 8, 2019)
Carthage team records sweet, yet secret language of gibbons
Prof. Dassow and two students, Joy Layton and Azniv Khaligin, study the complex language of two gibbons at the Racine Zoo. (Kenosha News, July 2, 2019)
Carthage Researchers Study Gibbons to Understand How Vocal Evolution Led to Human Speech
Prof. Dassow along with students Azniv Khaligian and Joy Layton study the vocalizations of gibbons at the Racine Zoo. (Journal Sentinel, July 1, 2019)
What I Learned in Puerto Rico
Prof. Angela Dassow discusses her experiences in Puerto Rico during J-Term 2019. (Urban Milwaukee, April 3, 2019)
Women in science have made ground-breaking contributions
Prof. Dassow writes a compelling opinion editorial about Women in STEM and their powerful contributions to modern science. (Kenosha News, March 25, 2019)
Girls inspired by ‘Women in Science’ event
Prof. Dassow participates in Kenosha Public Museum event celebrating women in science. (Kenosha News, March 23, 2019)
Insects: A new source of protein coming to a supermarket near you
Prof. Angela Dassow says eating insects is healthy and good for the environment. (Kenosha News, December 2, 2018)