Ken Sayers, Ph.D., Staff Scientist III
Director, Behavioral Services | Population Health, Southwest National Primate Research Center, Staff
Research Focus
Dr. Sayers is a biological anthropologist with broad interests in primate cognition, ecology, evolution, and health. His research includes multidisciplinary approaches to understanding dietary decisions; psychological investigations of memory, communication, and metacognition; and the utilization of nonhuman primate models to address anthropological questions, including human evolution and translational approaches for behavior and neuroscience.
As Director of Behavior, Dr. Sayers contributes to programs enhancing the psychological well-being of primates at SNPRC, and is active in the Behavioral Management Consortium of the National Primate Research Centers.
Inside the Lab
Dr. Sayers has over 20 years of experience working with nonhuman primates in both laboratory and field settings.
Main Technologies and Methods Used
- Ethological observation
- Naturalistic testing of cognition
- Computer-based testing of cognition
- Nutritional chemical analyses
- Phenotypic biomarkers
- Nonhuman primate model development