Cassandra Lyon

Cassi is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Biology and Society program on the Ecology, Economics, and Ethics of the Environment track. Her work focuses on how human perceptions of other animals and interpretations of their behaviors or temperment have real, tangible impacts on their care and lives. In particular, she studies these themes (anthropomorphism and conservation intent) in great ape exhibits in accredited zoos. Understanding these themes influences not only captive animal care, but also has wider impacts related to conservation psychology and the way we think about, think with, and treat other animals wherever we encounter them: in the zoo, at the horse barn, in our hoomes, on our plates. She is advised by Dr. Ben Minteer.

Previous to coming to ASU, Cassi graduated from Eckerd College with a BA in Psychology and International Relations. Immediately following graduation, she worked and volunteered in a variety of animal-related contexts including a local animal shelter, two therapeutic horse-back riding centers, and three different zoological facilities. Most recently she was the Animal Behavior Research Assistant at Disney's Animal Kingdom.