Emily DuVal, a professor of biological sciences at Florida State University has been named president-elect of the Animal Behavior Society, a prominent professional organization that advances research and education in the field of animal behavior. She will become president of the organization in 2026.
The Animal Behavior Society was established in 1965 and is composed of 2,000 scientists from universities and institutions worldwide investigating how and why animals behave in particular ways. The society also edits the scientific journal Animal Behaviour, hosts major conferences each year, provides thousands in competitive grants to support student research, and recognizes major contributions to the field through a series of elite research awards.
“I’m humbled and inspired by this election,” Dr. DuVal said. “Being president of the ABS is a huge responsibility, and I’m honored my colleagues chose to entrust me with this. I have no doubt that I’ll learn so much from this experience. The ABS leadership plan supports the development of management skills in their elected officials and creates continuity among generations of leadership, for which I’m extremely grateful.”
Dr. DuVal is an animal ecology and evolution expert who specializes in the evolution of complex social behavior in wild birds, such as their courtship and mating processes. Her lab studies cooperation and mate choice of lance-tailed manakins in the tropical forests of Panama as well as nuthatches in the longleaf forest of the Tallahassee area.
Dr. DuVal is a graduate of Rice University in Houston, Texas, where she majored in ecology and evolutionary biology as well as sociology. She holds a Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of California Berkeley. She joined the faculty at Florida State in 2008 and was promoted to full professor in 2021.