Gabriella E. Smith, PhD

Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, I am fascinated by what information animals perceive and use to solve problems in their environment. 

In 2017, I earned my BA in Biology from Boston University; in 2020, my MA in Psychology from Hunter College, CUNY; and in 2026, my PhD in Biology from the Messerli Research Institute. My research has spanned topics including contrafreeloading, illusion susceptibility, interspecies communication, violations of expectation, object permanence, and strategic foraging across dogs, cats, parrots, and monkeys.