Bio: I began my undergraduate studies in linguistics at Leipzig University, Germany, in 2016. In 2017, I transferred to a joint degree programme in biology and linguistics at Bielefeld University, Germany to focus more on the biological foundation of language. For my bachelor’s thesis I spent two months at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan, to conduct an experiment on language discrimination by large-billed crows. I subsequently obtained my Bachelor of Science in 2019. In July 2020  I passed my MSc by Research in Evolutionary Behavioural Science with Distinction at Middlesex University London, UK.  In the autumn of 2020 I began a PhD programme also at Middlesex. This was completed in September 2023, when I passed my viva voce examination.

My primary interests in biolinguistics are centred on the evolution of speech and language using a comparative approach with mammalian and avian model organisms. My research in behavioural ecology focuses on acoustic communication, specifically how animals adapt to the constraints of both urban habitats and co-habitation with humans.

Website: https://sabrinaschalz.wordpress.com/ 

Publications:

Schalz, S. & Dickins, T.E. (In press.) Humans Discriminate Individual Zebra Finches by their Song. Biolinguistics

Schalz, S. & Izawa, E. (2020.) Language Discrimination by Large-Billed Crows. In: Ravignani, A., et al. (Eds.): The Evolution of Language: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference (EvoLang13). doi:10.17617/2.3190925.

Talk:

Avian Eavesdropping on Human Speech, given to the London Natural History Society on 29 October 2020.

Twitter: @sabrinaschalz 

Contact: SS3903 AT live.mdx.ac.uk