6 most recent publications
(2 August 2023)
Conceptualization, context, and comparison are key to understanding the evolution of fear. Dunn JC, Miller R, Akcay C, Balasubramaniam K, Wascher C (2023). Invited Commentary: Behavioral and Brain Sciences46, E61 doi:10.1017/S0140525X22001789
Manual action expectation and biomechanical ability in three species of New World monkey. Garcia-Pelegrin E, Miller R, Wilkins C, Clayton NS (2023). Current Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.023
A theoretical approach to improving interspecies welfare comparisons. Gaffney LP, Lavery JM, Schiestl M, Trevarthen A, Schucraft J, Miller R, Schnell AK, Fischer B (2023). Frontiers in Animal Science 3: 162
Inhibition and cognitive flexibility are related to prediction of one's own future preferences in young British and Chinese children. Ding N, *Miller R, *Clayton NS (* = joint senior authorship) (2023). Cognition 236: 105433 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105433
Neophobia and innovation in Critically Endangered Bali myna. *Miller R & Garcia-Pelegrin E, Danby E (* = senior and joint first author) (2022). Royal Society Open Science 9: 211781
Increasing animal cognition research in zoos. Garcia-Pelegrin E, Clark F, Miller R (2022). Zoo Biology DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21674
Promotion
(1 August 2023 - date)
Received promotion to Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge,
from 1st August 2023
Recent Media Output
(July 2023)
Recent media output relating to Cognition in Conservation Project with Critically Endangered Bali myna:
The Conversation, Miller, R, Marsden, S, Garcia-Pelegrin E (2023): https://theconversation.com/why-were-interviewing-captive-birds-to-find-the-best-to-release-into-the-wild-202874
The Associated Press Feature with Dr Rachael Miller at Waddesdon Manor (July 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT3E3rrYni8
BBC RADIO 4 TODAY PROGRAMME with Dr Rachael Miller (June 2023)
Permanent Lecturer Position & New Funding
(June 2022 - date)
Started a permanent position as a Lecturer in Biology (Animal Behaviour)
in the School of Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University
(https://aru.ac.uk/people/rachael-miller-harrison), and
secured £15,000 across 2 internal research grants to support my research.
Alongside this new role, I started a Visiting Researcher role at
Cambridge University, hosted in Dr Cheke's Lab,
and am continuing consultancy researcher collaboration with Rethink Priorities (https://rethinkpriorities.org).
2 new positions
(November 2021 - date)
Delighted to have accepted two new part-time, fixed-term positions:
Lecturer in Biology (Animal Behaviour) in the School of Life Sciences
at Anglia Ruskin University, and
Research Associate in the Psychology Department at
Cambridge University in Dr Lucy Cheke's Lab.
I'll be continuing to focus on research, teaching, lab management and administration, including my independent research projects.
3 most recent publications
(14th October 2021)
Socio-ecological correlates of neophobia in corvids: Miller R, Lambert M, Frohnweiser A, Brecht K, Bugnyar T, Crampton I, Garcia-Pelegrin E, Gould K, Gray R, Greggor A, Izawa E, Kelly D, Li Z, Luo Y, Luong L, Massen J, Nieder A, Reber S, Schiestl M, Seguchi A, Sepehri P, Stevens J, Taylor A, Wang L, Wolff LM, Zhang Y, Clayton NS (2021). Current Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.045
- examples of coverage of our article here
“ManyBirds” - a multi-site Open Science collaborative approach to avian cognitive research: Lambert M, Reber S, Garcia-Pelegrin E, Farrar B, Miller R (2022). Animal Cognition and Behavior 9(1), 133-152
Waiting for a better reward: comparison of delay of gratification in young children across two cultures: Ding N, Frohnwieser A, *Miller R, *Clayton NS (* = joint senior authorship) (2021). PLoS ONE 16(9): e0256966
My previous Postdoc Lab (2015-2021): Image (taken November 2020) - Prof Clayton's Comparative Cognition Lab,
University of Cambridge
Left to right: Rachael Miller (Harrison), Jamie Dubois, Nicky Clayton, Francesca Cornero, Daniel Pini, Tom Liu, Elias Garcia-Pelegrin, Gabrielle Davidson, Izzy Crampton, Alex Schnell, Ming Ye, Ning Ding. Missing: James Davies, Emily Danby
Secured Funding
£5,000 Grant from Cambridge University
(May 2021)
Really pleased to have secured this funding to support my research as PI on my cognition in animal conservation project in critically endangered Bali myna, enabling me to employ research assistants (Elias Garcia-Pelegrin & Emily Danby) to assist in conducting research in 3 UK zoos in summer 2021.
ASAB #FollowFriday
Excited to get a mention by Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) on twitter -
thread below (Jan 2021):
Hi! 👋 I’m a Postdoc Research Associate in Psychology at Cambridge University, UK, focussing on evolution of cognition through cognitive and behaviour research, primarily in humans and birds 🐦such as crows. I also have a strong interest in animal conservation (1/3)
Watching & working with animals always fascinated me - I started as a Zoo Keeper before becoming a researcher. My hands-on skills meant I could create 2 wild crow field sites and hand-rear & train birds for 2 captive study groups. I love that I do this research as a job! (2/3)
I am leading a world-wide collaboration testing response to novelty in 10 crow species, and working to create a broader multi-lab project on evolution of avian cognition. I’m also exploring ways to combine cognition research with conservation actions. Www.drrachaelmiller.com (3/3)
Shared resource
Journal Choice and Publication Costs (Nov 2020)
Below is a link to a non-exhaustive working document that I created as a lab resource and am sharing here for others to access if wished - with information about journals related to my fields (e.g. comparative psychology, behavioural ecology, cognitive biology, child development), including type, impact factor (2019) and publication costs (2020).
Shared resource
Journal Choice and Publication Costs
(Nov 2020)
Below is a link to a non-exhaustive working document that I created as a lab resource and am sharing here for others to access if wished - with information about journals related to my fields (e.g. comparative psychology, behavioural ecology, cognitive biology, child development), including type, impact factor (2019) and
publication costs (2020).
New publication
(4th November 2020)
Our latest study with these smart crows indicates that New Caledonian crows are able to plan for specific future tool use:
Boeckle M, Schiestl M, Frohnwieser A, Gruber R, Miller R, Suddendorf T, Gray RD, Taylor AH, Clayton NS. (2020) Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287: 20201490
Media Coverage
Our new publication in Animal Cognition (November 2019)
Examples of press interest that we received for our publication on self-control in young children and New Caledonian crows
(Miller et al., 2019. Animal Cognition)
My previous Postdoc Lab: Image (taken October 2018) - Prof Clayton's Comparative Cognition Lab, University of Cambridge
Left to right: Nicky Clayton, Camille Troisi, Piero Amodio (back), Anna Frohnwieser, Ben Farrar (back), Alex Schnell, Ljerka Ostojic, Rachel Crosby, Rachael Miller (Harrison). Missing: Ning Ding
New Postdoc position
(August 2019 - July 2021)
So pleased to have accepted a new 2-year part-time position in the Psychology Department at Cambridge University as Postdoctoral Research Associate/ Lab Manager in Prof Nicky Clayton's Comparative Cognition Lab - delighted to continue to be part of this great research group and department!
I am focussing on lab management, teaching and cognitive research with corvids (e.g. Eurasian jays) and humans.
Media Coverage
Our new publication in Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences (January 2019)
Examples of press interest that we received for our publication on the ability of New Caledonian crows to make inferences about objects by observing the world around them
(Jelbert, Miller et al., 2019, Proceedings B)
European Conference for Behavioural Biology
Liverpool, UK (August 2018)
A lovely conference and a great chance to catch up with friends and colleagues (e.g. from Vienna University/ Vet Med Vienna as in photo above), as well as making new connections.
I presented a poster titled "Differences in decision-making flexibility in
New Caledonian crows, young children and adult humans in an inhibitory control tool-use task" (now published in PLoS ONE). Dr Anna Fronhwieser also presented a poster on one of our collaborative studies titled "Waiting for better or more: a comparison of inhibitory control in New Caledonian crows and young children" (now published in Animal Cognition).
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Cambridge (March 2015 - July 2019)
Great news! I accepted a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Prof Nicky Clayton's Comparative Cognition lab in Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge.
Working on a European Research Council funded project on cognition research in corvids (Eurasian jays, rooks, New Caledonian crows) and humans (including children).
Starting with leading in hand-rearing and training a new corvid research group!
PhD in Cognitive Biology
University of Vienna (awarded February 2016)
Delighted to have been awarded my PhD in Cognitive Biology at the University of Vienna, supervised by Prof Thomas Bugnyar and Dr Christine Schwab - what a wonderful research group and department. I very much enjoyed my time in Austria (2012-2015).