A special issue in honor of the contributions of Professor Nicola S. Clayton FRS.

Abstract

It has been an honor to edit this special issue of Learning & Behavior to recognize the exceptional contributions of Prof. Nicky S. Clayton FRS to the fields of comparative cognition and developmental and experimental psychology. Prof. Clayton has also provided supervision, mentorship, and support for many students, researchers, and colleagues throughout her career, including over 52 PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers, helping to pave the way for a generation of future scientists in academia and industry. Indeed, all four of the co-editors on this special issue worked with Prof. Clayton in her Cambridge University Comparative Cognition Lab as PhD candidates and/or postdoctoral researchers (from 2011 to 2022), and we happily continue to collaborate together. Prof. Clayton was awarded the 2024 Comparative Cognition Society (CCS) Research Award and delivered the Master Lecture at the 31st International Conference on Comparative Cognition (CO3, April 2024). Dr. Rachael Miller and Prof. Joshua Plotnik (co-editors) co-organized a symposium at the CO3 conference dedicated to Prof. Clayton. The invited symposium speakers were Prof. Mike Beran (Georgia State University), Prof. Jon Crystal (Indiana University), Dr. Christelle Jozet-Alves (Université de Caen Normandie), and Prof. Thomas Bugnyar (University of Vienna). Dr Elias Garcia-Pelegrin (co-editor) served as Master of Ceremony for an evening CO3 banquet, which included a video compilation of "thank you" messages from many of Prof. Clayton's colleagues, students, and friends.