de Groot, Brenda

Brenda de Groot

PhD Student

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Profile Picture
Research interests / activities

I am a PhD student in Primatology at UCLA, with a passion for animal ethics and compassionate conservation. As a primatologists, I explore care, affective communication, social norms, and infant handling in monkeys, specifically langurs (Trachypithecus spp.; Asian leaf-eating monkeys), as they are known for their gentle nature, and haven’t received much attention compared to other primate taxa.

My unapologetic mission in life is to catalyse a moral paradigm shift from anthropocentrism to sentiocentrism. Therefore, I am also greatly invested in animal ethics and moral psychology. In my theoretical work, I integrate philosophy, ethology and compassionate conservation, to explore and call for better ways in which we humans can relate to our fellow animals, with whom we share this planet.

When I have free time (haha), I like to put my art to use, to communicate themes in compassionate conservation and critical animal studies to a broader audience.

Outputs

Research output, publications and CV: https://anthro.ucla.edu/person/brenda-de-groot/

Art portfolio: https://brendadegroot.com/portfolio/