Dustin Rubenstein

Dustin Rubenstein

Research Interest

Dustin Rubenstein is a Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology at Columbia University in the City of New York. His research takes an integrative approach to understand why complex animal societies form and how organisms cope with environmental change through studies that combine behavior, ecology, and evolution with those of the underlying molecular, neural, and neuroendocrine mechanisms. He has studied a variety of animals, including reptiles, mammals, birds, crustaceans, and insects on every continent except Antarctica. His research has been featured in hundreds of media outlets ranging from The New York Times and CNN to ESPN and The Onion. Rubenstein is the author of nearly 150 publications and the market-leading textbook Animal Behavior, as well as co-editor of the book Comparative Social Evolution. In recognition of his research accomplishments, Rubenstein received young investigator awards from the Animal Behavior Society, the American Ornithologists’ Union, the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, and the University of Michigan. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society, and has been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences as both a Kavli Fellow for his research accomplishments and as an Education Fellow in the Sciences for his innovation in STEM teaching. Additionally, Rubenstein has been acknowledged for his teaching, scholarship, and mentoring by Columbia University with a Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award and by the Society of Columbia Graduates with a Great Teacher Award.