Lyon College will kick off its 2025–26 Faculty Colloquium Series with a fascinating look at feline communication. Dr. Britt Florkiewicz, assistant professor of psychology, will present “The Purr-fect Face: Understanding Cat Facial Signals” on Friday, August 29 at 4 p.m. in Nucor Auditorium, located inside the Lyon Business and Economics Building at 2300 Highland Road.
Free and open to the public, the event explores how cats use facial expressions to convey emotions, social cues, and goals — and why humans often misinterpret them.
A primatologist and expert in animal behavior, Dr. Florkiewicz has published widely on the communication potential of facial signals in primates and domestic cats. Her research incorporates machine learning to better understand animal social interactions.
The presentation will also spotlight the work of Lyon’s Animal Behavior and Cognition (ABC) Lab, where undergraduates actively contribute to peer-reviewed scientific research.
The Faculty Colloquium Series celebrates faculty scholarship and invites the community to engage with cutting-edge research at Lyon.
For more information, contact Carol Langston at (870) 307-7075 or Carol.Langston@Lyon.edu
