Eben Kirksey first fell in love with the common ant Ectatomma ruidum in 1997 as an undergraduate visiting Panama. Such a caring eye led to keen observations that challenged traditional notions of both the ant and human exceptionalism. Now Eben’s work explores the possibilities of empathizing with a species that is commonly thought of as vastly different and inferior to the human being.

Eben Kirksey is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Science Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.