Envisioning the Future of Comparative Cognition Through an Undergraduate Lens

This commentary provides an updated summary of how comparative cognition is approached by researchers based at primarily undergraduate institutions. Because of the difficulties in supporting traditional laboratories, we highlight a number of nontraditional research methodologies that can be accessed by undergraduate students. We also provide advantages and disadvantages of these alternate methodologies. We promote the need for interdisciplinary study of animal cognition topics in in situ and ex situ settings, as well as call for an expansion of cognitive abilities for application to animal welfare and conservation efforts.