Dr. Lixing Sun

Distinguished Research Professor, Animal Behavior, Ecology, & Evolution

Biological Sciences Department

“My primary writing interest lies in behavior, evolution, psychology, and economics, though I am interested in all branches of knowledge from natural science and social science to arts and humanities. With human nature and its social consequences as the general theme, my writing focuses on presenting new perspectives by connecting and synthesizing ideas from sciences to humanities, from historical events to current affairs, and from Western to Eastern cultures. My motto is “Connect, Synthesize, and Discover.”

HONORS & AWARDS
Distinguished Professor (research), Central Washington University (2020)
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Scholar of the Year Award (2016)
Distinguished Oversea Chinese Scholar: Chinese Academy of the Sciences (2005)
Central Washington University Students’ Natural Helper (1998)
Wilford A. Dence Award (SUNY) (1995).
Alexander Wetland Research Award (SUNY) (1993)
Excellence in Teaching Award (Zhejiang University) (1990)

PUBLICATIONS
Sun, L. 2023. Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars: Cheating and Deception in the Living World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 288 pp.
Li, J., L. Sun, & P. M. Kappeler (eds). 2020. Behavioral Ecology of the Tibetan Macaque. Berlin: Springer, 299 pp.
Sun, L. 2013. The Fairness Instinct: The Robin Hood Mentality and Our Biological Nature. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 336 pp.
Müller-Schwarze, D. & L. Sun. 2003. The Beaver: Natural History of a Wetlands Engineer. Cornell University Press, 190 pp.
Seng, H., L. Sun & H. Wang. 1989. The World of Animals (Volume IV): Mammals. Shanghai Education Publications, Shanghai, 218 pp.