HEB Spring 2026 Colloquium Series: Dr. Rachna Reddy

Dr. Rachna Reddy is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at University of Utah and current Radcliffe Fellow.

Talk Title:

The Nature of Adolescence

Abstract:

Humans have a multi-year life stage that begins with pubertal onset and ends with a shift into full adulthood. This period is rife with behavioral and emotional vulnerabilities that include rejection, injury, and the onset of lasting mental health problems. To illuminate the evolution of this life stage, my research among both our closest living relatives--chimpanzees and bonobos--confirms not only the existence of an prolonged adolescent transition but further suggests that vulnerabilities experienced during adolescence may arise from behavioral adaptations aimed at learning and forging relationships in a social world that is cooperative as well as competitive. In developing this research, I'll draw on my ongoing studies of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda, where I co-direct the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project.