Speaker:

Daniel Richard, PhD Candidate, HEB

Dissertation Abstract:

Modern-day humans enjoy an elongated lifespan relative to chimpanzees, even when accounting for environmental factors such as healthcare. This suggests that genetic changes to the biological processes underlying longevity have taken place over the course of human evolution, changes resultant from the forces of natural selection. The goal of this dissertation is to explore the potential means by which natural selection may have operated to shape the human genome...

Speaker: William Eamon Callison, PhD Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology

Abstract: 

Humans differ from other non-human primates, including chimpanzees, in being well-adapted for endurance rather than for power and speed. While chimpanzees walk 3-5 km per day with occasional rapid bursts of activity followed by intense panting, cooling, and resting, human hunter-gatherers typically walk approximately 5-15 km per day and often engage in other sustained aerobic physical activities. Furthermore, many humans run long...

Impacts of dietary fat type on energy gain in the human holobiont

A dissertation defense by Katia Chadaideh, PhD Candidate in HEB

Abstract: 

While different dietary fat types exhibit strong associations with metabolic health, the underlying mechanisms that drive these associations are not well understood. One potential contributor to these differential metabolic effects is the gut microbiome. Recent research suggests that the gut microbiome responds rapidly and reproducibly to dietary shifts, including changes in total fat consumption, with...

The Cultural Evolution of Political Institutions

A doctoral dissertation defense by Graham Noblit, PhD Candidate in HEB

Abstract: 

Humans, uniquely among organisms, rely on norms, or socially learned rules of behavior enforced by a community. Norms, and institutions, or packages of norms, are a major determinant of human ecological success. My dissertation studies norms and institutions using three approaches. First, I ask how norms requiring costly behaviors can be stabilized. Previous work emphasizes the role of punishment in stabilizing norms,...

"The cognitive foundations of social relationships in great apes"

Speaker: Laura Lewis

"Investigations into the Adaptive Value and Biological Consequences of Positively-Selected Neanderthal Introgressed Genetic Variation in Modern Humans"

Evelyn Jagoda, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology

Tuesday, August 3, 9:00-10:00 am EST

Please RSVP to Mallory McCoy for the zoom link & password (mmccoy@fas.harvard.edu). 

Abstract: 

The sequencing of ancient genomes has revealed that...

"Energy Allocation to Adolescent Skeletal Growth: Impacts of Insulin and Physical Activity"

Victoria Tobolsky, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology

Friday, April 30, 9:00-10:00 am EST

Please RSVP to Mallory McCoy for the zoom link & password (mmccoy@fas.harvard.edu). 

Abstract:

"Investigating the Evolution of the Scapula and Pelvis via Developmental Genetics"

Mariel Young, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology

Wed. April 28, 10:00-11:00 am EST

Please RSVP to Mallory McCoy for the zoom link & password (mmccoy@fas.harvard.edu). 

Abstract: Selective pressures associated with bipedality and childbirth have acted on the pelvis throughout the human lineage, leading to dramatic morphological differences between modern human and...

Heather Shattuck-Heidorn will be giving a public presentation on her doctoral dissertation research.

"Social and exploratory drivers of parasite risk and culture"... Read more about HEB Dissertation Defense: Collin McCabe

Eric Castillo will be giving a public presentation on his doctoral dissertation research.... Read more about The Evolution and Function of Human Lumbar Lordosis Variability

Graduate student Collin McCabe will give a public presentation of his doctoral dissertation. Details will be added as they are settled.

Kate Carter (Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology) will be presenting her doctoral dissertation defense on Monday, April 11 at 10:00am.

Bridget Alex (Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Anthropology) will be presenting her doctoral dissertation defense on Wednesday, April 20 at 10:00am.

A reception and champagne toast will follow at 12:30pm in the HEB Lounge, Peabody Museum 5th floor, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

...

Samuel Urlacher (Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology) will be presenting his doctoral dissertation defense on Friday, April 22 at 1:00pm.

HEB will be hosting a reception and champagne toast at 3:30pm in the HEB Lounge, Peabody Museum 5th floor, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138....