Lab members
I am an Associate Professor at Marshall University. I teach Human Anatomy, Human Biology, Human Evolution, Principles of Organic Evolution and BSC graduate seminars.
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I received my Bachelor's degree from the University of Nairobi (2005), Masters degree from New York University (2008) and PhD from the George Washington University (2013). I completed a postdoctoral fellow at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in 2015 prior to starting my current position.
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Research projects
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Evolution of modern human skeletal anatomy
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Evolution of gracilization in modern humans and domestic species
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Comparative and function anatomy of canids, felids, primates and bovids
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Using experimental models (rats and mice) to test the effects of hindlimb suspension and maternal stress on bone density
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Grant support from Leakey Foundation, AAA, NASA
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Outreach projects
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Approaches to teaching evolution and anatomy in high school biology classes in Kenya (Grant support from ESEB and AAA)
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Anatomy training for high school anatomy/biology teachers and their students (Grant support from AAA)
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Awards
2019: John Marshall Scholars Award for fall 2019 semester
2019: Distinguished Artists and Scholars Award, Marshall University
2013-2014: Smithsonian Secretary's Distinguished Award
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Current lab members
Caroline Cartwright: Working on trabecular bone density in recent modern humans; awarded the NASA Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2021-2022) and Creative Discovery Scholar (fall 2021)
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Layne Assif: Working on bone density among Felidae; Awarded the Creative Discovery Scholar Award (summer 2021) and the NASA Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2021-2022)
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Calvin Covington: Project is on correlating validating pQCT and microCT bone density data in mice; awarded the Creative Discovery Scholar Award (spring 2022)
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Parth Khetia and Skyler Poling: Joint project on assessing the effects of maternal stress on cortical and trabecular bone density and strength using rats as an experimental model.
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Past lab members
Jenna Palmer, MS Biology
Taylor Perry, BS Biology
Nakita Bryan, BS Biology
Vivian Hodges, BA Anthropology
Maria ovalle, BS Health Science
Hannah Dean, BS Biology
Martha Sortome, BS Health Science
Raekwon Timmons, BS Exercise Science
Holly Farkosh, BS Biology
McKenzie Granata, BS Biology
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Habiba Chirchir
Tyler Blake, MS Biology
Skyler Poling (left), Parth Khetia (right), BS Biology (former members)
Calvin Covington, BS Exercise Science (former member, graduated)
Layne Assif, BS Exercise Science (former member, graduated)
Caroline Cartwright, BS Biology (former member, graduated)
EDUCATION
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Evolution of gracility in the modern human skeleton- trabecular bone density and bone strength
2008- 2013
George Washington University
PhD, Human Paleobiology
Trabecular bone morphology in the hominin fossil record
Study of bone density and strength in mammalian species- canids, felids and bovids
2006-2008
New York University
MA, Anthropology- Skeletal Biology track
2001-2005
University of Nairobi
BA, Anthropology