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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 

  • Evolution of modern human skeletal anatomy 

  • Evolution of gracilization in modern humans and domestic species 

  • Comparative and function anatomy of canids, felids, primates and bovids

  • Using experimental models (rats and mice) to test the effects of hindlimb suspension and maternal stress on bone density

    • Grant support from Leakey Foundation, AAA, NASA

 

Outreach projects 

  • Approaches to teaching evolution and anatomy in high school biology classes in Kenya (Grant support from ESEB and AAA)

  • 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)

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Layne Assif, BS Exercise Science (former member, graduated)

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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 

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