Primate Ecology and Behavior

I’ve been fortunate to with captive primates at multiple locations, from the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park to Monkey Jungle and the Lowry Park Zoo, FL.  My first primate-based fieldwork occurred with ITEC at Bocas del Toro, Panama.  Following this, I did dissertation research at the Ngogo research site, located in Kibale National Park, Uganda.

Since 2006, I have been working at the site of Mainaro, located in the southeastern aspect of Kibale.  I am using observational, genetic and endocrinological methods to answer questions on the primate community’s response to habitat changes and human contact.

Tropical Ecology & Conservation

Any work with wild primates forces you to learn more about habitat, ecology, and most importantly conservation issues.  My work at Mainaro has led to papers on an Ambylomma tick and the African golden cat.  We’ve been using camera traps, collecting scat and measuring vegetation to learn more about Mainaro’s faunal and floral diversity.

In concert with my work in Africa, I try to lend support as much as possible to the Institute of Tropical Ecology and Behavior, located in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Osteology & Pathology

My first job in anthropology was as a museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, working at the Repatriation Office.  I gradually began working more and more on osteology & anatomy over time, and I now manage the Yale Biological Anthropology Laboratories’ osteology collection.  I have provided descriptions and documentation on human and nonprimate skeletal material, identifying sex, age, pathology, and other details.  I have been fortunate to work with several undergrads over the years, presenting posters on captive primate skeletal pathologies and trauma, Yale Peabody Museum human skeletal remains, and the use of FORDISC in identifying unprovenienced teaching collection skulls & crania.