Anthropology At FAU!
What Do Anthropologists Do With Their Summers? RESEARCH!!!
Assistant Professor Kate Detwiler Works With Team That Discovers New Monkey Species in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Dr. Kate Detwiler spent her summer working with the Lukuru Foundation, a collaboration of interdisciplinary scientists conducting the first systematic inventory of large mammals in the Congo. While in the central Congo jungle located in the Lomami Basin between the Lomami and Tshuapa Rivers, the group found a previously unidentified species of monkey, Cercopithecus lomamiensis, locally known as the lesula.
The lesula, which closely resembles the owl-faced monkey, is only the second new species of monkey discovered in Africa in 28 years. Dr. Detwiler was the corresponding author for documentation of the new species and supervised the genetic analyses needed to determine the lesula as a new monkey species.
"The fact that we are just finding a new species of primate in this area of the Congolese rain forest in the 21st century indicates that there is still so much to learn. We are very lucky that we found the lesula while there is still time to save it, and the discovery fuels the drive to raise awareness about and support for conservation of this incredibly diverse ecosystem," says Dr. Detwiler.
Click on the links below for more information about this discovery:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49010148/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.UFHLG5Zc98E
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/13/new-monkey-species-congo-lesula
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/19556915
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/dr-congo-new-monkey/index.html
Dr. Mary Cameron Elected 2012 President of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies.
Professor Mary Cameron, as part of her ongoing study of the practice of ayurvedic medicine in south Asia, and particularly Nepal, has been elected the 2012 president of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies (ANHS). ANHS is "the oldest academic organization devoted to the study of the Himalayan region in the United States." "The organization's membership includes universities, colleges, faculty, scholars, resource and development professionals, students and other Himalayan-region residents and enthusiasts."
Dr. Arlene Fradkin Publishes Article in the Journal, "Historical Archaeology"
Zooarchaeologist Arlene Fradkin in collaboration with Roger T. Grange, Jr and Dorothy L. Moore published a paper, "'Minorcan' Ethnogenesis and Foodways in Britain's Smyrnea Settlement, Florida, 1766-1777." The Smyrnea settlement existed during the British occupation of Florida in what is now New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater on the central east coast of Florida.
Focusing on archaeological sites in northwest Nicaragua, Dr. Clifford Brown, continued his survey of the cultural area of Mesoamerica. Accompanied by graduate student, Benjamin Wallinger, Dr. Brown visited several newly discovered archaeological sites, including several mounds. For Benjamin's thesis research, Dr. Brown took Benjamin to the historic ruins in El Realejo, Nicaragua. El Realejo is a port facility and shipyard which was one the most important centers for shipbuilding on the Pacific coast for the early Spanish empire. Dr. Brown also gave Benjamin the opportunity to meet one of his colleagues, Ramiro Garcia, an archaeologist with the Nicaraguan Institute of Culture who has unparalleled knowledge of the archaeology of El Realejo.
Dr. Doug Broadfield spent his summer analyzing the Taung Australopithecus africanus endocast. As one of the most recognized fossills in human evolution, Taung has been important to understanding human brain evolution.
Dr. Broadfield also took time to work with living organisms. He went to Costa Rica to study capuchin and spider monkeys, primates with some of the largest brain sizes after humans. By studying the transmission of learned skills between individuals in a group setting, there is a great deal to learn about the cognitive abilities of the primate brain.
Adjunct and Doctoral Student Nancy Stein Gives Paper at the British Museum
Ms. Nancy Stein, a member of the Royal Anthropological Institute, headquartered at the British Museum in London, England, give a paper at their anuual conference, "Anthropology in the Material World. The topic of Ms. Stein's paper was "Visual Anthropology as a Research Methodology." Ms. Stein then travelled across the channel to Paris where she visited several visual anthropologists to interview them about their work and to discuss their views about being anthropologists who specialize in the visual aspects of culture. Ms. Stein's plans to use the interviews in an upcoming article.
