Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)

PhD Student
Advisor: Erin Vogel 
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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I am interested in how the need to find and acquire food has influenced primate evolution and in particular how primates interact with their plant food resources. I received my BA in anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2013. At UCSC I aided in research on comparative primate anatomy by dissecting monkeys and apes and also discovered a love for fieldwork while researching the feeding ecology of howling monkeys on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. After graduating I did research on vervet monkey foraging behavior and spatial cognition in Uganda before returning to UCSC for a few years to teach human anatomy labs. I received my MA at Iowa State University and focused my thesis on seed dispersal by savanna-dwelling chimpanzees at Fongoli, Senegal.

External Funding:
National Science Foundation -- Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant (2022)
Leakey Foundation Research Grant (2021)
American Philosophical Society -- Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research (2021)
Re:Wild and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation-- Primate Action Fund (2021)
Orangutan Species Survival Plan Grant (2020)
Fulbright Student Research Award (2020)

PhD Student
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: Human behavioral ecology, evolutionary medicine, energetic, metabolic adaptation, cultural evolution.

About: Khaled is a PhD student in Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES) at Rutgers University. He completed his undergraduate and master's degrees in anthropology at Jahangirnagar University (JU) in Bangladesh, followed by a master’s degree in evolutionary anthropology at the University of New Mexico. Khaled's research interests include human behavioral ecology, life history theory, and evolutionary medicine. He conducts research in Bangladesh and Vanuatu on topics that investigate relationships between market integration, social structure, and health. His master’s project described gendered differences in kidney transplantation in Bangladeshi hospitals. His dissertation focuses on how market integration impacts physical activity, immune function, and growth. Khaled aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the human body responds to change through biological and cultural adaptations and the role of culture and ecology in shaping health and behavior.

PhD Student
Advisor: Christina Bergey
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: Lemur evolution and adaptive radiation, evolutionary genetics, population genetics, ecological impacts on evolution

I am interested in understanding how ecological variables shaped the genetic evolution of lemurs after they arrived on Madagascar. I earned my B.A. in Anthropology from Boston University in 2020. My undergraduate research used phylogenetic methods to understand the evolution of the vomeronasal system (the chemosensory system that detects pheromones) in primates. Through this research, I became interested in lemurs specifically, and how their olfactory systems evolved differently from the rest of the primate clade. For my PhD research I want to further investigate the genetic evolution of these unique primates in order to better understand how they adapted to fill a variety of niches they encountered on Madagascar. I also hope to contribute to the conservation of lemurs through my research because they are the most endangered group of mammals on Earth. 

PhD Student
Advisor: Erin Vogel
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research Interests: Primates, Ethnoprimatology, Conservation, Climate change, Feeding ecology, Behavioral ecology, Health, Stress

Bio: I received my BS with Honors in Anthropology from the University of Iowa and my MS in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. My background is in ethnoprimatology, specifically in how human activity and interactions with nonhuman primates affect the health of primate populations. My current research interests lie in primate health with respect to feeding ecology and stress.

PhD student
Advisor: Gloria Dominguez Bello/Erin Vogel
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research Interests: Primates, Behavioural ecology, Feeding ecology, Health, Nutrition, Metagenomics

The basic question I ask, how primates survive the way they do - requires an understanding of different aspects of, health and behavior ecology that is modulated by environment and diet. By, integrating observational and experimental techniques from evolutionary biology, nutrition, microbiology, and metagenomics, I hope to pursue a richer understanding of primate behavior. The fascinating differentiation of dietary flexibility and behavioral plasticity in urban primates in comparison to forest-dwelling primates is of particular interest to me and will be my research focus. I received my Masters from the University of Pune, India. After this, I worked on a variety of different primate studies answering questions of feeding ecology, primate conservation, primate landscape ecology, human-primate co-existence. A kinesthetic learner, hoping for primate conservation by promoting coexistence.

PhD Student
Advisor: Erin Vogel
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research Interests: primates, diet plasticity, stable isotope analysis (SIA), anthropogenic/climate-induced habitat change

I am interested in how primates dietarily adapt to climate and anthropogenic-induced habitat loss using stable isotope analysis.
I received my B.A. in Anthropology and Geological Sciences at the University of Miami in 2017. My undergraduate thesis Geochemical analysis of Tequesta calcretes (Mann et al 2019) focused on the isotopic geoarchaeology of a settlement in Downtown Miami, previously occupied by the Tequesta population (pre/proto-historic indigenous group of South Florida), to better understand the paleoenvironment of the site before and after Spanish arrival. I received my M.A. in Anthropology/Human Skeletal Biology in New York University in 2020 and focused my thesis on the isotopic diet of the Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico rhesus macaques before and after Hurricane Maria’s deforestation of the island. As a doctoral student in Anthropology at Rutgers, I am interested in a holistic approach using multiple stable isotope techniques to answer questions on the nutritional consequences and fallback behaviors of the Bornean Orangutans influenced by the habitat-loss and fires in the peatlands of Borneo. As an underrepresented minority in the sciences, I am passionate about promoting and advocating for diversity and inclusion, in all the spaces around me. I aim to continue to do this through mentorship for underrepresented minorities, activism, and public/community outreach.

Awards: NSF DDIRG in Biological Anthropology for project titled “Assessing the Impact of Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances on Primate Health”

https://www.evahjm.com/

PhD Student
Advisor: Dan Cabanes
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research Interests: microarchaeology and taphonomy; dietary and technological changes in archaeological record; effects of heat on bone

I received a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in May of 2019. My undergraduate research focused on understanding how the surface of bone is altered by fire and other taphonomic processes. This research led to a poster presentation at the 2019 Society for American Archaeology meeting. That poster explored how the quantification of surface roughness may aid in the identification of burnt and weathered bone in the archaeological record.  My senior thesis expanded on this research by investigating how the surface roughness of White Tailed Deer ribs were affected by repeated heating events. At Rutgers, I would like to expand on this research, as well as look at other macro- and micro-scale effects of heat on bone. My broader research interests include using a combination of microarchaeology and taphonomy to understand how we can track major dietary and technological changes in the archaeological record. In my free time, I enjoy exploring museums, reading, and finding the best slice of cake in the world.

PhD Student
Advisor: Dr. Lee Cronk
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests include human behavioral ecology, mutual aid, cooperation, generosity, human evolution, prosociality, cultural evolution, perceptions of deservingness, climate justice, disaster relief strategies, and community dynamics.

I completed my B.S. in Child Psychology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2015 and subsequently worked in the mental health field until 2022, when I joined Rutgers University's Anthropology program as a master's student.

For my Master's thesis, I investigated the "Deservingness Heuristic," exploring how humans internally assess deservingness in others. This research is crucial for understanding strategies for cooperation amid future social and climate disasters. One such strategy is "mutual aid," which promotes community members exchanging resources based on need.  While my interests encompass both cultural and evolutionary anthropology, my primary focus lies in the evolutionary underpinnings of human cooperation and behavior. Now that I have entered the PhD program, I plan to expand my research on the evolution of human cooperation by comparing the crisis response strategies utilized by small-scale communities in disaster-prone areas.

PhD Student
Advisor: Ryne Palombit
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research Interests: primate behavior ecology, conservation, social behaviors, and their interactions with humans

I hold a BSc degree in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management and a MSc degree in Biology of Conservation from the University of Nairobi. My research focused on the implications of forest fragmentation and human activities on plant foods and behavior of the Tana River Mangabey. Previous research has been aimed at monitoring the feeding behavior and habitat loss of the Tana River mangabey and the Tana River Red colobus. Also, I have been engaged in assessing the utilization of forest products by the local community and their impact on the highly endangered Tana River mangabey. In the future, I aim to contribute to the conservation of primates by understanding their interactions with the human in their habitat as well as inform local communities.

PhD Student
Advisor: Lee Cronk
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: human behavioral sciences, religion, cooperation theory, game theory, moral philosophy, cultural evolution

My dissertation fieldwork in Ifugao, Philippines looks broadly at how religious affiliation affects cooperative behavior, specifically with whom we cooperate and to what extent we do so. Rooted in cooperation theory, cultural evolution, and cognitive science, my work considers religious affiliation as a feature of our coalitional psychology and addresses the understudied property of flexibility in those coalitional affiliations. I received my B.A. in anthropology from Penn State and have previously participated in archaeology field schools in Luxor Valley, Egypt and Bicol, Philippines. Prior to joining Rutgers HES, I worked in the private sector in wealth management at Morgan Stanley.

PhD Student
Advisor: Dr. Lee Cronk
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: My interests encompass human behavioral ecology, mutual aid, cooperation, prosociality, human and cultural evolution, and civic engagement with a focus on how ecological and evolutionary pressures shape human behaviors and drive social justice.

My academic journey has been driven by a profound interest in understanding the evolution of land tenure systems among pastoralist societies, with a particular focus on the Maasai people of Kenya. My research seeks to explore the cultural and economic ramifications of changing land tenure patterns, especially the shift from communal to individualized ownership. This transition mirrors broader trends in Kenyan government policies and growing land scarcity, with significant repercussions for Maasai culture, traditional livelihoods, and their future as a distinct community.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies (Anthropology) with Honors from Moi University in Kenya, which provided a solid foundation for my work in anthropology. Before joining Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, I gained valuable experience working across the private sector, government, and non-governmental organizations. In these roles, I applied anthropological concepts to real-world challenges, focusing on issues faced by vulnerable groups within the Kenyan communities. My experience in public administration and resource management gave me a unique perspective on how governmental policies and changing land tenure systems affect indigenous cultures. At Rutgers, my research aims to delve into the effects of land privatization on Maasai pastoral practices, examining its broader impact on social structures, traditional knowledge, and economic sustainability. Through this work, I hope to offer insights into the resilience and adaptability of indigenous communities as they navigate the pressures of evolving land policies and socio-economic changes.

PhD
Advisor: Dan Cabanes
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: Paleoethnobotany; Mesoamerican/Amazonian archaeology; Epigraphy; Archaeological reconnaissance; Remote sensing; Regional settlement demography; Human evolution

My greatest interest in archaeology is understanding the behavior of early mobile foraging groups and how they interacted with their surrounding environment. I received my B.A. and M.A. in Archaeology from Boston University in 2021. For my master’s research, I worked with the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance Project at the Preclassic Maya site of Cahal Pech as a field supervisor and paleoethnobotanist. During the 2019 field season, I constructed and operated the project’s first manual bilge pump flotation machine while assisting with daily excavations. The macrobotanical samples collected with the flotation machine and the soil samples collected for phytolith analysis were sent back to the Boston University Environmental Archaeology Laboratory where I spent the remainder of my graduate program analyzing each sample. At its core, my master’s research sought to elicit the methodological techniques necessary to utilize paleoethnobotanical markers as indicators for early and transitioning subsistence economies.

Upon graduating, I began working in the field of cultural resource management as a field archaeologist in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. I currently work as a crew chief and project archaeologist for a local heritage management firm. My doctoral research at Rutgers will focus on a comparative phytolith analysis between the Middle Paleolithic sites of El Salt and Abric del Pastor in Alcoi, Spain. My dissertation will engage the question of whether phytolith assemblages can be used as a proxy for the use and accessibility of certain plant species between different Middle Paleolithic sites in the same environmental region.

Current Awards:
Anthropology Bigel Award
CHES Small Grant Research Award
Center for African Studies (CAS) Graduate Student Enhancement Grant

Upcoming awards:
CHES Zelnick Award

PhD Student
Advisor: Dr. Christina Bergey
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: Lemur ecology and evolution, parasites, infectious disease, and conservation

I graduated from Central Washington University in 2023 with my second MS. in Primate Behavior. My research focused on the relationship between the intestinal parasite burden and social contact behavior in Tibetan macaques in China. I also held my first MS. in Zoology at the University of Mahajanga in Madagascar. At that time, I did research about the morphology, ecology, and ectoparasites in two species of mouse lemurs (Golden brown and Grey mouse lemurs) in northwestern Madagascar. My two Masters inspired me to continue research focusing on parasites and infectious diseases in lemur ecology and conservation in Madagascar for my Ph.D.

PhD Student
Advisor: Dan Cabanes
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences
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Research Interests: Microarchaeology, Phytoliths, FTIR, Anatomically Modern Humans, Bronze Age, Iron Age, the Levant

I graduated with my B.A. in Anthropology at Rutgers University in Spring 2022 where I completed my senior thesis, Where’s the fire? Using FTIR to define occupation of Abrigo de la Boja. This research focused on using the mineralogical composition of profile sediments to determine the occupation intensity by Neanderthals and Anatomically Modern Humans through anthropogenic modifications to the site as well as climactic conditions at Abrigo de La Boja, and Middle-Upper Paleolithic site in Murcia, Spain. As a PhD student, I plan on studying phytoliths from the site Tell es-Safi in Israel, as well as sites in the surrounding area. The aim of this research is to determine the ability of phytoliths to record human adaptation to climate change.

PhD student
Advisor: Erin Vogel
Program:  Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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Research interests: primates, orangutans, reproductive ecology, nutrition and energetics, conservation, science communication and outreach

I am an orangutan researcher and conservationist, broadly interested in the intersection of primate nutrition, energetics and reproduction. I received my BA in Anthropology from Boston University in 2018, and have been involved with orangutan research since 2016. During my undergraduate years I conducted research on orangutan nutrition, before spending a year in Gunung Palung National Park, Indonesia as a research assistant, studying orangutan parasitology and supporting the long-term research program. From 2019 to 2023 I worked as the Program and Development Coordinator for the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program, which has deepened my passion for community-led, landscape-level conservation and fieldwork in Indonesian Borneo! Now, at Rutgers, I plan to continue my research at both Gunung Palung and the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station, co-directed by my advisor, Dr. Erin Vogel. I aim to study the ways in which orangutan physiology varies across ecological conditions, and how this may impact reproductive ecology, and ultimately, the conservation of this critically endangered species.

PhD Student
Advisor: Robert Scott
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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I received my B.A. in Anthropology from Vanderbilt University in 2018. Much of my undergraduate research involved the dental microwear texture analysis of archaeological remains from the Wari Empire as well as modern capuchin monkeys from Costa Rica. Previously, I excavated early primate remains from the Bighorn Basin and early hominin remains from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. In the summer of 2019, I served as an intern for the Wyoming Dinosaur Center excavating dinosaur remains from the Morrison formation. As a doctoral candidate in Anthropology, I intend to focus my research on DMTA of non-human fossil primates to better understand primate dietary change in relation to climate change. Outside of academia, I am a diehard Mets, Jets and Islanders fan.

Research interests: DMTA of non-human fossil primates

PhD Student
Advisor: Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello
Program: Human Evolutionary Sciences (HES)
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I hold a B.A. degree in anthropology from Stony Brook University. My research interests are in Forensic Biology and Osteology. Prior to joining the Rutgers Master Program in Anthropology, I engaged in several research projects about the influences of different genotype mutations on the volume and density in endochondral and intramembranous bones in mice. Specifically, one of my studies involved the B3glct gene mutant mice as compared to a non-mutant control group, exploring potential factors that contribute to various disease states. I also joined the Percival Lab and developed sophisticated skills in identifying individual osteological compartments from a sample model established by 3D micro CT scans. As a prospective Master student at Rutgers University, I am looking forward to developing my interests and conducting more research in the field of Osteology and Forensic Biology.

Research interests: Forensic Biology and Osteology