2011
Changing Humans in a Changing Environment
October 14, 2011
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Platinum Ballrooms 1&2
Anaheim Marriott
Anaheim CA
Educational Resources for Teaching about this topic
Hear directly from the researchers who are adding to our growing understanding of human origins and learn how the dynamic interplay between the environment and our evolving species drives change.
The challenges of becoming human: Evolution in an era of dramatic climate change
Rick PottsHuman Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
How have humans today become one of the most adaptable species on earth? In this talk, Dr. Potts will illustrate the evidence of extinctions and the emergence of adaptations over the past 6 million years of human evolution, one of the most dramatic eras of environmental change in Earth's history.
What can chimpanzees tell us about human evolution?
Department of Anthropology, Iowa State University, IA
Studying chimpanzees living in a savanna environment in Senegal allows Dr. Pruetz to assess what is most limiting to apes in this harsh environment, similar to the habitat of the earliest bipedal apes. Comparing the behavior of savanna chimpanzees to those that live in forests allows her to pose hypotheses regarding what may have influenced the behavior and ecology of our earliest relatives.
Becoming human in a changing world: the early evolution of Homo
Susan Antón Department of Anthropology, New York University, NY
The fossil discoveries of the last decade have radically altered our view of the early evolution of our genus. Dr. Antón's research has led to an understanding of the connections between the changing world of the Pleistocene, dietary resources, and small changes in teeth and jaws that increased survival rate, shaping the origin and early evolution of Homo.
New discoveries from ancient genomes
Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI
The DNA from Neanderthals and other ancient people is yielding a new understanding of their biology and relationship to living humans. Many of us carry genes from these people. Dr. Hawks and other scientists are beginning to find out which genes and what they may do.
Human evolution symposium to be webcast live
Even if you can’t make it to this year’s meeting in Anaheim, you can still watch the symposium via live webcast.Tune in Friday, October 14 from 4:30-8:30 PM EST (1:30-5:30 PM PST).
Teachers and students are encouraged to tune in to all or part of the free webcast for an opportunity to hear internationally renowned researchers discuss their fascinating, cutting-edge work in human evolution. Classrooms all over the world will even be able to submit their questions online and have the speakers respond in real time!
To view the live, free webcast, simply go to http://dukeuniversity.acrobat.com/nabt2011 at 1:30 pm Pacific/4:30 pm Eastern and log in as a guest. (Note: We suggest you do this in advance to test the connection and make sure you can access the site without problems. When you log in successfully you'll see a "Congratulations" message. If you have problems, please contact eog@nescent.org.)
Interested in receiving teaching materials and learning about strategies to teach human evolution in your classroom? Join us the day after the symposium to engage in hands-on activities and explore the teaching resources that accompany the symposium content:
2011 Workshop
October 15, 2011
9:30am-11:30am
Orange County 1 Ballroom at the Anaheim Marriott
For more information about the 2011 NABT Conference, including registration please go to the NABT website.
