TEACHING
  
I have taught the following courses over my career:
Introduction to Anthropology
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
Evolution of the Human Brain
Evolution of Behavior
Human Variation and Adaptation
Human Evolution
Issues in Hominid Evolution
Language and Society
Psychological Anthropology
Graduate Seminar on Perspectives on the Evolution of Human Behavior
Course descriptions:
A survey of anthropology that introduces the fundamental concepts and perspectives of the field.  It reviews the basics of biological anthropology, archeology, cultural anthropology and linguistics
This course introduces students to the study of human evolution as it is practiced by the various sub-disciplines of biological anthropology.  We will take particular interest in current issues and problems in the field, and the different ways in which researchers are attempting to understand and uncover the details of human evolution.  The areas of inquiry we will look at include: Human paleontology, human biology, primatology, molecular anthropology, human paleoneurology, and general issues in evolutionary biology.  Some specific topics we will cover include: Phylogenetic reconstruction, reconstructing behavior from fossil remains, brain and behavior in an evolutionary perspective, important discoveries in human and primate paleontology, origin of anatomically modern humans, the role of diet in human evolution, and the evolution of language.
 

An introduction to the study of the evolution of the brain, with a focus on the human species.  Students will review basic concepts in evolutionary biology that form the basis for an evolutionary approach.  The direct fossil evidence of vertebrate brain evolution will then be reviewed, and comparative (cross-species) perspectives on neuroanatomy and behavior will be emphasized.  An analysis of the specific changes in the brain during human evolution will then be covered.  We will consider possible sources of evidence relevant to brain evolution as well, such as the archaeological record of human behavioral evolution.  Current controversies and theories about the causes and consequences of hominid brain evolution will be reviewed, including the possible role of language, tool use, sociality, dietary shifts, and other behavioral adaptations.  In addition, sex differences in brain and behavior will be discussed, as well as philosophical questions surrounding the problems of consciousness, mind and brain.  A consideration will also be given to the possible origins of human ethics and morals.

This course focuses on the strategies and approaches of biological anthropology to the question of human variation in contemporary populations. Particular interest given to the interaction of biology and culture.  Part of the course will be devoted to delineating and understanding the extent, evolution, and importance of human variation.  We will be exploring the inter-relatedness of biology and the environment (defined in the broadest possible sense).  We will be interested in how humans survive with the many different ecological zones over the face of the earth.  We will investigate human growth, various topics of special interest in human nutrition and medicine.  Our focus will to show that human biology can best be appreciated from evolutionary and anthropological perspectives.
Cross-cultural comparison of theories of human nature, including psychoanalytic anthropology, culture-and- personality, and other theories from Western science, as well as non-Western theories about such concepts as the person, emotions, and mental illness. 
An overview of the fossil record and other evidence for human evolution.  Discusses the emergence of the hominins as a lineage distinct from other apes.  Provides evidence for the evolution of bipedalism, tool use, hunting/gathering, major increases in brain size, language, and material culture and the hypotheses that have been developed to explain the emergence of these characteristics. 
An examination of the social functions of speech through readings and exercises, emphasizing schools and other applied settings. Topics include ethnic and social class dialects, codeswitching, and the organization of conversation.  Students will gain a greater appreciation for the ways in which language varies across time, across geography, and across social groupings such as social class, race/ethnicity, and sex/gender.  Discussions of why this occurs, and what it says about the human condition, will also be central to the course
This seminar considers the evolution of cognitive skills from a variety of perspectives.  One focus will be on hominid anatomical evolution, particularly those aspects relevant to the evolution of human behavior (e.g., neuroanatomy).  Another focus will be on non-human primate behavior, both in the wild and in the lab.  We will also consider the archaeological evidence left by Pleistocene humans that may be relevant to this question.  Participants will have the opportunity to take an active role in influencing the direction of the seminar towards areas of their particular interest.  The goal of the seminar will be to integrate research from many fields of inquiry in order to gain a better understanding of the human condition.  Because this seminar will take a multidisciplinary approach, a strong background in anthropology will not be assumed.