Stony Brook University will feature two prominent anthropologists in its Provost’s Lecture Series on February 11. Lawrence Martin and Pat Wright, both SUNY Distinguished Service Professors, are set to present their work and insights at the Charles B. Wang Center Theater starting at 3:30 pm.
Lawrence Martin, a specialist in human evolution and director emeritus of the Turkana Basin Institute, will discuss significant events in human history that occurred in Africa. "All of the major events in the human evolutionary story occurred in Africa," he stated. Martin collaborated with Richard Leakey for many years to establish a center for research on human evolution at Stony Brook's Turkana Basin Institute. His lecture will cover discoveries from over five decades of research, detailing humanity's seven-million-year journey from shared ancestry with chimpanzees and bonobos.
Pat Wright will share findings from Madagascar that shed light on its ancient past. She leads research as the Director of Centre ValBio and has been involved in three major discoveries over the last decade. "Our Stony Brook team has made three major discoveries in Madagascar," Wright explained. Her presentation will explore how Madagascar's rich biodiversity is nearing extinction due to habitat destruction since humans arrived 2,500 years ago.
Wright’s recent work includes uncovering fossils dated back 10,000 years near central Madagascar sapphire mines and discovering tool marks on giant elephant bird bones from 2017. In November 2024, her team found a dwarf hippo's remains within Ranomafana National Park's rainforest, providing further insight into the island's history.
The lectures aim to deepen understanding of human evolution and environmental conservation efforts needed for Madagascar’s unique ecosystem.