LAK
  • Professor, Anthropology Department
801-585-3075

Current Courses

Fall 2024

  • ANTH 383-001
    Sex and Gender
  • ANTH 3283-001
    Sex and Gender

Spring 2024

Professional Organizations

  • Sigma Xi. 12/2020 - present. Position : Member.
  • International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health. 07/01/2018 - present. Position : Member.
  • International Association of Primatologists. 01/01/2002 - present. Position : Member.
  • American Society of Primatologists. 02/01/1994 - present. Position : Member.
  • American Association of Anthropologists. 01/01/1994 - present. Position : Member.
  • American Association of Physical Anthropologists. 01/01/1994 - present. Position : Member.

Courses I Teach

  • ANTH 1020 - Human Origins: Evolution and Diversity
    Physical (also known as Biological) Anthropology is an exciting discipline that studies humans, and their closest living relatives, as biological beings living in cultural and natural settings. We are interested in questions pertinent and important to the scientific, social, and political agenda of the world. Based on what is taught in this course, students will be prepared to answer questions regarding human origins, the relationship of humans to the rest of the animal kingdom, the origin, patterns, maintenance, and significance of human biological variation. Students also learn about the nature of heredity and the ethical ramifications of new developments in biotechnology. The course introduces the topics of human and primate fossil records, human physiology, variation, race, and the genetic bases of human variation and evolution. There are voluntary, but highly recommended, review sessions for each exam and students are required to give a five minute group presentation in the class.
  • ANTH 4183 - Sex & Gender
    The course introduces students to an anthropological perspective on the relationship between sex, the biological attributes by which a person is perceived to be "male" or "female", and gender or the ideals and practices associated with the roles, behaviors and sexualities of individuals. Students learn about the genetic mechanisms of sexual differentiation and how genetic, chromosomal and hormonal factors can make males appear masculine, females appear feminine and, in some cases, individuals appear to be both (intersex). Examples are drawn from modern societies to explore variation in gender roles and in the way people are treated in light of their sex and gender. (meets with ANTH 6183)

Teaching Projects

  • Learning Through Experience. Project Lead: Leslie A Knapp. Castle Foundation 06/01/2016 - 05/31/2017. Total Budget: $5,000.00.
  • Engaging Students with Hands-On and Interactive Activities in Primatology. Project Lead: Leslie Knapp. University of Utah, Individual Teaching Grant 12/15/2014 - 06/30/2015. Total Budget: $3,490.00.

Student Projects

  • A comparative study of human and howler monkey Toll-Like Receptor 7 under the selective pressure of yellow fever virus. Nicole Torosin. 07/01/2016 - 08/03/2019
  • UROP: Gene diversity in the major histocompatibility complex of wild and captive gorillas. Tsivya Devereaux. 06/2016 - 10/2016
  • Studying DRD4 genes in human and nonhuman primates. Michael Zaccheo. 11/2013 - present

Small Group Teaching

  • Laboratory Research Group Meetings.  02/01/2018  -  present
  • Initial offering of Learning Through Experience for small groups of students interested in laboratory science.  03/20/2017  -  05/20/2017

Current Students

  • Anika Ellington, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Project. Role: Chair.
  • Katie Ward, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Member.
  • Alan Achenbach, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Other. Role: Member.
  • Alan Achenbach, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Other. Role: Member.

Former Students

  • Nathan Harris, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Dissertation. Role: Member.
  • Nathan Harris, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Dissertation. Role: Member.
  • Nicole Torosin, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Project. Role: Chair.
  • Nicole Torosin, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Project. Role: Chair.
  • Cristobal Briceno, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Dissertation. Role: Chair. Institution: University of Cambridge.
  • Cristobal Briceno, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Dissertation. Role: Chair. Institution: University of Cambridge.