80%
of our annual budget goes to
Science and Education
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The Leakey Foundation is pleased to announce we were given an 80% Efficiency Rating during our most recent audit.

This means the 80% of our annual budget is granted to scientists and used for our educational programs.

In the American Institute of Philanthropy’s view, 60% or greater is reasonable for most charities and the most highly efficient charities are able to spend 75% or more on programs.

From the AIP website: "AIP is a nationally prominent charity watchdog service whose purpose is to help donors make informed giving decisions."

We spend the remaining percentage on fundraising efforts and general administration.*

* AIP has not officially rated The Leakey Foundation.

Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project

Annual Speaker Series on Human Origins, Calendar of Events, Paleoanthropology  |  3 Comments

Spencer Wells

Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project

Spencer Wells, Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society and Frank H. T. Rhodes Class of ‘56 Professor at Cornell University

Genetics has revolutionized our understanding of human diversity. It is now widely accepted that our species originated in Africa within the past 200,000 years, and that we started to populate the world outside of Africa only in the past 60,000. Using data from hundreds of thousands of people, including members of the general public, the Genographic Project is deciphering the migratory routes followed by early humans as they populated Earth. New results from the project will be presented and discussed.

Spencer Wells, Ph.D. is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society and Frank H. T. Rhodes Class of ‘56 Professor at Cornell University. He leads the Genographic Project, which is collecting and analyzing hundreds of thousands of DNA samples from people around the world in order to decipher how our ancestors populated the planet. Wells received his Ph.D. in population genetics from Harvard University and conducted postdoctoral work at Stanford and Oxford. He has written three books, The Journey of Man, Deep Ancestry and Pandora’s Seed, and has appeared in numerous documentary films. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, a filmmaker.

Made possible, in partnership with the Houston Museum of Natural Science, by the generous support of our sponsors— Wells Fargo Bank, The Brown Foundation and Wallace S. Wilson.

Monday, March 7, 2011 @ 6:30 pm
Houston Museum of Natural Science | Houston, TX
Tickets: Adults $17, Students $12, Leakey Foundation & HMNS members $12.
Information and tickets: 713.639.4629

Posted on December 1st, 2010

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  1. Tweets that mention Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project | The Leakey Foundation -- Topsy.com says:

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Nat Geo Science, TheLeakeyFoundation. TheLeakeyFoundation said: Upcoming Leakey Foundation lecture in Houston: Inside the Human Genographic Project 03/07/11 @HMNS http://cot.ag/i4OPlI [...]

    February 22nd, 2011 at 10:25 AM (#)

  2. Adam Gal says:

    I watched one of your human prehistory documentaries and it was absolutely fantastic!
    Sorry,just can’t remember..ah it was the one on DVD.And also some you tube videos featuring lectures you have held on finding people’s ancestory through selective gene analysis..mmm
    you did one of the best jobs I have seen.I will need to read one of your books just listed on this site
    Cheer,Adam Gal,Australia.

    March 3rd, 2011 at 10:22 PM (#)

  3. beth says:

    Thanks Adam! It’s a shame you can’t join us in Houston for Dr. Wells’ lecture – though I suppose coming all the way from Australia might be just a bit too much of a haul! Enjoy’s Dr. Wells’ books. – Beth, from The Leakey Foundation

    March 4th, 2011 at 12:38 PM (#)

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