The Leakey Foundation

UPDATE: If you are unable to join us in San Francisco, you can still see the symposium LIVE, online. Sign up for your conference pass today!

A human female is born, lives her life, and dies within the span of a few decades, but the shape of her life has been strongly influenced by 50 million years of primate evolution.

On Saturday, April 28 join leading scientists for a special symposium at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco as they discuss the The Female in Evolution. This rich topic will be considered in the context of the three research areas funded by The Leakey Foundation; Paleoanthropology, Behavioral and Hunter-gatherers and will integrate life history, behavior, anatomy, development, and cultural identity of females.

After an introduction by primatologist Kelly Stewart, pioneering anthropologist Adrienne Zilhman will give the keynote presentation. Zihlman’s research has had major impacts on the fields of physical anthropology and human evolution. In the 1970s, her critique of the “Man the Hunter” model opened the way for researchers to incorporate the role of females in hominid biological evolution and in human cultural development, an approach that has since become mainstream.

Chaired by Leslea Hlusko, the Paleoanthropology session will feature an overiew lecture by Daniel Lieberman and a case study lecture by Dean Falk on “The Role of Prehistoric Mothers in the Evolution of Language”.

The Behavioral session, chaired by Jill Pruetz, consists of an overview lecture by Joan Silk. Dorothy Cheney will discuss “Primate Social Cognition” for the case study lecture.

For the afternoon keynote, Robert Martin will discuss “The Evolution of Mothering”.

Chaired by Brooke Scelza, the Hunter-forager session will have an overview lecture by Kristen Hawkes, and a case study by Rebecca Bliege Bird on the role of women amongst Australia’s Aboriginal peoples.

Each session of this intimate event will end with a question and answer session. Leslie Aiello will conclude the day’s proceedings with a symposium wrap-up.

This event is now sold out! But you can still see the symposium LIVE, online. Sign up for your conference pass today!

Produced in partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, this special symposium is generously sponsored by Jean and Ray Auel, Gordon and Ann Getty, and Wells Fargo Bank.