Behind the Science | The Leakey Foundation
Science is a collaborative endeavor and long-term projects require the work of multiple generations of researchers. At the 2019 meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, The Leakey Foundation set out to document the academic “families” of biological anthropology.
With support from donors, The Leakey Foundation has been providing research grants since 1968 and educational fellowships since 1978. The Anthropology Portrait Project, generously funded by Leakey Foundation Executive Director, Sharal Camisa, illustrates the impact of Leakey Foundation grants over time. “Mentorship is fundamental to growth in most professions, especially science,” said Camisa, “Collaboration is critical to the advancement of knowledge. This project symbolizes a multigenerational and multidisciplinary approach to human origins research and underscores the value of mentorship and collaboration.”
People who received their first grants from The Leakey Foundation decades ago have now mentored several “generations” of scientists who have gone on to receive Leakey Foundation grants of their own.
This project is focused on the relationships between mentors and mentees, as well as collaborative groups like labs and long-term field research projects. Some portraits are of individual scientists.
The next phase of this project will be a series of interviews and articles on mentorship and collaboration.
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