Kristen Hawkes | |
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Alma mater | University of Washington Iowa State University |
Occupation | Professor of Anthropology |
Employer | University of Utah |
Kristen Hawkes is an American anthropologist, currently a professor at University of Utah. [1] [2] In 2021 she was elected to the American Philosophical Society. [3]
Hawkes received a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Iowa State University and a Masters in Anthropology from the University of Washington. She was awarded a PhD in Anthropology for her research into kinship and cooperation among the Binumarien a highland community in New Guinea. [1]
Hawkes, an expert in human evolution and sociobiology, is the author of several studies on the “ grandmother hypothesis,” which asserts that many of the characteristics that distinguish us from our ape ancestors are thanks to the thoughtful care of our mothers' mothers. [4] Her research is based on ethnographic observation studies of hunter-gatherer communities such as the Aché and Hadza. [1] She has also developed mathematical models to model evolution over time and trace the influence of grandmothers on human lifespan. [5] Combining mathematical modelling and observational studies she also researches the effects of fire on ancient hunter-gatherers. [1]