Dean’s Scholars Distinguished Lecture: Evolutionary Anthropologist and Geneticist Jenny Tung

The Dean’s Scholars Student Association Distinguished Lecture Series presents evolutionary anthropologist and geneticist Dr. Jenny Tung. 

A proper study for mankind: understanding the human condition through the lens of other primates

Lecture
Date: October 21
Room: WEL 1.308
Time: 5-6 PM
RSVP Here

Meet & Greet
Date: October 21
Room: WCP 3.114
Time: 3-4 PM
RSVP Here

About the talk: “Our experiences in early life and our social connections throughout life strongly predict our health and our lifespans. Work in the last few decades reveals that similar patterns govern the lives of our closest living relatives, the non-human primates. These studies suggest that the social determinants of health in humans have deep evolutionary roots. In this lecture, I will draw on our work on other animals, both in the lab and in the wild, to put our own species in context. I will review the strong evidence that early adversity, social status, and affiliative ties in adulthood are central to life outcomes, suggesting that observations in humans are not an artifact of the modern human environment. I will discuss possible pathways that connect early life to later life outcomes, including work we have done to connect social interactions with changes going on ‘under the skin.’ Finally, I will highlight what studies of other primates are teaching us about the potential for resilience in the face of adversity.”

Dr. Tung is currently an Associate Professor of Biology and Visiting Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University, as well as Director of the Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Her research involves examining primates and other social animals to understand how genes and social behavior influence each other, and what this means for mankind.