Research in our lab is broadly focused on morphogenesis in Hominoidea: How do different factors influence the evolution of, and variation in, anatomic shape among humans and our ape relatives? To what extent do these interactions inform our understanding of adaptive evolution and other evolutionary processes? Major projects are related to quantitative analyses of anatomic shape and form or to paleobiological research on Early and Middle Miocene (ca. 23-11 Ma) fossil sites in Kenya and Uganda. Increasingly, however, we are able to combine both modes of research to better document the evolutionary history of the ape and human clade.
A core tenet of the McNulty lab is that strong support for representation, public engagement, stakeholder consultation, and educational outreach is a fundamental component of all good research. We engage in these efforts because they are ethically compelling but we also recognize that our research benefits in direct proportion to the degree to which we integrate such work into our projects. Sound like your kind of group? Read on to learn about research, publications, outreach and other content coming from the McNulty lab, or contact us to find out how to get involved!
MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDE:
Paleontology of Kisingiri fossil sites (Rusinga, Mfangano, Karungu, Uyoma)
