Jessica M. Rothman

Jessica M. Rothman is a Professor and Program Director in the Department of Anthropology at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY). She directs the Human Biology Program and serves as a core member of the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology.

Her academic credentials include:

• BS in Animal Nutrition, Cornell University
• MS in Animal Nutrition, Cornell University
• PhD in Animal Nutrition, Cornell University
• Postdoctoral training in Biology and Anthropology, McGill University

Dr. Rothman's research centers on nutritional ecology and primate behavior, investigating how wild primates meet nutritional needs under ecological and social constraints. Her work employs nutritional geometry frameworks to analyze foraging decisions, with field sites in Ugandan national parks. She examines nutrient balancing in diverse species including chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and blue monkeys, focusing on how environmental pressures shape dietary strategies and conservation outcomes.

Her 2020-2021 publications reveal strong thematic continuity in primate nutritional ecology, with emphasis on nutrient balancing mechanisms, human-wildlife conflict (particularly pesticide exposure and tourism impacts), and cross-species behavioral comparisons. Key innovations include methodological advances in non-invasive contaminant monitoring and theoretical contributions to nutritional geometry applications in wild populations.

Dr. Rothman leads an active research group comprising postdoctoral researchers, PhD candidates, Master's students, and undergraduates. She serves on graduate committees globally, mentoring the next generation of primatologists through hands-on field training and laboratory analysis.

She directs the Wildlife Nutritional Ecology Lab at Hunter College and maintains long-term field research in Uganda, where she holds dual honorary appointments as Wildlife Officer with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Lecturer at Makerere University. Her Ugandan field sites enable collaborative conservation-oriented research, with all field documentation personally conducted by Dr. Rothman.