Jessica Thompson

Jessica C. Thompson is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Curator at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. She specializes in human evolution through zooarchaeology, leading the Malawi Ancient Lifeways and Peoples Project and directing the Yale Paleoarchaeology Lab. Her research focuses on interpreting early human behavior through analysis of animal bones and archaeological materials in Africa, particularly Malawi and Ethiopia.

• University: Yale University
• Department: Anthropology
• Key Projects: Malawi Ancient Lifeways Project, Ledi-Geraru Oldowan Studies

Education: PhD in Anthropology (Arizona State University, 2008), M.Phil (Cambridge, 2002), B.S. (University of New Mexico, 2000). Previous roles include Assistant Professor at Emory University (2015–2019) and ARC Fellow at University of Queensland (2011–2012).

Research interests span hunter-gatherer adaptation, technological evolution, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Recent work includes identifying the oldest African ancient DNA from Malawi (c. 8,100 BP) and analyzing Middle Stone Age behavioral complexity.

Publications emphasize faunal analysis, taphonomy, and interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeology with genetics and geoscience. Awards include National Geographic Explorer status and Australian Research Council Fellowships.

Current initiatives include advocating for Malawi's national museum infrastructure and mentoring students through HOMER field schools in Africa and Italy.