Katharine Jack

Dr. Katharine Jack is a Professor of Anthropology and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs at Tulane University's School of Liberal Arts. She holds core faculty status at the Stone Center and has led the Environmental Studies Program (2017–2019). Her research focuses on primate behavioral ecology, conservation, and population dynamics, primarily in Costa Rica and Ecuador. She has supervised 3 doctoral dissertations in recent years with 3 more in progress.

Education:

• Ph.D., Physical Anthropology (Primatology), University of Alberta, 2001
• M.A., University of Calgary, Physical Anthropology (Primatology), 1995
• B.S., University of Calgary, Physical Anthropology, 1992

Research Interests: Biological Anthropology, Primatology, Primate Behavioral Ecology, Conservation Biology. She leads long-term field studies on white-faced capuchins in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica, exploring topics like alpha male behavior, infant mortality, and climate impacts. Her work integrates endocrinology, genetics, and agent-based modeling to understand primate social systems and conservation challenges.

Grants & Awards: Recipient of National Science Foundation (2021–2025), NIH/NIA (2022–2025), Leakey Foundation, and National Geographic grants. Her research has advanced understanding of primate adaptation to environmental stressors and human impacts.

Advising & Labs: Supervises graduate students in primate behavior and conservation. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects like fecal steroid analysis and MHC genetics in capuchins. Her lab emphasizes field-based research and conservation applications.

Global Experience: Extensive fieldwork in Ecuador and Costa Rica; fluent in Spanish and French. Serves as a reviewer for journals like American Journal of Primatology and Folia Primatologica.