Stacey Rucas

Stacey Rucas is a Professor of Anthropology at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), specializing in human evolutionary ecology, life history theory, and medical anthropology. Her research focuses on topics such as sleep behavior, women’s social dynamics, and resource competition within cultural contexts. She teaches courses including Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Research Design and Methods.

Her research interests include the behavioral ecology of sleep, social aggression among Indigenous South American populations like the Tsimane and Sidama, and the intersection of evolutionary theory with cultural practices. She has published extensively on female social strategies, cooperation, and conflict in small-scale societies.

• Key Publications:
• Chapters in the Oxford Handbook of Women and Competition (2017)
• Studies on sleep patterns and evolutionary psychology in journals like Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Aggressive Behavior

Rucas has received the Richard K. Simon Award for Outstanding Career Achievement in Teaching (2024). Her work integrates field-based research with theoretical frameworks in evolutionary anthropology.