Angela-Maria Chira

Angela-Maria Chira is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, specializing in the Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution. She is a core member of the Comparative Oceanic Linguistics (CoOL) team, focusing on cross-cultural and linguistic evolution across Oceania. Her interdisciplinary work bridges macroevolutionary biology and cultural evolution, using computational methods to model large-scale patterns.

• Education:
  • PhD in Evolutionary Biology, University of Sheffield (2018)
  • MBiolSci in Zoology, University of Sheffield (2014)

Her research leverages graph algorithms to quantify travel costs in prehistoric societies and applies evolutionary principles to understand cultural and linguistic diversification. She has developed models to test Jared Diamond’s geographic hypotheses and investigate the role of alcohol in societal complexity.

Angela-Maria’s publications span journals like Science Advances, Scientific Reports, and Nature, reflecting her expertise in both biological and cultural evolution. Her work on avian trait competition and linguistic disparity highlights her methodological diversity in phylogenetic analysis and ecological modeling.

She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and has presented at conferences including the Cultural Evolution Society and International Conference on Historical Linguistics. Her hobbies include birdwatching and attending cultural events, aligning with her academic interests in nature and human practices.