معرفی
Elizabeth Lonsdorf is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Emory University, with a focus on primate behavioral development and health. She holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota (2003) and previously served as founding Director of the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes at Lincoln Park Zoo. Her research examines the interplay between development, health, and social dynamics in primates, particularly chimpanzees in Gombe National Park. She co-directs the Gombe Ecosystem Health Project and Gombe Mother-Infant Project, investigating topics like tool-use ontogeny, maternal effects on offspring success, and disease ecology. Her work integrates long-term datasets and emphasizes conservation implications. Lonsdorf is affiliated with the APE Lab and contributes to One Health initiatives addressing primate-human ecosystem interactions.
- Education: PhD, University of Minnesota, 2003; B.S., Duke University (via Duke Lemur Center).
Research interests span primate behavioral ecology, developmental trajectories, and health monitoring. She studies how social integration, environmental factors, and maternal behavior influence survival and reproductive outcomes in wild populations. Key projects include analyzing tool-use acquisition in chimpanzees, tracking parasite infections in apes, and evaluating the impact of human encroachment on primate health. Her studies often involve multi-disciplinary collaboration, combining field observations with genomic and epidemiological methods.
Articles highlight her work on chimpanzee social behavior, health metrics, and conservation challenges. Themes include genital wounding as social behavior, maternal rank effects on offspring, and zoonotic disease risks at human-wildlife interfaces. These studies underscore the importance of integrating ecological, health, and social data to inform conservation strategies.
Advising and grants: While no students are listed, her projects likely involve collaborative grants and training of early-career researchers. Grants support long-term fieldwork and lab-based analyses. She also participates in policy initiatives related to ape conservation.
Labs/Teams: APE Lab (website linked), Gombe Ecosystem Health Project, and Gombe Mother-Infant Project. These platforms facilitate international collaboration and data-sharing for primate research and conservation.
