Ilaria Pretelli

Ilaria Pretelli is a Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology's Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture. Her work focuses on understanding the evolutionary underpinnings of human childhood through foraging behavior in children, particularly in Pemba, Tanzania. She holds a PhD Candidate status (since 2018) investigating how childhood duration relates to learning foraging skills. Her educational background includes a Master's (2016, cum laude) and Bachelor's (2013, cum laude) in Biology/Evolutionary Biology from the University of Padova, where she explored topics like neoteny and pesticide impacts on bumblebees.

Her research integrates evolutionary theory with empirical fieldwork, emphasizing the role of ecological knowledge transmission in shaping human development. Key interests include life history theory, behavioral ecology, and cross-cultural methodologies. Pretelli has contributed to studies on socioecological factors influencing child labor patterns and co-authored a field guide on cross-cultural childhood research methodologies and policy implications.

Her publications span evolutionary anthropology, conservation biology, and entomology, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach. Notable works include analyses of foraging complexity and childhood evolution, as well as methodological frameworks for ethical cross-cultural research.

Prior roles include a stipend contract (2017-2018) at the same institute and research assistantships in Italy and Tanzania. She collaborates with global teams on topics ranging from hunter-gatherer time allocation to policy-relevant anthropological insights.