Kim Nichols

Kim Nichols is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University, part of the College of Liberal Arts. Her academic focus spans Primatology, Primate Paleontology, and Functional Anatomy, with research emphasizing nonhuman primate skeletal variation and Eocene primate paleocommunities. She advocates strongly for undergraduate research opportunities, supervising numerous student projects that contribute to paleontological and anthropological studies.

Education:

• M.A. in Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder (focus on Howling Monkey locomotion in Costa Rica)
• B.A. in Anthropology, University of California at Santa Cruz (nonhuman primate anatomy, forensic anthropology, archaeology)

Research Interests:

• Nonhuman primate skeletal variation in captive/wild populations
• Functional anatomy of primates
• Early Eocene primate paleoecology and distribution
• Paleontological field methods and fossil collection

Teaching & Fieldwork: Leads ANTH 470 Paleontology Field School in Wyoming, emphasizing hands-on fossil discovery and analysis. The course has collected over 800 mammalian fossils, including 100+ primate specimens since its inception.

Advising & Outreach: Mentored students in CURC presentations and professional conferences (Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, GSA). Advocates for integrating field research into undergraduate education to enhance scientific literacy.

Labs/Teams: Core member of the Paleontology Field School Lab, managing fossil collections from the Bighorn Basin. Collaborates with Dr. Tom Bown on Eocene primate studies.