معرفی
Dr. Monica Wakefield is a Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Philosophy at Northern Kentucky University. She holds a Ph.D. from Yale University and specializes in biological anthropology with a focus on primate behavioral ecology. Her research examines primate socioecology, particularly female chimpanzee and bonobo social relationships, and their implications for human evolutionary biology. She has conducted fieldwork in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya, focusing on topics like social networks, reproductive ecology, and conservation biology.
- Education:
- Ph.D. and M.Phil., Yale University
- B.S., Humboldt State University
Her research interests include great ape socioecology, primate cognition, and conservation. Current projects involve studying female chimpanzee social dynamics and expanding research to wild female bonobos for cross-species comparisons. She has received significant grants including the Leakey Foundation Grant (2016) and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2001–2004).
Teaching includes courses on physical anthropology, primate behavioral ecology, and evolutionary studies. She actively collaborates with international researchers on primate conservation and socioecological studies. Recent publications explore topics like bonobo gut microbiota, fecal hormone analysis, and dietary diversity using non-invasive methods.
