معرفی
Nancy Stevens is a Professor in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University and a key faculty member of the Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies (OCEES). Her research focuses on vertebrate paleontology and functional morphology, particularly the evolution of primates and other mammals in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Her research interests center on the interplay between form and function in vertebrates over evolutionary time. She investigates how phylogeny and environmental factors shape morphological adaptations related to locomotion and diet. Her fieldwork is primarily conducted in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania and other African sites, contributing to our understanding of Cenozoic mammalian evolution, paleoecology, and biogeography.
Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in African vertebrate paleontology, with a focus on mammals (especially primates, hyaenodonts, and sengis), reptiles (snakes and lizards), and dinosaurs (titanosaurs). The work spans from the Late Cretaceous to the Oligocene and Miocene, utilizing stratigraphy, phylogenetics, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction to understand evolutionary patterns and processes.
- OHIO Distinguished Professor
- Ohio University Presidential Research Scholar
- LSB Leakey Foundation Grant Awardee
- Global Engagement Award (Ohio International Gala)
- Keystroke Catalyst Award, Faculty Newsmakers Gala (2018)
- OHIO Faculty Newsmaker (24 media placements in 2017)
Stevens has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, including Haley O’Brien, Matt Borths, Karie Whitman, and Eileen Wyza. She has secured significant grant funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Leakey Foundation to support the Rukwa Rift Basin Project, which conducts interdisciplinary paleontological, geological, and environmental research in Tanzania. She is also involved in public outreach and interdisciplinary initiatives such as the MappAthens project and collaborations with the Duke Lemur Center and Smithsonian NMNH.
She leads the StevensLab, a research group dedicated to vertebrate paleontology and evolutionary studies. The lab is part of the Rukwa Rift Basin Project, an international team that conducts fieldwork and research in Tanzania, and collaborates with institutions such as the National Museums of Kenya and Conservation Through Public Health in Uganda.
