Vicky Oelze

Vicky Oelze is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). She joined UCSC in 2017 after a decade at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, where she completed her PhD in Human Evolution and conducted postdoctoral research in Primatology. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Biological Anthropology from Johannes-Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. She teaches courses on primatology, human evolution, archaeological science, and hands-on isotope analysis laboratories.

Her research focuses on biological anthropology, integrating primate ecology and molecular anthropology. Central to her work is the use of stable and radiogenic isotope analysis to study African great apes, archaeological populations, and the transatlantic slave trade. Her lab, the Primate Ecology and Molecular Anthropology Lab, examines topics such as chimpanzee behavior, dietary patterns in primates, and mobility patterns of enslaved Africans. A key theme is the application of isotope analysis to uncover historical and prehistoric human-animal interactions.

Her recent publications highlight advancements in strontium isoscapes for provenance studies, chimpanzee behavioral ecology, and the dietary reconstruction of ancient populations. While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, her work has significantly contributed to methodologies in archaeological and primatological research.

Dr. Oelze collaborates with international teams and mentors undergraduate and graduate students in fieldwork and laboratory analyses. Her research bridges the gap between modern primate studies and archaeological science, offering insights into both past and present ecological and social dynamics.