Department Homepage
Curriculum vitae
Tracy L. Kivell
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Department of Human Evolution
Deutscher Platz 6
D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
E-mail: tracy_kivell@eva.mpg.de
Citizenship: Canadian
Education
| 2007 | Ph.D. | University of Toronto, Dept. of Anthropology (Dr. David Begun) |
| 2002 | M.A. | University of Toronto, Dept. of Anthropology (Dr. David Begun) |
| 2001 | Hon. B.Sc. | University of Western Ontario/University of Toronto, |
Research Interests
- Origin of human bipedal locomotion
- Biomechanics of primate locomotion and limb morphology
- Developmental and functional morphology in living and fossil primates
- Miocene hominoid morphology and evolution
- Convergent evolution and morphological integration in the primate skeleton
Professional Employment
| 2009-present | Junior Researcher, Dept. Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology |
| 2008-2009 | Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. Evolutionary Anthropology and Duke School of Medicine, Duke University |
| 2007-2009 | Researcher, Duke Lemur Centre, Duke University |
| 2007-2008 | Visiting Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Duke University |
| 2006 | Sessional Instructor, Dept. of Social Sciences, University of Toronto at Scarborough |
| 2006 | Sessional Instructor, Dept. of Anthropology, McMaster University |
| 2004-2005 | Sessional Instructor, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Toronto at Mississauga |
Grants, Awards and Scholarships
| 2009 | American Association of Anatomists Travel Award ($250) |
| 2009 | American Association of Anatomists Finalist for Postdoctoral Poster Presentation Award |
| 2007 | University of Toronto Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grant ($1200) |
| 2007 | University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, Conference funding ($900) |
| 2006-2007 | General Motors Women in Science and Mathematics Award (3800) |
| 2006-2007 | University of Toronto Foundation Graduate Award ($600) |
| 2006 | University of Toronto Fellowship ($1250) |
| 2006 | University of Toronto Fellowship, Research and Conference funding ($1000) |
| 2004-2006 | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) ($21 000/yr) |
| 2005-2006 | General Motors Women in Science and Mathematics Award ($4000) |
| 2005 | University of Toronto, School of Graduate Studies Travel Grant ($3000) |
| 2005 | University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, Research/Conference funding ($500) |
| 2002-2004 | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) ($21 000/yr) |
| 2004 | Baden-Württemberg Research Scholarship ($3200) |
| 2004 | Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) ($15 000 - declined) |
| 2003 | University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, Research/Conference funding ($500) |
| 2003 | University of Toronto International Student Exchange Bursary ($220) |
| 2002 | Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) ($15 000 - declined) |
| 2002-2006 | University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, Departmental top-up ($1200) |
| 2001 | Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) ($15 000) |
| 2001 | University of Toronto Graduate Fellowship, Departmental top-up ($5000) |
Teaching Experience
Graduate Course Instructorships
Duke University
- Human Gross Anatomy (dissection-based), Duke School of Medicine (2008)
- Oncoanatomy Education (Dept. of Radiation Oncology), Duke School of Medicine (2008-9)
- Special Topics in Human Anatomy (Ophthalmology and Ob-Gyn) 2008-9
- Graduate Student Independent Study (2008-9)
Undergraduate Course Instructorships
Duke University
- Introduction to Biological Anthropology (2008)
- Human Evolution (2008)
- Anthropology of the Skeleton (2008)
- The Human Body (dissection-based) (2007)
University of Toronto
- The Foundations and Theory of Human Origins (2006)
- Human Origins (2004-2005)
McMaster University
- Primate Evolution (2006)
- The Human Species: Becoming and Being Human (2006)
Mentoring
Undergraduate honours thesis supervised
| 2008-09 | Michael Catalino | "Primate limb conformation: Implications for mechanical energy conservation" |
| 2008-09 | Erik Stubberud | "Relative distribution of force across limbs during descent in aye-ayes" |
| 2007-08 | Elizabeth Kramer | "Palmar pressure distribution during locomotion of the aye-aye" |
Undergraduate honours thesis committee member
| 2008-09 | Kevin Hatala | "Cross-sectional geometry of the subtrochanteric femur" |
| 2008-09 | Gail Ukato | "Gender and race difference in osteoarthritis of the knee" |
| 2008-09 | Jasmine Swaniker | "Muscle fibre architecture in great apes" |
| 2008-09 | Cassandra Kisby | "The anatomy of breathing" |
| 2007-08 | Rita Baumgartner | "Why do sifakas gallop?" |
| 2007-08 | Anita Pai | "Tuning mechanisms of primate locomotion" |
| 2007-08 | April Edwards | "Identifying morphological changes of the aging glenoid labrum on MRIs" |
Lab Instructorships
University of Toronto
- Palaeoanthropology (2005, 2007)
- Human Evolutionary Anatomy (2003, 2005, 2006)
- Human Osteology (2004)
Teaching Assistantships
University of Toronto
- Human Biology and Evolution (2004, 2005-06)
- Introduction to Anthropology (2003-04)
- Health, Diet and Disease in the Past (2003)
- Introduction to Archaeology (2003)
Research Experience
| 2007-present | Collaboration with Dr. Roshna Wunderlich (James Madison University) and Dr. Daniel Schmitt (Duke University) investigating the biomechanics of the fore- and hind limbs in aye-aye locomotion. |
| 2004 | Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany |
| 2000-2001 | Research Assistant, University of Toronto |
Fieldwork Experience
| 2006 | Rudabánya: Hungarian Geological Institute, Budapest, Hungary |
| 2003 | Felsõtárkány: Hungarian Geological Institute, Budapest, Hungary |
| 2001 | University of Cape Town, South Africa |
| 2000 | Sterkfontein: University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Palaeontological excavation of Pliocene fossil hominin remains. |
| 1999 | Sibudu Cave Shelter: University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Archaeological excavation of Middle Stone Age site focusing on the origins of early human modernity (ACACIA Fieldschool). |
Media
| 2009 | The Daily Planet on Discovery Channel, Canada: "The World is Just Awesome Week," Episode 13, September 14th, "Unraveling the secrets behind these not-so-cute creatures". |
| 2009 | New Scientist by Bob Holmes, August 12th, "Humans may have learned to walk in trees". |
| 2009 | Science News by Bruce Bower, August 10th, "Humanity's upright gait may have roots in trees". |
| 2009 | The Daily Planet on Discovery Channel, Canada (July, 2009) "Aye-aye locomotion" |
| 2009 | The Chronicle, Duke University (February 2nd, 2009; Issue 90, pp. 4) "Lemur Center sheds light on movement and health" |
Professional Service
Academic Advising
| 2008-2009 | Pre-major academic advisor, Trinity College, Duke University |
| 2007-2009 | Major academic advisor, Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University |
Committees
| 2009-2012 | Membership Committee, American Association of Anatomists |
| 2008-2009 | Chair of Teaching collection committee, Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University |
| 2007-2009 | Curriculum committee, Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University |
Reviewer
| 2007-present | Grants reviewed for Sigma Delta Epsilon/Graduate Women in Science Award |
| 2009-present | Manuscripts reviewed for Journal of Human Evolution, Journal of Anatomy, Anatomical Sciences Education |
Mentoring
| 2006-2007 | Anthropology Graduate Students Union, University of Toronto |
| 2006 | Let's Talk Science, University of Toronto |
| 2004-2005 | Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology |
Areas of Teaching Expertise
- Human gross anatomy (dissection-based)
- Human osteology
- Human evolution
- Primate evolution
- Human evolutionary anatomy
- Introduction to biological anthropology
Academic Affiliations
- American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPAs)
- Canadian Association of Physical Anthroplogy (CAPA)
- Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB)
- American Association of Anatomists (AAA), member and volunteer
- International Primatological Society
- Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
