Alemseged Lab Members
Meet each member that makes this lab possible.Zeresenay "Zeray" Alemseged
Principal Investigator & Donald N. Pritzker Professor
Zeray Alemseged is a professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago and holds the Donald N. Pritzker professorship. Prior to joining the University of Chicago, he was a Senior Curator of Anthropology at the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) in San Francisco where he held the Irvine Chair of Anthropology. He was also Adjunct Professor at the University of California Davis and a Research Professor at San Francisco State University. Before joining CAS, he was a senior scientist in the Department of Human Evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University based in Tempe, Arizona. He earned his PhD from the University of Paris, France, in paleoanthropology and his BSc in geology form Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Alemseged Lab Current Members:
Rebecca Van Sessen
Lab Manager | Research Specialist II
Rebecca Van Sessen | Lab Manager / Research Specialist II
rvs@uchicago.edu | 773-795-3695
MS Anthropology, University of Indianapolis
BA Sociology/Anthropology, Indiana University Northwest
Rebecca joined the lab in June 2021. Having experience in bioarchaeology, teaching anthropology, and technical training & support, she is pleased to be a part of the team. Rebecca assists with various research projects involving 3D visualizations and reconstructions of data from fossil hominin CT scans. She trains lab members & visitors with software and 3D scanning & printing equipment. In addition, Rebecca is involved in public outreach opportunities and promotional material development for the Alemseged Lab.
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773-795-3695
MS Anthropology, University of Indianapolis
BA Sociology/Anthropology, Indiana University Northwest
Rebecca joined the lab in June 2021. Having experience in bioarchaeology, teaching anthropology, and technical training & support, she is pleased to be a part of the team. Rebecca assists with various research projects involving 3D visualizations and reconstructions of data from fossil hominin CT scans. She trains lab members & visitors with software and 3D scanning & printing equipment. In addition, Rebecca is involved in public outreach opportunities and promotional material development for the Alemseged Lab.
Peter Stamos
Postdoctoral Scholar
Peter Stamos | Postdoctoral Scholar
PhD Paleoanthropology, University of California, Davis
MA Evolutionary Anthropology, University of California, Davis
BS Evolutionary Anthropology, University of California, Davis
Peter joined the lab as a postdoctoral scholar in February 2020 after completing his PhD in California. He is interested in analyzing the form, function, and ontogeny of primate body plans with a focus on the locomotor repertoire and life history patterns of early hominins.
Peter also participates in ongoing paleontological fieldwork in Ethiopia.
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PhD Paleoanthropology, University of California, Davis
MA Evolutionary Anthropology, University of California, Davis
BS Evolutionary Anthropology, University of California, Davis
Peter joined the lab as a postdoctoral scholar in February 2020 after completing his PhD in California. He is interested in analyzing the form, function, and ontogeny of primate body plans with a focus on the locomotor repertoire and life history patterns of early hominins.
Peter also participates in ongoing paleontological fieldwork in Ethiopia.
Weldeyared H. Reda
PhD Student
Weldeyared H. Reda | PhD Student
MSc Paleoanthropology and Paleoenvironment, Addis Ababa University
BA Archaeology, Aksum University
"Yared" joined the lab in August 2018. He is interested in the form and function of organisms, the developmental (ontogenetic) processes underlying morphological change, and how ancestral form constrains the way a species can adapt to changing external influences. Specifically, his research interest is on the functional morphology of hominoid feeding and locomotion, and human evolution.
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MSc Paleoanthropology and Paleoenvironment, Addis Ababa University
BA Archaeology, Aksum University
"Yared" joined the lab in August 2018. He is interested in the form and function of organisms, the developmental (ontogenetic) processes underlying morphological change, and how ancestral form constrains the way a species can adapt to changing external influences. Specifically, his research interest is on the functional morphology of hominoid feeding and locomotion, and human evolution.
Hannah Farrell
PhD Student
Hannah Farrell | PhD Student
BA Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley
BA Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley
Hannah joined the lab as a graduate student in the fall of 2019. She is broadly interested in the connection between form and function within the context of hominin locomotor evolution. Specifically, she hopes to analyze the functional morphology of the upper limb and torso in order to address questions regarding functional relevance or primitive retention of morphological features.
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BA Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Maddie graduated in 2020 from Harvard University, where she earned her BA in Human Evolutionary Biology and completed her senior thesis on environmental change in the Turkana Basin associated with the emergence of the genus Homo. She is interested in studying paleoecology and the selective pressures that impacted hominin evolution.
Laura Hunter
PhD Student
Laura Hunter | PhD Student
BA Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species, Columbia University, New York
Laura joined the lab as a PhD student in autumn of 2020. She is interested in homoplasy, how ancestral form influences function, and the role of covariation and constraint in shaping the tempo and direction of evolution. Specifically, her research interest is in examining evolvability in primate limbs, with the aim of investigating claims of convergence in hominoid locomotor behaviors.
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BA Evolutionary Biology of the Human Species, Columbia University, New York
Laura joined the lab as a PhD student in autumn of 2020. She is interested in homoplasy, how ancestral form influences function, and the role of covariation and constraint in shaping the tempo and direction of evolution. Specifically, her research interest is in examining evolvability in primate limbs, with the aim of investigating claims of convergence in hominoid locomotor behaviors.
Madeleine Kelly
Research Intern
Madeleine Kelly | Research Intern
BA Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Maddie graduated in 2020 from Harvard University, where she earned her BA in Human Evolutionary Biology and completed her senior thesis on environmental change in the Turkana Basin associated with the emergence of the genus Homo. She is interested in studying paleoecology and the selective pressures that impacted hominin evolution.
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BA Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
Maddie graduated in 2020 from Harvard University, where she earned her BA in Human Evolutionary Biology and completed her senior thesis on environmental change in the Turkana Basin associated with the emergence of the genus Homo. She is interested in studying paleoecology and the selective pressures that impacted hominin evolution.
Alumni Lab Managers / Research Specialists II:
Shariwa Oke | Lab Manager / Research Specialist II
MS Biomedical Visualization, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
BS Physiology, Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona
Shariwa joined the lab in June 2019 after graduating with her MS in Biomedical Visualization. She oversaw daily operations, assisted with research through design: she created 3D visualizations, animations, and reconstructions of data from CT scans of fossil hominins, updated and structured the lab website, and designed any visual correspondence materials such as brochures, reports, or flyers.
In 2021, she was accepted into the PhD program in Nutritional Science at Cornell University.
Shariwa Oke
Lab Manager / Research Specialist II
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MS Biomedical Visualization, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
BS Physiology, Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona
Shariwa joined the lab in June 2019 after graduating with her MS in Biomedical Visualization. She oversaw daily operations, assisted with research through design: she created 3D visualizations, animations, and reconstructions of data from CT scans of fossil hominins, updated and structured the lab website, and designed any visual correspondence materials such as brochures, reports, or flyers.
In 2021, she was accepted into the PhD program in Nutritional Science at Cornell University.
Kelsi M. Hurdle | Lab Manager / Research Specialist II
MSc Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Anthropology, UCL
BA Archaeological Studies, Anthropology, and Sociology, Oberlin College
Kelsi M. Hurdle
Lab Manager / Research Specialist II
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MSc Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Anthropology, UCL
BA Archaeological Studies, Anthropology, and Sociology, Oberlin College
Alumni Postdoctoral Scholars:
Faye McGechie | Postdoctoral Scholar
PhD, Integrative Anatomy, University of Missouri
BS, Anthropology, Arizona State University
Faye joined the Alemseged lab as a postdoc in the spring of 2021. She is interested in the functional morphology of the primate nuchal region. Her research integrates soft tissue mechanics, external bone shape, and trabecular architecture across extant primates to understand how the anatomy of the nuchal region is related to positional behaviors. Ultimately, she plans on using this framework to better reconstruct the behaviors of early hominins such as Australopithecus afarensis.
In 2022, Faye secured a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix to pursue her interests in primate anatomy, functional morphology, and paleoanthropology.
Faye McGechie
Postdoctoral Scholar
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BS, Anthropology, Arizona State University
PhD, Integrative Anatomy, University of Missouri
Faye joined the Alemseged lab as a postdoc in the spring of 2021. She is interested in the functional morphology of the primate nuchal region. Her research integrates soft tissue mechanics, external bone shape, and trabecular architecture across extant primates to understand how the anatomy of the nuchal region is related to positional behaviors. Ultimately, she plans on using this framework to better reconstruct the behaviors of early hominins such as Australopithecus afarensis.
In 2022, Faye secured a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix to pursue her interests in primate anatomy, functional morphology, and paleoanthropology.
Andrew Du | Postdoctoral Scholar
PhD Hominid Paleobiology, George Washington University
M.Phil. George Washington University
BS Rutgers University
Andrew joined the lab in March 2017 after receiving his PhD in Hominid Paleobiology from George Washington University. He is interested in the role scale plays in our understanding of large-scale ecological and evolutionary patterns in human evolution. Specifically, he studies how time-averaging biases the ecological information recovered from mammalian fossil assemblages. He also has an interest in hominin macroevolutionary patterns, including the timing and rates of phenotypic evolution and taxic diversity change through time.
In 2019, Andrew secured an Assistant Professorship in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University. See his continued research here.
Andrew Du
Postdoctoral Scholar
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PhD Hominid Paleobiology, George Washington University
M.Phil. George Washington University
BS Rutgers University
Andrew joined the lab in March 2017 after receiving his PhD in Hominid Paleobiology from George Washington University. He is interested in the role scale plays in our understanding of large-scale ecological and evolutionary patterns in human evolution. Specifically, he studies how time-averaging biases the ecological information recovered from mammalian fossil assemblages. He also has an interest in hominin macroevolutionary patterns, including the timing and rates of phenotypic evolution and taxic diversity change through time.
In 2019, Andrew secured an Assistant Professorship in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University. See his continued research here.
Amanda Smith | Postdoctoral Scholar
PhD Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany
MA Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany
BA Anthropology, State University of New York at New Paltz
Amanda is a biological anthropologist and Postdoctoral Scholar working in the Ross and Alemseged labs. Her research focuses on understanding anatomical relationships between form and function, from a mechanical perspective—particularly in regards to questions about human evolution.
Amanda’s primary interests are craniofacial biomechanics and dietary adaptation in fossil and living primates and early hominins. For much of her work, she uses finite element analysis, an engineering technique used to examine how objects of complex design respond to loads. This approach combines medical imaging, shape analysis and fossil reconstruction, 3D modeling and structural analysis to test hypotheses related to the performance and efficiency of skeletal features related to feeding function (the skull, teeth and jaw). Amanda also studies the range and effects of intraspecific shape variation on feeding performance in living animal models. This is important because understanding these relationships in living taxa allows us to infer behavior from morphology preserved in the fossil record. Thus, her work attempts to relate these behavioral and mechanical data back to broader questions regarding anatomical adaptation and anthropology, including how extinct species may have exploited limited ecological resources.
Amanda Smith
Postdoctoral Scholar
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PhD Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany
MA Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany
BA Anthropology, State University of New York at New Paltz
Amanda is a biological anthropologist and Postdoctoral Scholar working in the Ross and Alemseged labs. Her research focuses on understanding anatomical relationships between form and function, from a mechanical perspective—particularly in regards to questions about human evolution.
Amanda’s primary interests are craniofacial biomechanics and dietary adaptation in fossil and living primates and early hominins. For much of her work, she uses finite element analysis, an engineering technique used to examine how objects of complex design respond to loads. This approach combines medical imaging, shape analysis and fossil reconstruction, 3D modeling and structural analysis to test hypotheses related to the performance and efficiency of skeletal features related to feeding function (the skull, teeth and jaw). Amanda also studies the range and effects of intraspecific shape variation on feeding performance in living animal models. This is important because understanding these relationships in living taxa allows us to infer behavior from morphology preserved in the fossil record. Thus, her work attempts to relate these behavioral and mechanical data back to broader questions regarding anatomical adaptation and anthropology, including how extinct species may have exploited limited ecological resources.
Alumni Graduate Student Interns:
Carly Yue Yu | Graduate Student Intern
Carly is a 2018-2019 MAPSS student, concentrating on bioarchaeology and Chinese archaeology. She is also interested in forensic anthropology and radiology. Carly is currently working on the human sacrifice phenomenon in ancient China.
Carly Yue Yu
Graduate Student Intern
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Carly is a 2018-2019 MAPSS student, concentrating on bioarchaeology and Chinese archaeology. She is also interested in forensic anthropology and radiology. Carly is currently working on the human sacrifice phenomenon in ancient China.
Eleanor Milman | Graduate Student Intern
MS Biomedical Visualization, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
BA McGill University
Eleanor completed her masters research in the lab, under the instruction of the PI and lab manager. For her thesis work, Eleanor reconstructed and animated part of the Dikika fossil to visualize its importance in the history of bipedal locomotion. Eleanor is now a medical illustrator and animator specializing in patient education at Veritas Health in Chicago.
Eleanor Milman
Graduate Student Intern
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MS Biomedical Visualization, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
BA McGill University
Eleanor completed her masters research in the lab, under the instruction of the PI and lab manager. For her thesis work, Eleanor reconstructed and animated part of the Dikika fossil to visualize its importance in the history of bipedal locomotion. Eleanor is now a medical illustrator and animator specializing in patient education at Veritas Health in Chicago.
Alumni Undergraduate Student Interns:
Iris Jacobs | Undergraduate Student Intern
Iris joined the lab in October 2018 as an undergraduate student intern. She is majoring in anthropology with an interest in archaeology and scientific illustration. Since joining, she has learned 3D visualization and segmentation software and successfully contributed to important projects on hominin dentition.
Iris Jacobs
Undergraduate Student Intern
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Iris joined the lab in October 2018 as an undergraduate student intern. She is majoring in anthropology with an interest in archaeology and scientific illustration. Since joining, she has learned 3D visualization and segmentation software and successfully contributed to important projects on hominin dentition.
Jennifer Sarabia | Undergraduate Student Intern
Jenn joined the lab in December 2018 as an undergraduate student intern. She is majoring in Anthropology with an interest in biological anthropology and bioarchaeology. In the lab, she is working on a project that focuses on the digital analysis of hominin dentition.
Jennifer Sarabia
Undergraduate Student Intern
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Jenn joined the lab in December 2018 as an undergraduate student intern. She is majoring in Anthropology with an interest in biological anthropology and bioarchaeology. In the lab, she is working on a project that focuses on the digital analysis of hominin dentition.
Nathaniel "Nathan" Downey | Undergraduate Student Intern
Nathan joined the lab in December 2017 as a student intern and successfully supported several projects under the supervision of senior lab members. In Spring 2018, Nathan graduated from the university with a BA in Anthropology and Biological Sciences. After graduating, he worked over the summer as an assistant field researcher studying bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Nathaniel "Nathan" Downey
Undergraduate Student Intern
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Nathan joined the lab in December 2017 as a student intern and successfully supported several projects under the supervision of senior lab members. In Spring 2018, Nathan graduated from the university with a BA in Anthropology and Biological Sciences. After graduating, he worked over the summer as an assistant field researcher studying bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Alumni High School Student Interns:
Levi Raskin | High School Intern
Levi joined the lab in March 2019 through a program at his high school, the Illinois Math and Science Academy. As a current high school senior, he is thinking about going to college for some combination of philosophy, chemistry, and archaeology. In the lab, he is working on the evolution of handedness by focusing on language and tool use.
In 2023, Levi was awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship while pursuing an education in anthropology at Haverford College.
Levi Raskin
High School Intern
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Levi joined the lab in March 2019 through a program at his high school, the Illinois Math and Science Academy. As a current high school senior, he is thinking about going to college for some combination of philosophy, chemistry, and archaeology. In the lab, he is working on the evolution of handedness by focusing on language and tool use.
In 2023, Levi was awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship while pursuing an education in anthropology at Haverford College.