Herman Pontzer, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Associate Research Professor of Global Health and Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society

How did the human body evolve, and how does our species' deep past shape our health and physiology today? Through lab and field research, I investigate the physiology of humans and apes to understand how ecology, lifestyle, diet, and evolutionary history affect metabolism and health. I'm also interested in how ecology and evolution influence musculoskeletal design and physical activity. Field projects focus on small-scale societies, including hunter-gatherers and subsistence farmers, in Africa and South America. Lab research focuses on energetics and metabolism, including respirometry and doubly labeled water methods.

Contact Info:

Office Location:
Office Phone:	(919) 684-4124
Email Address:

Teaching (Spring 2021):

• EVANTH 570S.01, ENERGETICS ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION Synopsis

  Online ON, Th 01:45 PM-03:00 PM

Education:

Ph.D.

Harvard University

2006

Keywords:

Exercise • Human evolution • Locomotion • Metabolism • Obesity • Public Health

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

1. Pontzer, H, Ranging Ecology: The View from Above., Current Biology : Cb, vol. 30 no. 22 (November, 2020), pp. R1378-R1380 [doi]  [abs]
2. Bethancourt, HJ; Swanson, ZS; Nzunza, R; Huanca, T; Conde, E; Kenney, WL; Young, SL; Ndiema, E; Braun, D; Pontzer, H; Rosinger, AY, Hydration in relation to water insecurity, heat index, and lactation status in two small-scale populations in hot-humid and hot-arid environments., American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council (June, 2020), pp. e23447 [doi]  [abs]
3. Bethancourt, H; Swanson, Z; Huanca, T; Conde, E; Saunders, J; Dhanasekar, S; Young, S; Nzunza, R; Pontzer, H; Rosinger, A, Prevalence and predictors of dehydration across distinct water insecure contexts: The Water Insecurity, Stress, and Hydration (WISH) study among Tsimane' in lowland Bolivia and Daasanach in northern Kenya, American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council, vol. 32 (April, 2020), pp. 1 pages, WILEY
4. Swanson, ZS; Bethancourt, H; Saunders, J; Dhanasekar, S; Nzunza, R; Rosinger, AY; Pontzer, H, The effect of lifestyle variation on health and life history in Daasanach pastoralists of Northern Kenya, American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council, vol. 32 (April, 2020), pp. 1 pages, WILEY
5. Raichlen, DA; Pontzer, H; Zderic, TW; Harris, JA; Mabulla, AZP; Hamilton, MT; Wood, BM, Sitting, squatting, and the evolutionary biology of human inactivity., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 117 no. 13 (March, 2020), pp. 7115-7121 [doi]  [abs]