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 (Fall 2021):

• EVANTH 101.01, INTRO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Physics 128, TuTh 03:30 PM-04:45 PM

• EVANTH 101D.001, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Physics 128, TuTh 03:30 PM-04:45 PM

• EVANTH 101D.01D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, M 10:15 AM-11:30 AM

• EVANTH 101D.02D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, M 12:00 PM-01:15 PM

• EVANTH 101D.03D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, M 01:45 PM-03:00 PM

• EVANTH 101D.04D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, M 03:30 PM-04:45 PM

• EVANTH 101D.05D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, Tu 12:00 PM-01:15 PM

• EVANTH 101D.06D, INTRO TO EVOLUTIONARY ANTHRO Synopsis

  Bio Sci 119, Tu 01:45 PM-03:00 PM

• EVANTH 330.01, HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY Synopsis

  Bio Sci 113, TuTh 03:30 PM-04:45 PM

Education:

Ph.D.

Harvard University

2006

Keywords:

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

Recent Publications   (More Publications)   (search)

1. Pontzer, H; Wood, BM, Effects of Evolution, Ecology, and Economy on Human Diet: Insights from Hunter-Gatherers and Other Small-Scale Societies., Annual Review of Nutrition, vol. 41 (October, 2021), pp. 363-385 [doi]  [abs]
2. Ocobock, C; Soppela, P; Turunen, M; Stenbäck, V; Herzig, K-H; Rimbach, R; Pontzer, H, Reindeer herders from subarctic Finland exhibit high total energy expenditure and low energy intake during the autumn herd roundup., American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council (September, 2021), pp. e23676 [doi]  [abs]
3. Careau, V; Halsey, LG; Pontzer, H; Ainslie, PN; Andersen, LF; Anderson, LJ; Arab, L; Baddou, I; Bedu-Addo, K; Blaak, EE; Blanc, S; Bonomi, AG; Bouten, CVC; Buchowski, MS; Butte, NF; Camps, SGJA; Close, GL; Cooper, JA; Das, SK; Cooper, R; Dugas, LR; Eaton, SD; Ekelund, U; Entringer, S; Forrester, T; Fudge, BW; Goris, AH; Gurven, M; Hambly, C; El Hamdouchi, A; Hoos, MB; Hu, S; Joonas, N; Joosen, AM; Katzmarzyk, P; Kempen, KP; Kimura, M; Kraus, WE; Kushner, RF; Lambert, EV; Leonard, WR; Lessan, N; Martin, CK; Medin, AC; Meijer, EP; Morehen, JC; Morton, JP; Neuhouser, ML; Nicklas, TA; Ojiambo, RM; Pietiläinen, KH; Pitsiladis, YP; Plange-Rhule, J; Plasqui, G; Prentice, RL; Rabinovich, RA; Racette, SB; Raichlen, DA; Ravussin, E; Reilly, JJ; Reynolds, RM; Roberts, SB; Schuit, AJ; Sjödin, AM; Stice, E; Urlacher, SS; Valenti, G; Van Etten, LM; Van Mil, EA; Wells, JCK; Wilson, G; Wood, BM; Yanovski, J; Yoshida, T; Zhang, X; Murphy-Alford, AJ; Loechl, CU; Luke, AH; Rood, J; Sagayama, H; Schoeller, DA; Wong, WW; Yamada, Y; Speakman, JR; IAEA DLW database group,, Energy compensation and adiposity in humans., Current Biology : Cb (August, 2021) [doi]  [abs]
4. Pontzer, H; Yamada, Y; Sagayama, H; Ainslie, PN; Andersen, LF; Anderson, LJ; Arab, L; Baddou, I; Bedu-Addo, K; Blaak, EE; Blanc, S; Bonomi, AG; Bouten, CVC; Bovet, P; Buchowski, MS; Butte, NF; Camps, SG; Close, GL; Cooper, JA; Cooper, R; Das, SK; Dugas, LR; Ekelund, U; Entringer, S; Forrester, T; Fudge, BW; Goris, AH; Gurven, M; Hambly, C; El Hamdouchi, A; Hoos, MB; Hu, S; Joonas, N; Joosen, AM; Katzmarzyk, P; Kempen, KP; Kimura, M; Kraus, WE; Kushner, RF; Lambert, EV; Leonard, WR; Lessan, N; Martin, C; Medin, AC; Meijer, EP; Morehen, JC; Morton, JP; Neuhouser, ML; Nicklas, TA; Ojiambo, RM; Pietiläinen, KH; Pitsiladis, YP; Plange-Rhule, J; Plasqui, G; Prentice, RL; Rabinovich, RA; Racette, SB; Raichlen, DA; Ravussin, E; Reynolds, RM; Roberts, SB; Schuit, AJ; Sjödin, AM; Stice, E; Urlacher, SS; Valenti, G; Van Etten, LM; Van Mil, EA; Wells, JCK; Wilson, G; Wood, BM; Yanovski, J; Yoshida, T; Zhang, X; Murphy-Alford, AJ; Loechl, C; Luke, AH; Rood, J; Schoeller, DA; Westerterp, KR; Wong, WW; Speakman, JR; IAEA DLW Database Consortium,, Daily energy expenditure through the human life course., Science, vol. 373 no. 6556 (August, 2021), pp. 808-812 [doi]  [abs]
5. Rimbach, R; Amireh, A; Allen, A; Hare, B; Guarino, E; Kaufman, C; Salomons, H; Pontzer, H, Total energy expenditure of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of different ages., The Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 224 no. 15 (August, 2021) [doi]  [abs]