Stony Brook University's Provost's Lecture Series recently featured two distinguished anthropologists, Lawrence Martin and Patricia Wright. Both are SUNY Distinguished Service Professors and shared insights from their careers in anthropology.
Katheryn Twiss, chair of the Department of Anthropology, introduced the speakers on February 11 at the Charles B. Wang Center Theater. "Pat Wright and Lawrence Martin are people who are good at connections," she said. "They connect us to people throughout the university, across the nation and around the globe."
Lawrence Martin presented a lecture titled “Human Evolution in the Turkana Basin, Kenya.” He recounted his journey from studying ape evolution to directing the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI). Martin came to Stony Brook from the UK in 1985 because it had one of the best programs in primate and human evolution. He became director of TBI after meeting Richard Leakey, who co-founded TBI with Stony Brook in 2005.
"I’d never been to that part of Kenya," Martin said about taking on his role at TBI. He emphasized its significance for research: "If you’re going to do this type of research, the Turkana Basin is the most important place in the world."
Martin highlighted a key development in human evolution studies over recent decades: understanding that DNA from nearly all humans originated from northeastern Africa about 80,000 years ago.
Patricia Wright continued with her lecture on Madagascar’s biodiversity, titled “Clues to Madagascar’s Mysterious Past.” She traveled there in 1986 searching for lemurs and discovered both an existing population of greater bamboo lemurs and a new species named Hapalemur aureus.
"Madagascar looks small, but it’s a very big place," Wright said. She noted that many lemur species face extinction due to deforestation and other threats.
Wright also discussed her establishment of Ranomafana National Park and significant fossil discoveries in Madagascar. Notably, research revealed evidence of human presence on Madagascar much earlier than previously thought.
In November 2024, Wright's team made another discovery: Ivohiboro cave containing hippopotamus bones—marking a first for finding such remains in their original habitat.
Wright expressed surprise at this find: "A hippopotamus in a pristine rainforest? Just amazing." Her team plans further exploration later this year.
The Provost’s Lecture Series highlights Stony Brook's distinguished faculty each semester. Carl Lejuez, executive vice president and provost at Stony Brook, reflected on this event: "Today was one of those academic days that I’ll remember my entire career."