Joseph 'Mike' Plavcan Named Chair of the Department of Anthropology

Photo Submitted

The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce that Joseph "Mike" Plavcan was named chair of the Department of Anthropology earlier this semester.

Plavcan first joined the U of A as an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology in 2001, rising to associate professor in 2004 and department vice chair and director of graduate studies in 2019.

"Dr. Joseph Plavcan, who we affectionally know as Mike, is not only a world-renowned researcher and an invaluable member of our campus community but an incredible advocate for our students and for conducting ethically minded scholarship that provides a critical perspective on our culture, society and humanity in general," said Kathryn Sloan, interim dean of Fulbright College. "His work has left a permanent positive mark on the field of biological anthropology and all the students he's guided over the years, and we are all grateful for his continued service to the college in his new role as chair."

Plavcan is a comparative anatomist and paleoanthropologist interested in human and primate evolution. His research is focused on the evolution of sexual dimorphism in primates and humans, along with inferring social behavior in extinct primate and human relatives, recognizing extinct species and, most recently, the evolution of humans and human ancestors in East Africa.

Plavcan has also participated in paleontological field work in North America and South America, and for the past 15 years has been co-director of the West Turkana Paleo Project carrying out paleontological field work in Kenya. Plavcan's numerous academic accolades also reflect his dedication to these research interests.

In addition to multiple publication and conference opportunities, Plavcan was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2008 and was awarded the U of A Master Researcher Award in 2011. He is also the recipient of several grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, the Wenner-Gren Foundation and L.S.B. Leakey Foundation.

Alongside his work as a master researcher, Plavcan also maintains membership with several professional institutions, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Primatological Society, the Paleontological Society and the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars, to name a few. He also served as senior editor of the Journal of Human Evolution (JHE) from 2015-2019 and continues to serve as an associate editor and member of the board for the JHE.

"I'm excited and grateful to be able to continue to serve the Department of Anthropology as its chair," Plavcan said. "I've always loved a great adventure, the process of discovery and helping others. What could blend those goals better? Being chair and helping our department move forward together to continue our mission of promoting anthropological knowledge in an increasingly complex world is a great honor, and one that will allow us to prepare so many students for success in the field and beyond."

Plavcan received a B.A in anthropology and zoology in 1984 from Duke University and a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and anatomy from Duke University in 1990. He also received an NIH- funded postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biology at the University of Cincinnati under renowned researcher Rebecca German, Ph.D., from 1991 to 1993, studying human fetal craniofacial growth and development. 

This story also appeared in the Fulbright REVIEW publication.