Faculty & Post-Doctoral Researchers
Prof. Tesla Monson
She/her/hers – Lab Director – Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology
Prof. Monson is an internationally recognized, award-winning scholar whose writing has been viewed and shared by millions worldwide. Prof. Monson earned a B.A. from Princeton University, an M.A. from San Francisco State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
At Western, Prof. Monson’s research and teaching focus on the evolution of reproduction and the growth of the skeletal system in living and fossil primates. Their research has been met with exceptional federal and state financial support, bringing in more than $1.1 million in the last five years. Prof. Monson has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in top journals, with press features and international news articles in Science and Inverse Magazine, and is regularly invited to speak about their research at institutions worldwide. Prof. Monson’s 2023 piece in the popular research news outlet The Conversation was published in English and French and recorded more than 34,000 readers over the first six months.
Prof. Monson is also an editor at the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, the top journal in their field. In May, they accepted a publishing deal with Flatiron Books to write a book on the evolution of pregnancy.
Dr. Marianne Cooper
She/her/hers – Post-Doctoral Researcher
“I am a biological anthropologist and evolutionary morphologist currently working on Dr. Monson’s and Dr. Brasil’s NSF-funded project on circumorbital integration. I am interested in how covariation between different parts of the skeleton has shaped morphological evolution in primates. I recently completed my PhD in Biological Anthropology at the University at Buffalo under the guidance of Dr. Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel, addressing the impact of obstetric constraints on primate cranial and pelvic co-evolution. My prior research projects include assessing evolutionary processes affecting the hominoid limbs and analyzing integration in non-human hominid cranial ontogeny. For more information about me and my research, please visit my website or my ResearchGate profile.” –Dr. Marianne Cooper
Graduate Students
Maggie Humphrey
She/her/hers
“Hello! My name is Maggie Humphrey and I am currently a first-year master’s student in biological anthropology. I completed my undergraduate at CU Boulder where I got BAs in both Ecology & Evolutionary Biology as well as Anthropology. My research focuses on primate sexuality and the intersection of behavior and anatomy. Specifically, I have been investigating primate genital bones and how and why they evolved. When I’m not in the lab or at school you can find me at a coffee shop, the gym, or outside enjoying the sun (or rain).” –Maggie Humphrey
Undergraduate Students
Chandler Landon
She/her/hers
“My name is Chandler and I am a Biological Anthropology and pre-dentistry student at WWU. Since joining the PEL, I’ve been able to expand my interests in osteology and cranial variation in primates. Beyond the lab, I enjoy reading, practicing yoga, and playing the piano.” –Chandler Landon
Graduate Lab Alumni
Jewel Curtis
She/her/hers
“Hello! My name is Jewel and I am a second-year biological anthropology MA student. I am a transplant from Dallas, Texas and did my undergrad at Texas Tech University. My main interests are forensic anthropology, toxicology, human variation, medico-legal standards, and biological anthropology. Because of those interests, my thesis research focuses on illicit polysubstance use and how that affects bone mineral density for various age cohorts and sexes. This past year I was able to complete organizing the primate lab collection with the help of Zelie and Chandler. When I am not at school or in the lab, I work at a pathology lab doing medical transcribing.” –Jewel Curtis
Jack McBride
He/him/his
“I graduated with my MA from WWU & the Primate Evolution Lab in Spring 2024. While at Western I studied the evolution of litter size (the number of offspring born during a typical birth) in Primates and other mammals. I also scanned skeletal material with both surface and CT scanners, and I performed a pilot study on craniofacial variation in platyrrhine primates. I recently began a PhD program at Yale where I will be working in the Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology Lab. I intend to continue investigating the evolutionary history of various life history characteristics in Primates and other mammals, as well as expand my morphological investigations to include a larger sample of extant species as well as fossilized specimens. I am especially interested in twinning and the evolution of increased longevity relative to body size in Primates and other mammals, such as bats (Chiroptera).” –Jack McBride
Undergraduate Lab Alumni
Adrena Hamilton
She/her/hers
“I graduated WWU in 2024 with a BA in Anthropology (Archaeology Concentration). The PEL encouraged and supported my learning and research in archaeometry techniques and resources, providing a solid base for entering the field of archaeology and applying to grad schools.” –Adrena Hamilton
Zelie Wynne-Jones
She/her/hers
“I [was] a BioCultural Anthropology (BA) major at WWU and I joined the Primate Evolution Lab in 2023. In the lab, my interests include osteology, photography, and curation; my projects in 2024 focused on creating teaching materials for the department. Outside of the lab, you can find me snowboarding at Mt. Baker, doing ceramics, and trying new recipes.” –Zelie Wynne-Jones
Ashir Green
He/him/his
“Hello! I am currently in my third year pursuing my Anthropology – Archaeology concentration (BA). My interests include the replication of materials via 3D scanning and printing both in the interest of preserving the original materials and, where applicable, in allowing the repatriation of artifacts to stakeholder communities. Beyond the PEL, I enjoy playing board games, card games, and tabletop roleplaying games with my friends.” –Ashir Green
Kyla Joy
She/her/hers
“I am a 4th-year Biology/Anthropology (BS) major at WWU. Since joining the PEL in 2023, I’ve been able to expand my interests in evolution, osteology, and primate 3D morphometrics. Outside the lab, you can find me decorating cakes and playing board games.” –Kyla Joy
Spencer Mac Millan
He/him/his
“Hi! I am currently in my final year pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology. My interests include material replication through 3D scanning/printing, for the sake of artifact repatriation and preservation. Outside of the PEL, I love to bake, listen to music, and playing tabletop games with my friends!” –Spencer Mac Millan
