Headshot of Kieran McNulty
[email protected]
Office Address

United States

Lab Address

100F Ecology Building
1987 Upper Buford Circle
Saint Paul, MN 55108
United States

Kieran McNulty

Department Head, Professor
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
Lab Website
Research Publications

My research seeks to understand the many factors that govern how and why anatomy changes on evolutionary time scales. Intrinsic factors that dictate anatomic form (body size, growth and development) are studied through high-resolution 3D digitization and quantitative analyses. Extrinsic factors (habitat, geography, chronology) are studied through paleontological fieldwork at fossils sites in Kenya.

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Research statement

The Primate Evolution Lab is broadly focused on morphogenesis in Hominoidea: How do different factors influence the evolution of, and variation in, anatomic shape among humans and our ape relatives? To what extent do these interactions inform our understanding of adaptive evolution and other evolutionary processes? Major projects in the lab are related to 1) quantitative analyses of anatomic shape and form, or 2) paleobiological research on Kenyan fossil sites dating from 23-11 million years ago. A core tenet of the McNulty lab is that strong support for representation, public engagement, stakeholder consultation, and educational outreach is fundamental to good research. We engage in these efforts because they are ethically compelling but we also recognize that our research benefits in direct proportion to the degree to which we integrate such work into our projects.

Education and background

Education

  • 2003 Ph.D. (Anthropology), City University of New York
  • 2000 M. Phil. (Anthropology), City University of New York
  • 1998 M.A. (Anthropology), Hunter College
  • 1995 A.B. (Anthropology), Dartmouth College

 Visiting professorships

  • 2011–2012 Visiting Leverhulme Professor, Department of Anthropology, Durham University
  • 2011 Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolution, Stony Brook University

 Awards/fellowships

  • 2021 (perm.) Named "Heritage Champion of Western Kenyan Sites and Monuments", by the National Museums of Kenya
  • 2017-20 Scholar of the College, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota
  • 2011-12 Leverhulme Trust Fellowship, Durham University, U.K.
  • 2009-11 McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, University of Minnesota