Age Group:
Adults- Registration is required for this event.
- Registration will open on June 30, 2026 @ 9:00am.
- This event is for registrants grade Adult.
Program Description
Event Details
How do scientists know when a fossil bone fragment belongs to an ancient human relative? What methods do they use to reconstruct not just anatomy, but behavior from incomplete skeletons? Join paleoanthropologist Dr. VanSickle to learn how scientists overcome the challenges of studying human evolution.
Dr. Caroline VanSickle is a paleoanthropologist and an associate professor of anatomy at Des Moines University. When she is not teaching gross anatomy to medical students, she conducts research on the evolution of the human skeleton, focusing on the anatomy of the pelvis. By studying original fossil bone fragments of the pelvis, she is able to reconstruct how ancient human relatives walked and gave birth. Her research has included multiple fossils species from South Africa, some who lived 300,000 years ago and others who lived over 2 million years ago.
For adults ages 18+
Registration is requested.