FOUR CHES Undergraduate Affiliates today presented their Senior Honors Thesis research in a special symposium at the Department of Anthropology:
- Rohan Alibutud: "Prioritization of Autism Candidate Genes from Whole-Genome Sequences of Affected Families." Rohan's research on an immense genetic database has helped to identify autosomal genes that may be implicated the expression and diagnosis of the Autism Spectrum Disorder.
- Matt Baldes: "Area 116 and the Burgi Unconformity." Matt trekked off to Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya in order to do this work clarifying the geology of a previously unmapped region Iin the Koobi Fora Formation, which has has yielded forth many important fossil discoveries about human evolution.
- Olivia Boss, "Comparative Dental Microwear Textural Analysis: Pitheciines, Alouatta, and Ateles." Olivia carefully investigate the teeth of preserved specimens of New World Monkeys kept at the American Museum of Natural History (New York City), shedding light on the relationship between the physical properties of foods (especially toughness" and patterns of microwear on teeth.
- Frank Short, "An Investigation of Orangutan Bimaturism through Continuous-Time Movement Modeling;" Using continuous-time movement modeling on a data set of wild orangutan ranging behavior from Borneo, Frank tested the hypothesis that two known forms, or "morphs" of adult male orangutans—one large, one smaller—are associated with different patterns of movements that are ultimately linked to different mating strategies.
Congrats to all four CHES Undergrads for these impressive research and scholarly achievements!. And special kudos must go to Rohan, Matt, and Olivia who were received the special recognition of being named "Henry Rutgers Scholars" by Rutgers, along with only 48 other undergraduates across the entire University this year!
