“The Quest for Human Origins”
DON JOHANSON
Professor of Anthropology, Arizona State University
FREE • NO TICKET REQUIRED
Date: Friday, March 27
Time: 8 p.m.
Venue:IMAX Theatre, Challenger Learning Center, Kleman Plaza, 200 S. Duval Street
Available via webcast
"Johanson's story of the growth of paleoanthropology in the 20th century remains unmatched. His role should be known to most, but this personal relation endures as a landmark for those interested in the development of humanity." — Stephen A. Haines
Don Johanson's is one of the most recognized names in anthropology the world over. He reached international fame in 1974 when he and several of his colleagues revealed their discovery of one of the most important fossils ever found—the skeleton of a female hominid found in Ethiopia.
Don Johanson will be signing his latest book, Lucy's Legacy (Crown, 2009) after his talk March 27.Nicknamed "Lucy," the 3.2-million-year-old skeleton is still recognized as the most famous human predecessor ever found. The discovery prompted major revisions in our understanding of the human evolutionary past and continues to serve as an important touchstone for all subsequent discoveries. Johanson's name has since become synonymous with a new understanding of human origins.
A native of Chicago, Johanson earned a doctorate in anthropology from the University of Chicago. His career has cast him as the head of many expeditions in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and the Middle East. His efforts have reached across multiple media—hosting and narrating the Emmy nominated PBS/NOVA series In Search of Human Origins, authoring six books, developing the award-winning science Web site, Becoming Human, and becoming one of the most highly sought—and respected—lecturers in human origins in the world.
Today, Johanson directs the Institute of Human Origins, a human-evolution think tank that he founded at Arizona State University in 1998. For more about Johanson and the ASU center, see www.asu.edu
