Welcome ..
Anthropology is a broad and diverse discipline that seeks
to better understand the human species in terms of our
cultural, behavioral and biological development through
time. Towards this end, the field of anthropology includes
comparisons with our closest living relatives - the lemurs,
monkeys and apes that, together with us, constitute the
zoological Order Primates. The wide scope of anthropology has
resulted in the identification of three sub-disciplines: cultural
anthropology, archaeology, and biological anthropology. Cultural
anthropology concentrates on the cultural behavior of modern
humans. Archaeology represents the study of human cultural and
behavioral variation over time investigated through the material culture
of past people. Biological anthropology examines the
biological evidence for human and non-human primate evolution.
This, itself, encompasses a very broad range of topics, including
the study of the behavioral ecology and anatomy of living non-human
primates, and the fossil record for primate and human evolution.
The department has 13 core (full-time)
faculty and a number of
associate faculty, covering
the areas of cultural anthropology,
North American archaeology, Paleolithic archaeology, Near Eastern
archaeology, the behavioral ecology and conservation of living
primates, primate paleontology, and human evolution. One of Stony
Brook's greatest strengths continues to be the opportunity for
interdisciplinary research in the anthropological sciences, both
within and beyond the department through our close collaborative
relationships with other departments in the University.
The Department of Anthropology maintains very close ties with faculty
in Stony Brook's Department of
Anatomical Sciences
(School of Medicine) and of
Biomedical Engineering
(College of Engineering), as well as the Departments of
Ecology and Evolution,
History,
and
Geosciences (College of Arts and Sciences).
As such, research opportunities abound for undergraduate students
as well as for graduate students in anthropology!
This is an extremely exciting time for anthropology, and Stony
Brook is at the forefront of anthropological research in the 21st
century. Our faculty is diverse, our commitment is high, our research
is cutting-edge, and our facilities are unique. Come and join us!
We encourage you to explore our site and hope that you find Stony Brook University and our department to be both exciting and friendly. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.