Colin Groves
Encyclopedia
Colin Peter Groves is Professor of Biological Anthropology
at the Australian National University
in Canberra
, Australia
.
Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science
at University College London
in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy
at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in 1966. From 1966 to 1973, Dr. Groves was a Postdoctoral Researcher and Teaching Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley
, Queen Elizabeth College
and the University of Cambridge
. He emigrated to Australia in 1974, and has been at the Australian National University since, being promoted to full Professor in 2000.
Professor Groves' research interests are human evolution
, primates, mammalian taxonomy
, skeletal analysis
, biological anthropology
, ethnobiology
and biogeography
. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, India, Iran, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Along with the Czech biologist Professor Vratislav Mazák
, Groves was the describer of Homo ergaster
. Groves also wrote the preeminent work Primate Taxonomy published by the Smithsonian Institution Press
in 2001 and his new book, Ungulate Taxonomy will be released in the fall of 2011 (Johns Hopkins Press).
He is an active member of the Australian Skeptics
and has many published skeptical papers, as well as research papers covering his other research interests. He has also conducted regular debates with creationists and anti-evolutionists.
Biological anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in 1966. From 1966 to 1973, Dr. Groves was a Postdoctoral Researcher and Teaching Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Queen Elizabeth College
Queen Elizabeth College
Queen Elizabeth College had its origins in the Ladies' Department of King's College London, England, opened in 1885. The first King's 'extension' lectures for ladies were held at Richmond in 1871, and from 1878 in Kensington, with chaperones in attendance.In 1881, the Council resolved 'to...
and the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He emigrated to Australia in 1974, and has been at the Australian National University since, being promoted to full Professor in 2000.
Professor Groves' research interests are human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
, primates, mammalian taxonomy
Mammal classification
Mammalia is a class of animal within the Phylum Chordata. Mammal classification has been through several iterations since Carolus Linnaeus initially defined the class. Many earlier ideas have been completely abandoned by modern taxonomists, among these are the idea that bats are related to birds...
, skeletal analysis
Osteology
Osteology is the scientific study of bones. A subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, and archeology, osteology is a detailed study of the structure of bones, skeletal elements, teeth, morphology, function, disease, pathology, the process of ossification , the resistance and hardness of bones , etc...
, biological anthropology
Biological anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
, ethnobiology
Ethnobiology
]Ethnobiology is the scientific study of dynamic relationships between peoples, biota, and environments, from the distant past to the immediate present....
and biogeography
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, India, Iran, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Along with the Czech biologist Professor Vratislav Mazák
Vratislav Mazák
Vratislav Mazák was a Czech biologist. He specialised in paleoanthropology, mammalogy and taxonomy, and he was also a painter, often illustrating his books about animals and men....
, Groves was the describer of Homo ergaster
Homo ergaster
Homo ergaster is an extinct chronospecies of Homo that lived in eastern and southern Africa during the early Pleistocene, about 2.5–1.7 million years ago.There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
. Groves also wrote the preeminent work Primate Taxonomy published by the Smithsonian Institution Press
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in 2001 and his new book, Ungulate Taxonomy will be released in the fall of 2011 (Johns Hopkins Press).
He is an active member of the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
and has many published skeptical papers, as well as research papers covering his other research interests. He has also conducted regular debates with creationists and anti-evolutionists.