INFORMATION FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

Division of Fossil Primates:

The DUPC Division of Fossil Primates (DFP) is an international center for research on fossil primates. Historically, a large number of doctoral dissertations have been based on studies using DFP collections and there is enormous potential for future thesis research.

Faculty associated with the Division of Fossil Primates supervise graduate theses involving overseas field research on fossil primates, or related fauna. Faculty provide graduate students with training and experience in techniques of fossil collection and preservation. Graduate work at the DFP is usually conducted under the supervision of a faculty member from the Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy. Graduate students currently conduct important research concerning a variety of aspects of the DFP paleontological collections.

The Division of Fossil Primates hosts a unique collection of fossil mammals many of which can be found no where else in the United States. Fossils from Egypt, Madagascar, India and Wyoming have been collected in order to enhance research on extinct primates and their associated fauna and flora.

The specimens of fossil and subfossil primates typically found with associated fossil mammals, birds, and reptiles housed in the DFP have added considerable information to debates surrounding anthropoid origins, extinction events in Madagascar and many other fascinating topics in primate paleontology. Each geographically and temporally different fossil collection represents a time and place important to the study of primate evolution. The largest collection of fossil primates housed at the DFP is from the Eocene and Oligocene deposits of the Fayum, Egypt. These deposits have yielded most of the world's knowledge of early anthropoid evolution. These primitive anthropoids belong to a dozen genera and nearly 20 species. A remarkable collection of subfossils from Madagascar includes a series of extinct giant lemurs and related fauna, mostly recovered from cave deposits. A considerable collection of Eocene primates and related fauna from the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and a smaller collection of primates and associated fauna from the Miocene of Egypt and India.

The DFP fossil collections are nearly unique and are in continuous academic demand. Graduate work on fossil collections is possible after consultation with Dr. Simons for approval, and regarding the availability for study of particular groups. Individual work space is available for graduate students using the collections at the Division of Fossil Primate's facility. All published material is available for examination. Unpublished material has usually been allocated for study and is carefully managed by Dr. Simons and his staff in order to avoid conflicts of research interest. Dr. Simons reserves the right to set aside certain taxa or subsets of the collection for his own research or for that of his graduate students.

RESEARCH EQUIPMENT:

Our laboratory supplies graduate researchers with computing facilities (connected to the internet via a T-1 line), microscopes, digital calipers, digital photography equipment. Students have access at Duke to CT scanners, and scanning electron microscopy.

HOW TO APPLY:

The DUPC Division of Fossil Primates does not accept students directly. Those interested in conducting graduate studies with us should direct requests for information regarding application procedures to the Director of Graduate Studies/Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy. Write to: