Internationally Renowned Paleoanthropologist To Speak at Georgia Southern University

March 22, 2012

Don Johanson, Ph.D., who discovered the 3.18 million-year-old skeleton known as “Lucy” will speak at Georgia Southern University on Tuesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and will be held in the Foy Building’s Carol A. Carter Recital Hall.

“Dr. Johanson has made some of the most significant contributions in the study of human evolution,” said Georgia Southern anthropology professor Sue Moore, Ph.D. “The ‘Lucy’ skeleton is known by everyone from school children to scientists. We are so fortunate to have him come to Georgia Southern to share his expertise.”

Johanson discovered “Lucy” in November of 1974 in Hadar, Ethiopia. Johanson’s team was able to collect 40 percent of “Lucy’s” skeleton, giving an exceptionally complete picture of the hominid that drew international attention to the discovery and its implications for the study of evolution.

Johanson is the founding director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University and has conducted field research in paleoanthropology for the past 30 years in Ethiopia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Tanzania. He has authored numerous books including Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind, From Lucy to Language and Lucy’s Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins.