Skin color or pigmentation is one of the most visible variations amongst humans. Scientists have long been interested in the how and why skin color differs within and without populations. Why do people from different parts of the world have differ
Dr. Heather Norton will discuss evolutionary hypotheses for the origins of this variation as well as genetic variants that can explain some of the diversity in human pigmentation phenotype. She will also demonstrate how anthropologists have tested these hypotheses using genetic data from populations around the world, helping us to better understand how this complex trait has evolved over time.
Dr. Norton is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Norton’s research focuses on the evolution of human skin, with a particular focus on the evolution of variation in skin pigmentation. She uses tools from anthropology and genomics to identify genetic mutations that underlie variation in skin, hair, and iris pigmentation and also to understand how evolutionary forces like natural selection have shaped modern patterns of human pigmentation diversity. Her research has been published in several scientific journals, including the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, The American Journal of Human Biology, and Molecular Biology and Evolution.
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