Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook University recently hosted two distinguished anthropologists, Lawrence Martin and Patricia Wright, in its Provost’s Lecture Series. The event featured back-to-back presentations highlighting the professors' significant contributions to anthropology.

Katheryn Twiss, chair of the Department of Anthropology, introduced the speakers on February 11 at the Charles B. Wang Center Theater. “Pat Wright and Lawrence Martin are people who are good at connections,” she remarked. Twiss praised their ability to build relationships across various platforms and connect departments globally.

Lawrence Martin's lecture focused on his career journey from studying ape evolution to leading the Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) in Kenya. He joined Stony Brook University from the UK in 1985 due to its renowned primate and human evolution program. Over time, he progressed through administrative roles, eventually becoming dean of the Graduate School.

A pivotal moment came when Martin met Richard Leakey during an honorary degree ceremony at Stony Brook. This meeting led to a collaboration that resulted in the founding of TBI in Nairobi, Kenya, as an academic partnership with Stony Brook in 2005. The institute now supports research on human evolution year-round.

Martin highlighted recent discoveries showing that modern human DNA traces back to northeastern Africa around 80,000 years ago.

Following Martin's presentation, Patricia Wright discussed Madagascar's biodiversity in her talk titled “Clues to Madagascar’s Mysterious Past.” Wright recounted her discovery of living greater bamboo lemurs and a new species named Hapalemur aureus during her expedition to Madagascar in 1986.

She emphasized the threats facing lemurs due to deforestation and hunting practices while also detailing significant fossil finds indicating early human presence on the island much earlier than previously believed.

In November 2024, Wright's team made another notable discovery: Ivohiboro cave containing hippopotamus bones—a first for finding such remains within their original habitat. This discovery suggests unknown aspects of Madagascar’s ecological history and points toward potential impacts on biodiversity from ancient fires.

The lectures were part of a series showcasing work by SUNY Distinguished Faculty members at Stony Brook each semester. Carl Lejuez, executive vice president and provost at Stony Brook University commented on the significance of these presentations: “Today was one of those academic days that I’ll remember my entire career.”

— Robert Emproto