Kate McElvaney
Bio
Kate McElvaney holds an MA in Anthropology from the University of Houston. Her area of specialization is in biological anthropology, with a concentration in bioarchaeology. She is deeply interested in all aspects of the human condition, with a focus on the intersection between culture and biology. She has a great enthusiasm for bones and the insights that can be gained about past peoples through studying their skeletal remains. Her Master’s thesis, “A comparative bioarchaeology of K’axob and Cuello: non-specific infection markers and social status differentiation in the Maya pre-classic period,” examines whether there is a statistical difference in rates of non-specific infection between two Maya pre-classic villages, K’axob and Cuello, and whether these findings can be correlated to social status differentiation within and between these two villages. Other interests include comparative osteology, coevolution of humans and pathogens, and anthropological perspectives on death and burial practices.
Kate McElvaney shares her knowledge and passion for biological anthropology as an adjunct professor in CCS. She teaches “Introduction to Physical (Biological) Anthropology”, a broad introductory course on the biological and behavioral aspects of humans, human ancestors, and the nonhuman primates from an evolutionary perspective. She also teaches the online course “Human Variation”, which explores human biological variation and adaptation within the context of evolutionary theory, examining human physical, physiological, and genetic similarities and differences.