Dr. William Leonard

Biography

William Leonard is a biological anthropologist interested in human biology and adaptation to environmental and social stressors. His extensive research focuses on various aspects of human energy metabolism, nutritional health, and child growth among indigenous agricultural populations in both highland and lowland regions of South America, such as Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru, as well as among indigenous populations in Siberia. Leonard examines how these populations adapt to their ecological and social circumstances, particularly regarding the transition to 'modern' diets and lifestyles that influence health and chronic disease risks. He has explored significant trends in human evolution, including the origin of bipedality and the expansion of hominin brain sizes, shaped by the energy and nutritional requirements of species. His research is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Wenner-Gren Foundation, and Leakey Foundation. Leonard currently serves as the Director of the Program in Global Health Studies and is the Co-Director of the Center for Global Health Education at the Havey Institute for Global Health. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Human Biology and received the Franz Boas Distinguished Achievement Award from the Human Biology Association in 2021.

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