Fwd: Scientific Research on Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior

Hi Jeffrey,

an interesting letter to you...

------ Forwarded message ------
From: Coren Apicella <
Date: Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Subject: Scientific Research on Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior
To:

Dear Jeffrey,

I am a new Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and I am writing to inquire whether you are currently soliciting any grant proposals for research. I first heard about your foundation some years back from Anna Dreber. I did both my graduate and postdoctoral work at Harvard University and was closely allied with PED, having worked with Anna as well as Dave Rand. In fact, your funding indirectly supported some early research I conducted with Anna and so I thank you for that! I am also a friend and admirer of Martin and attended many talks at PED. On occasion, I would even abandon my own desk for a desk there. It is a wonderful place and the discussions there were some of the best that I have had at Harvard.

I have just arrived at UPenn this fall and I am beginning to set up my own laboratory: Human Behavioral Origins (HBO). In the process of setting up, I am also looking at various funding opportunities and your foundation came to mind. With cutbacks in science funding I am beginning to realize I need to cast my net wider than the usual channels, such as NSF. I am writing to you because I think my research fits with some of the interests of your foundation. I explore the evolutionary origins of human behavior and sociality by studying one of the last populations of hunter-gatherers on the planet, the Hadza bushman of Northern Tanzania. Basically, I combine traditional approaches in biological anthropology with current social science methods. For instance, I had a paper come out recently in Nature where I mapped the entire social network of their population in relation to cooperation.

My research requires long trips to remote areas of Tanzania where the Hadza still live. I travel there alone and sleep alongside them in a tent. While it is difficult work, I do love my research and I think it is really important. The lit are really one of our the last connections to our past . They offer us a window into how our early human ancestors lived and when they are gone, I think many of our secrets will be lost with them. To this end, I want to devote much time to studying them despite the financial, physical (and emotional) challenges of such fieldwork.

Anyway, I would love to hear more about your foundation and possible opportunities for funding either now or in the future. Please do keep me on your email lists and radar.

Sincerely,

Coren Apicella

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Webpage: hup://www.corenapicella.corn/
Mailing address:
Department of Psychology
University of Pennsylvania
Solomon Laboratories
3720 Walnut Street
Office C3A
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6241

Office Phone:

The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation
www.jeffreyepstein.org

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