Irisa Arney, Ph.D.

Ph.D., Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2019

M.A. with honors, Biological Anthropology, New Mexico State University, 2012

B.S., Anthropology, Baylor University, TX, 2009

Research Assistant, University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Clinical and Applied Science Education, 2019-2021

Research Affiliate, University of Michigan, Department of Anthropology, 2019-2021

Adjunct Laboratory Instructor, University of Michigan, School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 2019

Teaching Assistant, University of Michigan, School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 2018-2019

Instructor, University of Michigan, School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 2017

Graduate Student Instructor & Research Assistant, University of Michigan, Department of Anthropology, Ann Arbor, MI, 2013-2017

Teaching Assistant, New Mexico State University, Anthropology, La Cruses, NM, 2010-2012

Teaching Assistant, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, Department of Chemistry, 2010

Teaching and Research Assistant, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 2009

Broadly speaking, my research examines the evolution of mammals in East Africa during the Miocene epoch (25-5 Ma) with a specific focus on the catarrhine primates (Old World monkeys and apes, including humans). Particularly, I am interested in how local environmental and regional climatic changes affected the morphology and locomotor/dietary ecology of African Miocene mammalian species. My research involves 1) studying limb functional morphology in modern primates to reconstruct locomotor patterns and positional behaviors in fossil primates; and 2) reconstructing the paleodiets and paleoenvironments of African Miocene primate and mammalian faunavia stable isotopes and 2D/3D dental topographic metrics.

Grants and Fellowships

LSB Leakey Research Grant, PI: Lauren Gonzales; CO-PIs: Irisa Arney, Ethan Hyland, Samuel Muteti, Rutger Jansma, $25,000, 2019

Nishioka Scholarship in Anatomical Science Education, $4,000, 2019

LSB Leakey Dissertation Research Grant, $11,985, 2017

Rackham Summer Award, University of Michigan, $8,000, 2016

Rackham International Research Award, University of Michigan, $5,000, 2015

Rackham Candidate Student Research Grant, $3,000, 2015

Anthropology Research Grant, University of Michigan, $4,000, 2013-2015

Rackham Pre-Candidate Research Grant, University of Michigan, $1500, 2013

African Studies Center, University of Michigan, $1,500, 2013

Rackham Merit Fellowship, $80,000, 2012-2019

Museum Collections Research

Smithsonian National Museum Natural History, Washington DC, 2018

Turkana Basin Institute, Ileret, Kenya, 2017

Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois, 2017

National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya, 2013-2017

Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge,Massachusetts, 2013, 2018

ClevelandMuseumofNaturalHistory,Cleveland,Ohio, 2011

New Mexico State University Graduate Assistant Merit Enhancement Award ($4,000)

Lambda Alpha Anthropological Honor Society

Baylor Dean’s List

Jesse H. Jones and Mary Gibbs Jones Scholars Program, Baylor University

Baylor Provost Scholarship

Geological Society of America (member)

Association of Physical Anthropologists (member)

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (member)

Nengo, I.O., Benefit, B.R., McCrossin, M.L., Arney, I.D., Miller, E.R., Russo, G., Rae, T. A new hominoid lower canine specimen from the middle Miocene of Napudet. Journal of Human Evolution (In revision).

Sanders, W.J., Miller, E.R., Nengo, I., Semprebon, G., Arney, I. Taxonomy and paleoecology of a remarkably diverse new proboscidean assemblage from the terminal Early Miocene site of Buluk, Kenya. Society for Vertebrate Paleontology. (accepted).

Arney, I.D., Miller, E., Nengo, I.O., Locke, E., Sanders, W.J. 2020. Stable Carbon Isotopes of Mammalian Tooth Enamel and Paleoenvironments of the Early Miocene Locality Buluk, Kenya.American Journal of Physical Anthropology171(S69): 11

Arney, I.D.,McCrossin, M., Benefit, B.R., Nengo, I. 2019. Moving through time: Intermediate phalanges from East African early and middle Miocene catarrhines reveal locomotor changes.American Journal of Physical Anthropology168(S68):8

Arney, I.D., MacLatchy, L., Benefit, B.R., McCrossin, M., and Kingston, J.D. 2018. Environmental change and African early to middle Miocene Catarrhine Evolution.American Journal of Physical Anthropology165(S66):12-13.

Arney, I.D.,Cote,S., Fox,J., Kingston, J., MacLatchy, L., Manthi, F., Mbua, E., McNulty, K., and Nengo, I. 2017. Stable isotopic evidence of paleoenvironments at early Miocene localities from Tinderet, Kenya. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Calgary, AB, Canada).

Nengo I, Benefit B, Arney I.D., Mccrossin M, Rae, T., and Miller, E. 2016. A large-bodied ape canine from middle Miocene Napudet deposits in the Turkana Basin, Kenya. American Journal of Physical Anthropology159(S62): 239.

Arney I.D., Benefit, B.R., and McCrossin, M.L. 2015. The body mass of Victoriapithecus macinnesi revisited using foot remains. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 156(S60):71-72.

Arney I.D., McCrossin, M.L., and Benefit, B.R. 2013.Kenyapithecusis the Earliest Plantigrade Hominoid.American Association of Physical Anthropology,150(S56):69.

Arney I.D., McCrossin, M.L., and Benefit, B.R. 2012. Ape-like mobility in the semi-terrestrially adapted foot of Kenyapithecus africanus. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 147(S54): 86.