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William H. Kimbel is an American born paleontologist. He is currently a professor at Arizona State University, and director of the Institute of Human Origins in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. The majority of his field work is centered in East Africa, with a primary focus on Hadar, Ethiopia and Olduvai Gorge, Israel, and Tanzania. His research has also taken him to Kenya, South Africa, and Tunisia. His work concentrates on Plio-Pleistocene hominid evolution, Late Pleistocene hominid evolution, and the Middle Paleolithic Neanderthal-bearing cave of Amud in Israel. Other research interests include evolutionary and systematic theory applied to paleoanthropological problems.

Education
In 1976, Kimbel received his B.A. in anthropology at Case Western University. In 1986, he obtained his PhD. in Biological Sciences from Kent University.

Research and Field Work
William H. Kimbel has significantly furthered our knowledge of theAustralopithecus afarensis cranial morphology, and contributed to debates about defining a species and how to construct human evolutionary history.

Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
In 1987, Kimbel co-lead the analysis of the new partial skeleton of Homo habilis, found by Mary Leaky in 1960 in lower Bed I of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania dating back to about 1.8 million years ago. The cranial morphology of the specimen resembles that of Homo habilis, while the post cranial skeleton is similar to early Australopithecus species. He co-authored the publication ‘New Partial Skeleton of Homo habilis from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania’ which appeared in Nature.

In 1988, he identified a partial cranium of Australopithecus afarensis (KNM-ER 2602) in a publication in the Journal of Human Evolution. The significance of the identification is that the cranium is contemporary with the Australopithecus afarensis specimen. That same year, he worked with Tim White and Don Johanson on an analysis of variation within Australopithecus, specifically robust Australopithecines and sexual dimorphism within the genus, and Paranthropus boisei.

Hadar, Ethiopia
In 1990, Kimbel began work co-leading a team of paleoanthropologists in the Pliocene Hadar site where they discovered what were, at the time, the earliest fossil evidence of the genus Homo.

Researchers also found more than 20 chert flakes and the oldest stone tools ever found in association with hominin remains. The upper jaw was found in the same site where 3.18 million-year-old ''Au. afarensis'' Lucy was found. Kimbel and his team have still not assigned it to a species because the jaw is sufficiently different in morphology from other early Homo fossils as it has a broad parabolic dental arch, which makes it similar to recent ancestors of modern humans. Kimbel continues to be the project leader at the Hadar Site.

Amud Neanderthal Cave, Israel
From 1991 until 1994, Kimbel co-lead an excavation project in the Amud Neanderthal Cave in Israel. In Area A, the femur, tibia, and radius of a 6-9 months hominin were found in square L3, as well as a fragment of a mandible belonging to an individual of the same age was found in square K3. In Area B, the articulated skeleton of a human fetus/neonate, along with pottery shards, were found. The skeleton was affected by a large tree root that destroyed the right tibia and fibula.

From 1998 until 1999, Kimbel, along with Dr. Yoel Rak of Tel Aviv University and Erella Hovers of Hebrew University, led the Israeli-American team in its first, exploratory field season at the ancient Wadi Amud Neanderthal Cave. This excavation was particularly important for understanding the evolutionary biology, behavior, and temporal relationships of Late Pleistocene hominins. Hominin skeletal remains that represent four individuals were discovered, one being a complete skeleton classified as Amud I.

Species and Speciation
From 1991-1991, Kimbel focused on speciation and the phylogenetic species concept. In 1991, he reviewed “The Theory of Human and Primate Evolution” by Colin Groves, written in 1989. He titled the publication, which appeared in the Journal of Human Evolution Volume 20,  “Species, Species Concepts, and hominid evolution.” He co-edited the book "Species, Species Concepts and Primate Evolution," along with Lawrence B. Martin in 1993

In 2004, Kimbel co-authored the book "The Skull of Australopithecus Afarensis" with Y. Rak and Don Johanson.

Professional Career
In 1985, Kimbel joined the Institute of Human Origins (IHO) at the University of California Berkeley as President and Assistant Director, working under Donald Johanson, founder and director at the time. In 1990 he became the IHO Director of Paleontology and in 1994 he became the Science Director at the Institute. When IHO moved in 1997, Kimbel started work as an Associate Professor at Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change.

In 2002, William Kimbel was appointed the Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment and in 2008 he became the Director of the Institute of Human Origins at ASU when Johanson stepped down. He has also been Honors Faculty member in the ASU Barrett Honors College since 2010 and faculty since 2011 in Biology and Life History.

In 2003, he became a joint editor with the Journal of Human Evolution and since 2009 he has been a permanent member and editor of the journal. He is a founding member of the African Rift Valley Research Consortium along with Zeray Alemseged, Yohannes Haile-Selassie, and Terry Harrison.