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Curriculum vitae
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
· 2007 – 2001 PhD thesis, Paleoanthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Paris. "Mention Très honorable".
« Variability of human limb proportions: Ontogenic and phylogenic points of view»
Supervisor: Jean Louis Heim, Professor, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, departement of Prehistory, USM 103 – UMR CNRS 5891.
Abstract: Limb proportions are often evaluated using the computation of crural and brachial indices. In light of discoveries of new complete fossils, current works rather deal with general principles of physiological adaptations and their application to living and fossil hominids.
Two modern human samples from distinct geographical areas (Africa and Europe) were used to estimate the variation of limb bones shape during growth. This original study is based on the computation and the multivariate analysis of shape variables which allowed the extraction of the size factor. Variation of brachial and crural indices was then evaluated in order to confirm whether they can be used to define human populations, subadults, adults, modern or fossil.
The results show that there is a shape, specific to each developmental stages (Infant, Juvenile, Adolescent and Adult), shared by every long bone considered with or without its epiphyses. African limb indices are greater than European ones, indicating an elongated distal segment, during growth and until Adult stage. However, brachial and crural indices do not vary from birth to adulthood. Lastly, long bones shapes remain constant in the Homo subadult sample studied, from the Border Cave new-born to Neandertal children and immature modern humans. Moreover, limb proportions of fossil children do not differ significantly from modern human variability.
It is now essential to conduct further analysis and comparison of adult fossil specimens.
Keywords: Limb proportions, Growth, Allometry, Geometric morphometrics, long bones, Homo sapiens; Neandertals.
· 2001 – 2000 DEA « Anthropologie biologique », Université Bordeaux 1
« Issues raised by a new taxonomic human species: Homo antecessor. »
Supervisor: Bruno Maureille, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du Passé, Université Bordeaux 1 (UMR 5809).
· 2000 – 1999 Maîtrise « Ethnologie, option Paléoanthropologie », Université Bordeaux 1
« Modern human origin and mitochondrial DNA »
Supervisor: Christine Couture, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du Passé, Université Bordeaux 1 (UMR 5809).
· 1999 – 1998 Licence « Biologie des Organismes et des Populations », Université Bordeaux 1
· 1998 – 1996 DEUG Sciences de la Vie, Université Bordeaux 1, AB
· 1996 – 1993 Bac S, american international option, lycée Magendie, Bordeaux, AB
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Post-doctoral mission
· May – August 2007 Anthropological study of the archeological remains excavated from the Koh Ta Méas necropolis, (3000 years BP), Baray occidental, EFEO Center, Siem Reap, Cambodia. 4 months EFEO grant.
Complete inventory of the human remains, age and sex estimation, health status and morphometric data set comparable to the PhD data
PhD missions
· April - May 2005 Study of the Museu Bocage Collection, Museu Nacional de Historia Natural, Lisbon, Portugal. Granted by USM 103.
73 subadults (0-19 years of age) were measured
· May 2005 Study of the Lagar Velho specimen, Instituto Portuguès de Arqueologia; Lisbon, Portugal
· Oct – Dec 2004 Study of the Raymond Dart collection and of the fossil material, Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg, South Africa. “Aires culturelles” grant from Ministère de l’Education Nationale.
106 subadults (0-19 years of age), 21 young adults (20-25 years of age) and 56 fossil specimens (Berg Aukas, Cave of Hearts, Makapansgat, Sterkfontein) were measured.
· November 2002 Study of the radiographs of 154 fœtuses and 4 neonates, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Montpellier; France (1999-2002)
RESEARCH ABILITIES
· Data acquisition and morphometric analyses: adult and subadult long bones, Classical tools ; Statistical univariate and multivariate analyses ; Principal Component Analysis ; Discriminant Analysis, Linear models (ANOVA/MANOVA, ANCOVA/MANCOVA, linear regressions) ; Resampling (Bootstrap method).
· Use of specific statistical software: platform R with specific libraries « ape », « lattice », « MASS », and Statistica and Past software.
· Field Anthropology and study of archeological series: Individual burials ; Taphonomy ; Age and sex estimations ; Paleopathology
· Running of osteological collections: inventory, computerization of inventory files.
· Foreign languages: English: very good, spoken, read, written; Spanish: good, spoken, read.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE (14H)
Since 2005 : Master « Évolution, Patrimoine Naturel et Sociétés », Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (M1 et M2) ; Specialty « Quaternaire et Préhistoire : Paléoenvironnements, Lignée humaine, Histoire des Sociétés ».
· Quaternaire et Préhistoire 3 : Methods of Paleoanthropological Studies and Applications (obligatory, TP/TD)
«Introduction to the anatomical and anthropological study of the post-cranial skeleton» With Pr D. Grimaud-Hervé and G. Daver [2005-2006: 4h]
· Quaternaire et Préhistoire 16b : Funerary Anthropology (optional, lecture)
« Archeothanatology: Introduction to the archeology of death». With C. Souday [2005-2006: 2h]
· Quaternaire et Préhistoire :Paleoanthropology (obligatory, TP/TD)
« Study of the skeleton: Introduction to the anatomical and anthropological study of the post-cranial skeleton (TP/TD) ». With Pr D. Grimaud-Hervé and G. Daver [2006-2007: 4h; 2007-2008: 4h]
RUNNING OF COLLECTION
· November 2007, January – February 2006 Inventory of the anthropological archives of the Homme, Nature, Société department (Musée de l’Homme); Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Vacation (57h+160h).
· December 2004 Inventory and re-conditioning of the Taforalt immature remains, Maroc (Epipaleolithic), collections of the Département de Préhistoire (Institut de Paléontologie Humaine), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
· September 2002 Inventory of the Qafzeh cranial remains, Israël (Middle Paleolithic), collections of the Département de Préhistoire (Institut de Paléontologie Humaine), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
FIELD EXPERIENCES
· November– December 2007 Technician on an INRAP excavation, Alluyes, Eure et Loire, France.
Supervisor: Tony Hamon, INRAP – Centres archéologiques de St Cyr en Val and Tours.
· November– December 2005 Anthropological study of mummies from the excavation of the East la necropolis, El Deir, Kharga, Egypte.
Supervisor: Françoise Dunand, Alphanécropolis, Paris.
· May - June 2005 Anthropological supervision of the necropolis excavation, Koh Tha Meas, (3000 y BP), Baray occidental, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Supervisor: Christophe Pottier, researcher in EFEO, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
· August 2003 Volunteer on the excavation of a Magdalenian cave site. Le Taillis des Coteaux, Antigny, Vienne, France.
Supervisor: Jérôme Primault, PhD student, Paris X, Nanterre (UMR 7055).
· August 2002 Volunteer on the excavation of a Mousterian site. Les Pradelles, Marillac le franc, Charente, France.
Supervisor: Bruno Maureille, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du Passé, Université Bordeaux 1 (UMR 5809).
· August 2001 Volunteer on the excavation of a Neolithic collective burial Dolmen des Peirières, Villedubert, Aude, France.
Supervisor: Henry Duday, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du passé de l’Université Bordeaux 1 (UMR 5809).
· August 2000 Volunteer on the excavation of a Chalcolithic collective burial. Aven de la Boucle, Corconne, Gard, France.
Supervisor: Henry Duday, Laboratoire d’Anthropologie des Populations du passé de l’Université Bordeaux 1 (UMR 5809).
Administrative work
· 2004 - 2003 Vice-president in a student association
· 2003 - 2002 Secretary in a student association
· 2003 - 2002 Elected representative at the Ecole Doctorale council
Melanie Frelat, Phd
mfrelat
Publications