Research

Supervisor: Prof. Geoff Bailey

Landscapes and Human Evolution: Dynamic environments, hominin site selection and taphonomy

My PhD research aims to explore the links between hominins and the landscapes in which they lived, through a paired set of investigations: one focusing on the use of the fossil record and comparative primate anatomy to infer hominin ecology (including landscape preferences), and one emphasising the use of palaeoenvironmental records and modern analogue environments in exploring the distribution of fossil sites. These two research strands will be used in combination to assess the potential of research into hominin landscapes, and the role that different lines of evidence may play in the future development of the field.

Profile

I have been interested in the interactions between humans and the natural world for as long as I can remember, and carried out numerous childhood "research projects" on botany, zoology, mineralogy and similar topics. When I was old enough, I went to the University of Sheffield and studied for a BSc in geography, with an emphasis on physical geography and palaeoecology. I followed this up with an MSc in palaeoanthropology at the same university, and used both to design my MSc dissertation and PhD research, which focuses on the role of landscapes in hominin evolutionary ecology.

During my time in Sheffield, I worked as a crew member in the music industry, a job I really enjoyed despite the necessity for late nights, early mornings and lugging heavy equipment. In my spare time I enjoy cycling, drawing, cooking and reading (both fiction and non-fiction).

Publications

Papers

Winder, I. In press. Looking for problems: a systems approach to hominin palaeocommunities from Plio-Pleistocene Africa. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. DOI:10.1002/oa.1219 [published online December 2010].

Winder, I. 2011. A new single-filter method for analyzing coastal aerosol production and links to meteorology. Estuaries and Coasts 34(2): 326-335. DOI: 10.1007/s12237-010-9322-1

Book Reviews

Winder, I. In press. Review of D'Aout, K. and Vereecke, E.E. 2011, 'Primate Locomotion: Linking Field and Laboratory Research'. Primate Eye.

Winder, I. 2011. Review of Rebay-Salisbury, K., Sorensen, M.L.S. and Hughes, J. 2010, 'Body Parts and Bodies Whole'. PaleoAnthropology 2011, 287-288.

Winder, I. 2011. Review of Rees, A. 2009, 'The infanticide controversy: primatology and the art of field science'. Primate Eye.

Winder, I. 2010. Review of Hetherington, R. and Reid, R.G.B. 2010, 'The Climate Connection: Climate Change and Modern Human Evolution'. PaleoAnthropology 2010, pages 223-225.

Winder, I. 2010. Review of Cartmill, M. and Smith, F. 2009, 'The Human Lineage'. PaleoAnthropology 2010, pages 160-161.

Winder, I. 2010. Review of Holmes, K. 2007, 'GIS simulation of the earliest hominid colonisation of Eurasia'. PaleoAnthropology 2010, pages 76-78.

Other

Winder, I. 2010. Energy production and the potential for life on outer solar system satellites. Journal of Young Investigators 19(19), pages 1-7.