Introduction

I am a 4th year PhD candidate in Anthropology in the Tucci Lab at Yale University. After receiving a BA in Archaeology and Biology from Boston University, I completed a MS in Human Paleobiology at George Washington University and am currently interested in researching human adaptation and population histories through genetics and genomics methods.

Research Interests

My research interests focus on the evolution of genes involved in metabolism and the evolution of diet within the human lineage. Currently, my PhD research utilizes population genetics methods to understand adaptive evolution in fat metabolism-related genes, such as the FADS gene cluster and the ecological factors and demographic history that have contributed to patterns of genetic variation within modern-day populations in Southeast Asia and Oceania. I am also working on a project utilizing runs of homozygosity as a way to understand demographic history and potential regions under selection in Oceanic populations. My previous research during my Masters examined patterns of functional variation in intestinal starch-digesting enzymes in humans and non-human primates to determine whether humans exhibit accelerated rates of evolution.

Outreach

Outside of the lab, I am a strong proponent of science education to help inform understanding of human evolutionary concepts and advancements in human evolutionary genetics for the general public. To this end, I have been involved in several forms of outreach including:

• Organizing departmental outreach events with local high school students in New Haven, CT through Yale Pathways to Science.
• Leading weekly K-12 workshops as a graduate student educator at the Yale Peabody Museum.
• Acting as a speaker and current director for Yale Science Communication, a Graduate Student Organization.
• Acting as a visiting reseacher for the Scientist in In program at the National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C. (2020)
• Cohosting Evolution’s Grad Girls, a short webseries on Youtube answering Reddit questions related to evolutionary anthropology.

CV

CV

Education

• PhD Candidate, current. Yale University, New Haven, CT.
• Master of Science, 2021. George Washington University, Washington, DC.
• Bachelor of Arts, 2018. Boston University, Boston, MA.

Contact

audrey.tjahjadi[@]yale.edu