Spring 2001 -- Vol. 18, No. 1

FACES OF PENN STATE

Alan Walker
Distinguished professor of anthropology and biology

Alan Walker came to Penn State in 1995, accepting an opportunity to continue teaching, maintain his field research, and enjoy an improved quality of life as he left behind a big city and a 45-minute daily commute.

As a child in England, Alan Walker sometimes made challenges for himself by turning jigsaw puzzles upside down to put them together. He found clues about how the pieces fit by looking carefully at discolorations of the paper or by finding telltale sloppy cuts of the individual pieces. He believes time spent on that endeavor as a youth has come in handy in his profession. As one of the most accomplished and renowned paleoanthropologists in the world, Walker has made many important discoveries during the past three decades at paleontological digs in Africa with his collaborators Richard and Meave Leakey. Among the most famous were hominid specimens known as "The Black Skull" and the "Turkana Boy." Later, in 1995, he and Meave Leakey discovered the skeletal remains of a previously unknown species in the human lineage, which they named Australopithecus anamensis, that lived about four million years ago.

Still, Walker's impact on the field, and on our growing knowledge of our ancestors, goes far beyond finding bones. His ingenious efforts and insistence on looking at living animals for answers to questions about fossils means he also pieces together what the bones mean. His efforts provide a clearer picture of the behavior of our ancestors and a better understanding of evolution. For example, one of the revelations from Walker's analysis of those Australopithecus anamensis remains was that our ancestors were walking upright at that time. In addition, Walker pioneered the use of electron microscopes to study microwear on teeth to gain an understanding of the diet and eating habits of our ancestors. By comparing the markings and wear on the teeth of existing animals, Walker can draw strong conclusions about our predecessors.

"You're looking for little clues about how things fit together and what they mean," Walker says. "It's similar to doing the jigsaw puzzles. Really, completing the puzzles upside down was not that difficult because the quality of the puzzles was poor and the paper did provide a lot of clues. Often it's just a matter of persistence, with the puzzles or with my work."

Despite his humility, Walker's work helps set the standard in his field. Knowledgeable and respected--his numerous awards include recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and being named a MacArthur Fellow--he continues to find challenges in the classroom and in the field. He ranks the joy of working with talented students on almost the same level as making an important discovery. While Walker's research requires constant consideration and thought, along with an understanding of numerous factors and potential influences, it also requires a delicate hand and an open mind. He's dedicated, strong willed, and slightly stubborn. He also possesses a good sense of humor and a quick smile. He chose paleontology instead of art, and finds an outlet for his artistic skills by making jewelry--another way he pieces things together, albeit not on the grand scale in which he usually discovers things about humankind.

-- By Steve Sampsell

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