CURRICULUM VITAE

Last updated: 13 Sep 2023
Download a PDF of my CV here

CURRENT POSITION

2023-pres         Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Western Washington University

EDUCATION

2014-2020         PhD, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Integrative Biology
2010-2014        BA, University of California, Berkeley, w/honors, CA, Integrative Biology
                         BA, University of California, Berkeley, CA, Anthropology

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

2023-pres Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, Western Washington University
2023 Postdoctoral Scholar, Human Evolution Research Center, UC Berkeley
2020-2022      Research Associate, Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley, CA
2014-2019       Graduate Student Instructor, Dept. of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley
2019        Graduate Student Researcher, Human Evolution Research Center, UC Berkeley        

PUBLICATIONS
     Peer-reviewed journal articles

      In review/prep

  • Brasil MF, Monson TA, Stratford DJ, and Hlusko LJ. A hypothesis-based approach to species identification in the fossil record: a papionin case study. (in prep)

      Published abstracts

  • Bibi F, Kraatz B, El Badri O, Boisserie J-R, Brasil M, Bussert R, Delagnes A, Müller J, Özkurt SÖ, Souron A, Tsukamoto S, Salih K, Eisawi A. 2023 Abstract. Faunal and human evolution in the Middle to Late Pleistocene of Sudan. XXI INQUA Congress. Rome, Italy.

  • Monson TA, Weitz AP, Brasil MF, Hlusko LJ. 2023 Abstract. Prenatal growth rates and the evolution of encephalization in hominids. American Association of Biological Anthropologists. Reno, NV.

  • Brasil MF, Monson TA, Taylor CE, Yohler RM, Hlusko LJ. 2022 Abstract. Hundreds of Colobus fossils from the Late Pleistocene of the Afar Rift, Ethiopia. American Association of Biological Anthropologists. Denver, CO.

  • Hlusko LJ, Scott GR, Monson TA, Brasil MF. 2022 Abstract. So much more than teeth: how knowledge of the genetic architecture of the dentition improves and broadens our understanding of human evolution. European Society for the Study of Human Evolution. Tübingen, Germany.

  • Pallas L, Endalamaw M, Hlusko LJ, Monson TA, Brasil MF, Boisserie J-R. 2022 Abstract. Cercopithecid postcranial specimens from Shungura: Papio, Theropithecus or Soromandrillus? Anthropological Society of Nippon. Kyoto, Japan.

  • Brasil MF. 2021 Abstract. Population-based variation in shaft-to-end proportions of modern human limb bones. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Virtual meeting.

  • Taylor CE, Brasil MF, Monson TA, Yohler RM, Hlusko LJ. 2021 Abstract. Population-level variation in later Pleistocene Cercopithecus fossil assemblages. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Virtual meeting.

  • Brasil MF. 2020 Abstract. Early Homo sapiens postcranial fossils from Middle Awash, Ethiopia. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Los Angeles, CA.

  • Brasil MF. 2019 Abstract. Morphological integration and modularity in the humerus of modern humans. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Cleveland, OH.

  • Hlusko LJ, Brasil MF, Boisserie JR, Clay SM, Monson TA, Schmitt CA, Souron A, Takenaka R, Ungar PS, Yoo S, Zuercher ME. 2019 Abstract. Insights from Genotype:Phenotype mapping the mammalian postcanine dentition. International Congress on Vertebrate Morphology. Prague, Czech Republic.

  • Brasil MF and Hlusko LJ. 2018 Abstract. Early Homo sapiens postcranial fossils from Middle Awash, Ethiopia. European Society for the Study of Human Evolution. Faro, Portugal.

  • Brasil MF and Hlusko LJ. 2018 Abstract. Early modern human fossils from Middle Awash, Ethiopia. American Anthropological Association. San Jose, CA.

  • Monson TA, Brasil MF, Hlusko LJ. 2018 Abstract. Allometric variation in modern humans and the relationship between body proportions and elite athletic success. European Society for the Study of Human Evolution. Faro, Portugal.

  • Schmitt CA, Cooke SB, Brasil MF, Monson TA, Hlusko LJ. 2018 Abstract. Genetically patterned dental phenotypes show evidence for diet-related evolutionary change in platyrrhine primates. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Austin, TX.

  • Brasil MF, Monson TA, Schmitt CA, Hlusko LJ. 2017 Abstract. Plio-Pleistocene hominid diversity interpreted through the genetic mechanisms that pattern the dentition. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. New Orleans, LA

  • Brasil MF, Monson TA, Stratford DJ, Hlusko LJ. 2016 Abstract. A reevaluation of taxonomic divisions within South African Parapapio. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Atlanta, GA. 

  • Monson TA, Brasil MF, Stratford DJ, Hlusko LJ. 2016 Abstract. Phenotypic integration of the cranium and face in fossil Cercopithecidae with implications for interpreting species in the Old World Monkey fossil record. American Association of Physical Anthropologists. Atlanta, GA. 

  • Hlusko LJ, Brasil MF, Clay S, Höhna S, Huelsenbeck J, Huffman M, Monson TA, Takenaka R, Schmitt CA, Yoo S, Mahaney M. 2016 Abstract. Genetic and phenotypic modularity in the mammalian dental arcade. International Congress on Vertebrate Morphology. Washington, DC. 

  • Huffman M, Monson TA, Brasil MF, Hlusko LJ. 2016 Abstract. Discerning genetic architecture from phenotypic covariance in human dentitions. International Congress on Vertebrate Morphology. Washington, DC. 

  • Brasil MF, Monson TA, Hlusko LJ. 2015 Abstract. South African fossil monkey mandibles in the University of California Museum of Paleontology. Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontology. Stanislaus, CA.

  • Monson TA, Brasil MF, Hlusko LJ. 2015 Abstract. South African fossil baboons and evolutionary changes in Papio postcanine dentition. Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontology. Stanislaus, CA.

  • Monson T, Brasil M, Gutierrez S, Holroyd P, Roth K, Hlusko LJ. 2014 Abstract. Fossil monkeys from South Africa in the University of California’s Museum of Paleontology collections. American Association of Physical Anthropology. Calgary, Alberta.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Pollitzer Student Travel Award ($500), American Assoc. of Physical Anthropologists (2020)
Pinto Fellowship ($10,000), Portuguese Studies Program, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley (2019-2020)
Pinto Fellowship ($8,000), Portuguese Studies Program, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley (2018-2019)
Chancellor’s Fellowship ($75,000), University of California, Berkeley (2015-2019)
Earnest Hooton Poster Prize ($500), American Assoc. of Physical Anthropologists (2019)
Desmond Clark Graduate Fellowship ($800), Human Evolution Research Center (2019)
Pinto Fellowship ($7,735), Portuguese Studies Program, Univ. of Cal., Berkeley (2017-2018)
Desmond Clark Graduate Fellowship ($1,300), Human Evolution Research Center (2018)
Graduate Division Conference Travel Grant ($1,500), Univ. of Cal., Berkeley (2018)
Desmond Clark Graduate Fellowship ($1,974), Human Evolution Research Center (2017)
Pollitzer Student Travel Award ($500), American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Honorable Mention, NSF GRF Program in Biological Anthropology (2016)
Great Lakes National Scholarship ($2,500) (2016)
Desmond Clark Graduate Fellowship ($2,500), Human Evolution Research Center (2016)
Desmond Clark Graduate Fellowship ($3,000), Human Evolution Research Center (2015)
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award ($500), Univ. of Cal., Berkeley (2015)
Power Award ($2,000), University of California, Berkeley (2014)
Dean’s Honors, University of California, Berkeley (2011, 2012)
Berkeley Scholarship, University of California, Berkeley (2010-2011, 2013-2014)
Helen Howe Scholarship, University of California, Berkeley (2010-2011, 2013-2014)
Henriette Fialon Scholarship, University of California, Berkeley (2011-2014)
Institute of European Studies Department Award, Univ. of California, Berkeley (2010-2013)
Arthur Ferreira Pinto Scholarship, University of California, Berkeley (2010-2011)
Estha M. Rodkey Scholarship, University of California, Berkeley (2010-2011)

GRANTS AWARDED

National Science Foundation – Biological Anthropology ($781,485) (2023-2026)
     Title: RUI: Morphometric investigation of the evolution of circumorbital morphology, modularity, and integration in hominids (co-PI)
Integrative Biology Summer Research Award, University of California, Berkeley ($1,750) (2018)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
National Science Foundation DDRIG ($19,060) (2017)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Leakey Foundation Research Grant ($2,340) (2017)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Portuguese Studies Program Student Research Award, University of California, Berkeley ($2,950) (2017)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Integrative Biology Summer Research Award, University of California, Berkeley ($1,750) (2017)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Pre-Dissertation Research Grant, Institute of International Studies, University of California, Berkeley ($5,000) (2016)
     Title: Skeletal Morphology of Early Modern Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia
Palaeontological Scientific Trust Grant ($2,167) (2015)
     Title: Developing a Quantitative Approach for Identifying Paleo Species in the South African Fossil Record of Old World Monkeys (co-PI)

RESEARCH AFFILIATIONS

Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA (2020-pres)
Human Evolution Research Center, University of California, Berkeley (2015-2023)
Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley, CA (2020-2022)
University of California Museum of Paleontology, Univ. of California, Berkeley (2014-2020)

FIELD RESEARCH

Middle Awash Research Project, Ethiopia, paleontologist (2015-pres)
Atapuerca Project, Spain, paleontologist (2022-pres)
Middle Atbara Project, Sudan, paleontologist (2022-pres)

MUSEUM/INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

  • Study and curation of hominid and cercopithecid monkey fossils from Middle Awash, Ethiopia, National Museum of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (2016-pres)

  • Study of primate fossils from South Africa, University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley (2013-pres)

  • Study of modern human skeletal variation in Early Horizon Native Californians, Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley (2016-2019)

  • Study of skeletal variation in northern African (Egypt) and Near Eastern (Jordan) modern humans, National Museum of Natural History (2018)

  • Study of skeletal variation in southern African (Zulu) modern humans, Raymond A. Dart Collection, University of the Witwatersrand (2018)

  • Study of skeletal variation in European (Portugal) modern humans, 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection, University of Coimbra (2017)

  • Study of craniodental variation in extant platyrrhine and cercopithecid monkeys, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC (2016)

  • Craniodental variation in South African cercopithecid monkeys, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria (2015)

  • Museum fossil specimen photography and cataloguing for Comprehensive Olduvai Database Initiative, Natural History Museum, London (2014)

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT Facility (UTCT) short course (2020)
SlicerMorph 3D Morphometrics and Image Analysis short course (2020)
R Bootcamp at UC Berkeley’s Social Science Data Lab (2020)
Graduate-level teaching colloquium in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley (2014) 
Geometric Morphometrics shortcourse, University of California, Berkeley (2013)

TEACHING

Lead Instructor, University of California, Berkeley
Integrative Biology 35AC: Human Biological Variation (Summer 2019)

Graduate Student Instructor, University of California, Berkeley
Integrative Biology 35AC: Human Biological Variation (Summer 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019) 
Integrative Biology C142L/Anthropology C103: Human Osteology (Spring 2018) 
Integrative Biology C185L/Anthropology C100: Human Paleontology (Spring 2017) 
Integrative Biology 140: Human Reproduction (Spring 2015)
Integrative Biology C130/Sociology C118: Human Fertility (Fall 2014) 

ADVISING & MENTORSHIP

Undergraduate: Alyssa Case (UC Berkeley), Fiona Chatterjee (UC Berkeley), Hannah Farrell (UC Berkeley), John Francis (UC Berkeley), Nicholas Shepetuk (UC Berkeley), Emma Thatcher (UC Berkeley)

High school: Amalia Teixeira (Saint Joseph Notre Dame, Alameda, CA)

SERVICE ACTIVITIES

  • Scientist pen pal for “Letters to a Pre-Scientist” mentorship program (2019-pres)

  • Interview for the Visiting Scholars and Postdoc Affairs Spotlight series, University of California, Berkeley (2023)

  • Invited panelist for “Teaching and the Academic Job Search” panel session, hosted by the Graduate Student Instructor Teaching and Resource Center, University of California, Berkeley (2023)

  • Invited guest lecturer for “Human Osteology” undergraduate course, Western Washington University (Fall and Spring quarters, 2021-2022)

  • Invited research presentation in the University of California Museum of Paleontology’s weekly seminar, University of California, Berkeley (2021)

  • Volunteer for “Science Ambassadors” K-5 outreach and distance-learning support program, Community Resources for Science, Berkeley, CA (2020-2021)

  • Interview for “The Graduates” on KALX FM radio station, Berkeley, CA (invited interviewee) (2019)

  • Graduate student mentor for Integrative Biology Peer Mentorship Program, University of California, Berkeley (2019)

  • Mentoring a high school student through completion of a museum collections-based research project for Saint Joseph’s biomedical sciences program, Oakland, CA (2018)

  • Participant in “Science Notebook” elementary school outreach program, Community Resources for Science, Berkeley, CA (2018)

  • Interview for “Ode to Evolution” podcast, “Physical Evidence for Evolution” episode (invited interviewee) (2017)

  • Research presentation and academic advising for high school seniors at Riverdale High School, California (invited guest lecture) (2017)

  • Logistics planning committee member for “Expanding Your Horizons” STEM conference for middle school-aged females, University of California, Berkeley (2016-2017)

  • Co-coordinator of graduate student ‘chalk talk’ series, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley (2016-2017)

  • Invited panelist for the biological sciences alumni panel in the Letters & Science 1 freshman course, University of California, Berkeley (2016)

  • Invited guest speaker for “Berkeley Connect” undergraduate course in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley (2016) 

  • Volunteer for “Be A Scientist” middle school outreach program, Community Resources for Science, Berkeley, CA (2015) 

  • Volunteer with the University of California Museum of Paleontology at California Academy of Sciences NightLife, San Francisco (2015)

  • Research presentation in the Fall 2015 semester “Chalk Talk” series for graduate students in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley (2015)

  • Guest lecturer for “Human Biological Variation” undergraduate course, University of California, Berkeley (2015) 

  • Volunteer at “Expanding Your Horizons” STEM conference, University of California, Berkeley (2015)

  • Guest speaker for “Writing in the Biological Sciences” undergraduate course, University of California, Berkeley (2015)

  • Student event coordinator for Dept. of Integrative Biology prospective student visit weekend, University of California, Berkeley (2015)

  • Academic peer advisor in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley (2013-2014)

  • Panelist for “Exploring Biology at Cal” undergraduate course, University of California, Berkeley (2013, 2014)

  • Volunteer at the Western Bioarchaeology Group Conference (WeBiG), University of California, Berkeley (2013)

LANGUAGES

Portuguese (fluent)
Spanish (basic)