Dr. Mary Susan McDonald Pavelka
Positions
Contact information
Background
Educational Background
Doctor of Philosophy Anthropology, University of Alberta, 1988
M.A. Anthropology, McMaster University, 1983
B.A. Anthropology, McMaster University, 1981
Biography
Dr. Mary Pavelka is a biological anthropologist with interests in the evolution of menopause, the social dynamics of nonhuman primates, and the effects of hurricanes on primate populations and forests. For many years she focused her research on the terrestrial omnivorous female-bonded Japanese monkeys of Arashiyama West, earning her an MA from McMaster University and a PhD from the University of Alberta. Dr. Pavelka joined the University of Calgary in 1989, where she began research on arboreal folivorous non-female bonded black howler monkeys of Monkey River, Belize. Dr. Pavelka consistently demonstrates an excellence in teaching which has earned her numerous student and department accolades. She served as Head of the Department on Anthropology from 2008-2014. Her recent research efforts have targeted the fission-fusion dynamics of black handed spider monkeys in Belize.
Research
Areas of Research
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Anth 201 | Intro to Biological Anthropology | |
| Anth 311 | Primate Behaviour | |
| Anth 435 | Evolution of Human Behavior | |
| Anth 552 | Primatology Research Methods Field School |
Awards
- Research Grant: Fission-Fusion Dynamics of Large Ateline Species, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 2021
- Research Grant: Integrative Socioecology of Large Ateline Species, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 2016
- Research Grant: Effects of Hurricane Richard (Oct 2010) on Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in Belize, National Geographic Foundation. 2010
- Faculty of Social Science Distinguished Teacher Award, University of Calgary. 2005
- University of Calgary’s Most Popular Professors, MacLean’s Magazine Guide to Canadian Universities. 1998
- Student's Union Teaching Excellence Award, University of Calgary Student Union. 1995
Publications
- Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar. . Epply T et al.. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119(42). (2022)
- Age differences in the responses of vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, to terrestrial alarm calls. Dubreuil C, Barrett L, Henzi PS, Notman H, Pavelka M. Animal Behaviour 201. 87-100. (2023)
- Dominance style is a key predictor of vocal use and evolution across nonhuman primates. Kavanagh E et al. Royal Society Open Science. 8: 210873. (2021)
- Fruit availability has a complex relationship with fission–fusion dynamics in spider monkeys.. Hartwell, KS, Notman HGN, Kalbitzer U, Chapman CA, Pavelka MSM. Primates. 62: 165-175. (2021)
- Alas, the storm has come again! The impact of frequent natural disasters on primate conservation. Mary Susan McDonald Pavelka; Kayla S. Hartwell; Hugh G.N. Notman; Alison M. Behie; Jane Champion. Cambridge University Press. (2019)
- Post-Fertile Lifespan in Female Primates and Cetaceans. Lauren J.N. Brent; Mary Susan McDonald Pavelka; Linda M. Fedigan; Daren P. Croft. Springer. 37 - 55. (2018)
- Primate Life Histories. Mary Susan McDonald Pavelka. Springer Nature . 15-18. (2018)
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