A noted University of Colorado at Boulder anthropologist will talk about his research into the lives and deaths of ancient Africans during an upcoming on-campus lecture.
Dennis Van Gerven will give a presentation titled "The Mummies of Ancient Nubia: Dead and Loving It" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, in Farrand Hall's Reynolds Lounge. At the talk, Van Gerven will display at least two mummies from his extensive laboratory collection housed in the Hale Science Building.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
Of the Sudanese Nubian mummies, Cathy Comstock, associate director of the Farrand Academic Program, noted, "As Van Gerven likes to explain: 'They speak from the past, but they also speak for the poor.' "
CU-Boulder's Farrand Residential Academic Program, one of the campus's largest and most well-known residential programs, is sponsoring the talk.
Van Gerven has taught in the CU-Boulder anthropology department since 1974 and served as director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program for 10 years. He teaches students in introductory and honors classes about human origins, human adaptability, skeletal biology and quantitative methods.
A two-time winner of the Boulder Faculty Assembly Teaching Award, Van Gerven also has received numerous other teaching accolades. He was the 1998-99 Carnegie Foundation Colorado Teacher of the Year, and has published widely on health and disease in ancient Nile Valley populations.