Meagan Vakiener
Meagan Vakiener is interested in feeding ecology, particularly early life dietary transitions such as weaning. She combines dental histology with chemical analyses to investigate the timing of weaning in extant primates, with the hopes of applying these methods to the human fossil record.
2017 – present Predoctoral Fellow, Nutrition Lab at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park, Washington, DC
2016 Research Intern, Nutrition Lab at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park, Washington, DC
2015 - present Research Assistant, Mountain Gorilla Skeletal Project; Director: Shannon McFarlin, in collaboration with Rwandan Office of Tourism and National Parks, NYU College of Dentistry, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, and Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project
2015 Research Intern, Plasma Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Geology Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
2015 Research Assistant, Amboseli Baboon Project, Amboseli National Park, Kenya
2013 - 2014 Research Assistant, Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College
2013 Stable Isotope Ratio Facility for Environmental Research, Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
2012 Research Assistant, Simpona, Marojejy National Park, Antsiranana, Madagascar
2011 Aditu Mortuary Archaeology Field School, Uharte-Arakil, Navarre, Spain
2011 St. Eustatius Center for Archaeological Research Field School, St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles
CASHP Blog Entries
Understanding the Public’s Understanding of Science
2018 Dissertation Fieldwork Grant, Wenner-Gren Foundation, $5,700
2018 Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, National Science Foundation $20,444
2018 Research Grant, The Leakey Foundation $11,135
2017 Lewis N. Cotlow Field Research Fund, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, $768
2016 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention
2016 Zelma Reidling Warren Bannister and William Warren Graduate Fellowship Award, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, $500
2016 Lewis N. Cotlow Field Research Fund, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, $1,800
2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention
2015 James F. Nacey Fellowship Award, The Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation, $2,400
2015 Zelma Reidling Warren Bannister and William Warren Graduate Fellowship Award, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, $1,000
2015 Lewis N. Cotlow Field Research Fund, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, $1,750
2014 - 2015 Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Fellowship, The George Washington University, National Science Foundation
2014 Travel Grant for the Orang Asli Symposium, Keene State University, $100
2013 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Honorable Mention
2008 - 2012 National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Dartmouth College Chapter
2008 - 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Academic Honors
Journal Articles
Galbany J, Abavandimwe D, Vakiener M, Eckardt W, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC (2017). Body growth and life history in wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) form Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 163:570-590.
Conference Abstracts
McFarlin SC, Reid DJ, Vakiener M, Arbenz-Smith K, Cranfield MR, Stoinski TS, Bromage TG, Mudakikwa A (2017). Comparison of histological and radiographic assessments of molar developments in Virguna mountain gorillas from Rwanda, International Symposium on Dental Morphology.
Abavandimwe D, Eckardt W, Galbany J, Vakiener M, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC (2018). Development of feeding behavior in Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), International Primatological Society Meeting, Nairobi, Kenya.
Galbany J, Abavandimwe D, Eckardt W, Vakiener M, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC (2018). Body growth variability in immature mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), International Primatological Society Meeting, Nairobi, Kenya.
McFarlin SC, Galbany J, Vakiener M, Abavandimwe D, Cranfield MR, Echardt W, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS (2017). Dental emergence in wild Virgunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Rwanda, American Journal of Primatology.
Boyle E, Dumouchel L, Lee S, McGrath K, Peña A, Vakiener M, McFarlin SC, Sherwood C (2017). Diversity in Science at GW’s Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology. The George Washington University Diversity Summit, Washington, DC.
Galbany J, Abavandimwe D, Caillaud D, Vakiener M, Nishuli R, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Breuer T, McFarlin SC (2016). Body growth variability in wild gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla, G. beringei graueri, G. beringei beringei). American Society of Primatologists and International Primatological Society Joint Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Vakiener M, Cranfield MR, Stoinski TS, Arbenz-Smith K, Reid DJ, Bromage TG, Mudakikwa A, McFarlin SC (2016). Dental emergence in a naturally-accumulated skeletal collection of Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Rwanda, American Society of Primatologists and International Primatological Society Joint Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Vakiener M, Endicott KM, Endicott P, Dominy NJ (2015). Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios discriminate coastal and inland tropical foragers, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 156.
Dominy NJ, Vakiener M (2014). Stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios reveal signature of coastal foraging: the Agta and Batek compared. Orang Asli Symposium, Keene State University, Keene, NH.
BA, Anthropology modified with Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 2012
Year Entered GW Program: 2014
Advisor: Shannon C. McFarlin