From March 12 to 15, 2025, researchers from the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP) attended the annual meeting of the American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA), held this year in Baltimore, USA. Predoctoral researchers Georgina Raventós-Izard and Oriol Monclús-Gonzalo, along with Dr. Júlia Arias-Martorell, presented their latest work at one of the most significant gatherings in the field of biological and evolutionary anthropology.
During the conference, a special symposium was held in honor of Terry Harrison, a renowned anthropologist from New York University, recognized for his contributions to paleontology and paleoanthropology, particularly in Africa and China. Dr. Arias-Martorell was invited to participate in this event, which was organized by Harrison’s former students and colleagues and brought together several specialists in the field with whom he had collaborated over the years. In her presentation, Arias-Martorell shared research on the functional morphology of the pliopithecoid primate Pliobates cataloniae, a topic closely related to the research lines Harrison has promoted throughout his career.
At the same conference, Georgina Raventós-Izard presented a study on the internal structure (trabecular bone) of the distal ulna in extant hominoids and its relationship with locomotion, a research project that is part of her doctoral thesis. Oriol Monclús-Gonzalo presented a study on the morphology of the talus of a dryopithecine from the Vallès-Penedès basin to infer its locomotor behavior.
Logo of the last AABA's meeting
The AABA is the leading professional organization dedicated to biological anthropology. Founded in 1930 with an initial membership of 83, it now has over 2,200 members worldwide. Each year, its annual meeting gathers more than two thousand scientists and students from around the world. The association promotes research on human and primate evolution and diversity, fostering scientific collaboration, inclusion, and public outreach in biological anthropology.
Main image: From left to right: Margaret Lewis, Hannah Taboada, Myra Laird, John Sanders Krigbaum, Bernard Wood, Elisabeth Fillion, Chris Robinson, Denise Su, Terry Harrison, William Sanders, Susan Anton, Julia Arias-Martorell, Kieran P. McNulty. (Photo: Margaret Lewis)
