The College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Earth and Environmental Systems present the Sixth Annual Wittman Lecture Series featuring Dr. Jessica Thompson of Yale University. Her talk, “Unlocking the Secrets of the Central African Stone Ages,” explores groundbreaking discoveries in human origins research. The event will be held Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Cunningham Memorial Library Events Area. Social hour begins at 5 p.m., followed by the lecture at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public.
Join the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Earth and Environmental Systems for the Sixth Annual Wittman Lecture Series with Dr. Jessica Thompson, assistant professor of anthropology at Yale University and assistant curator at the Yale Peabody Museum. Thompson’s research focuses on human evolution, using archaeological science and zooarchaeology to understand how ancient people lived and interacted with their environments.
In her talk, “Unlocking the Secrets of the Central African Stone Ages,” Thompson shares insights from decades of research in Malawi and Zambia—regions once rich in early discoveries but long lacking modern analysis. Her work has contributed to remarkable findings, including some of Africa’s oldest ancient human DNA, evidence of early fire use to shape environments, and the discovery of the world’s oldest known adult cremation pyre.
The event takes place Thursday, April 9, in the Cunningham Memorial Library Events Area (510 N 6 1/2 Street). A social hour with refreshments will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the lecture from 6–7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Chad Yost at Chad.Yost@indstate.edu