Erin Marie Williams-Hatala, Ph.D.

Photo of Erin Williams-Hatala
Program Coordinator for the Biological Sciences, Associate Professor of Biology
412-365-1194
Buhl - 226B

Hometown:  Ann Arbor, MI
Joined Chatham:  2013

ACADEMIC AREAS OF INTEREST

The evolution of the human and non-human primate upper limb, functional anatomy, biomechanics, and Paleolithic tool production and use

BIOGRAPHY

I was born in Ann Arbor, MI and lived there through high school. I moved to Grinnell, IA to attend Grinnell College where I studied Anthropology and Archaeology. In 2005 I joined the Hominid Paleobiology Doctoral Program in The George Washington University’s Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology, in Washington, DC. I received a Masters in Anthropology in 2007, a MPhil in Hominid Paleobiology in 2009, and a PhD in the same discipline in 2011. My dissertation and research as a NSF and L’Oreal USA for Women in Science postdoctoral fellow focused on human functional anatomy, the influence of biomechanical regiments on the evolution of human upper limb anatomy, and the biomechanics of making and using Paleolithic tools. I am very excited about beginning a new phase of research with a group of international collaborators, investigating the anatomy, functional anatomy, and biomechanics of (mainly tool-using) non-human primates.

EDUCATION
AWARDS 
  • 2014-2019 European Research Council Starting grant (336301), “GRASP Evolution of the human hand: Grasping trees and tools,”), (PI, Tracy Kivell; Collaborator: EM Williams-Hatala) Amount: €1,622,053
  • 2012-2013 L’Oreal USA Fellowship for Women in Science (PI, EM Williams) Amount: $60,000
  • 2011-2013 National Science Foundation, Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (1103470), “Early hominin decision-making processes and raw material quality,” (PI, EM Williams; Sponsoring scientist, Brian G. Richmond) Amount: $120,000
  • 2010-11 The Bouchet Dissertation Writing Fellowship, The George Washington University chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honors Society
  • 2009-11 National Science Foundation, Archaeology, (0903652), “Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Influences of materials properties and biomechanics on stone tool production,” (PI, Dr. Alison S Brooks; Co-PI, EM Williams) Amount: $14,984
  • 2009-10 The Wenner-Gren Foundation (Gr. 7995) “Influences of materials properties and biomechanics on stone tool production,” (PI, EM Williams) Amount: $10,500
  • 2008-2009 Selective Excellence Endowment Fellowship in Hominid Paleobiology, Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology, The George Washington University
  • 2007 Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, The George Washington University Chapter, “Wrist mobility during Oldowan stone tool production,” (PI, EM Williams) Amount: $500
  • 2005 Lewis N. Cotlow Research Award, Anthropology Department, The George Washington University, “Manual manipulation in Middle Stone Age and Upper Paleolithic tool production,” (PI, EM Williams) Amount: $1,500
ORGANIZATIONS
ACHIEVEMENTS
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
  • 2019 Williams-Hatala, EM; Hatala, KG; Collyer, M; Megherhi, S; Fiske, K; Ciroli, O; Rabey, KN. “A photogrametric method for quantifying entheseal shape and rugosity.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Cleveland, OH.
  • 2019 Rabey, KN; Hatala, KG; Williams-Hatala, EM. “Can muscle activity be predicted from surface and internal entheseal morphology?” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Cleveland, OH.
  • 2017 Hatala, KG; Williams-Hatala, EM; Scibilia, T; Hiles, S; Rabey, KN. “Problems in predicting anatomy and inferring behavior from the gross morphology of the flexor pollicis longus insertion site,” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans, LA
  • 2017 Williams-Hatala, EM; Hatala, KG; Gordon, M; Kasper, M; Kivell, TL. “The biomechanics of stone tool behaviors and implications for the evolution of the human hand,” American Association of Physical Anthropologists
  • 2017 Rabey, KN; Moskal, R; Hatala, KG; Williams-Hatala, EM. “The relationship between the soft pink things and the hard white things,” American Association of Physical Anthropologists
  • 2016 Dunmore, CJ; Key, AJM; Williams-Hatala, EM; Kivell, TL. “Is there a relationship between flake form and manual pressure during stone tool production? An experimental test.” European Society for the Study of Human Evolution, Madrid, Spain.
  • 2016 Karas, S; Rabey, KN; McIntyre, H; Babb, B and Williams-Hatala, EM. “A cadaveric assessment of the alar ligament.” IFOMPT, Glasgow, Ireland.
  • 2016 Williams-Hatala, EM; Key, A; Stephens, NB; Kivell, T. “Predictions for an osteological signature of stone tool behaviors in hard tissue anatomy.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Atlanta, GA.
  • 2016 Rabey, KN; Hiles, S; Williams-Hatala, EM. “Relationship between macroscopic morphology of thenar and hypothenar entheses and their microstructural design in modern humans.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Atlanta, GA.
  • 2015 Williams-Hatala, EM; Hiles, S; Hatala, KG; Rabey, KN. “Relationships between muscle architectural anatomy and the morphology of entheses in the thenar and hypothenar regions of modern humans.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, St. Louis, MO.
  • 2015 Villmoare, BA; Grabowski, MW; Roach, NT; Hatala, KG; Williams-Hatala, EM. “Facing the facts: foods versus fists. A test of the Carrier and Morgan adaptive model for each hominin cranial structure.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, St. Louis, MO.
  • 2015 Roach, NT; Williams-Hatala, EM; Rainbow, MJ; Richmond, BG. “The biomechanics and functional anatomy of stone tool production.” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, St. Louis, MO. American Association of Physical Anthropologists, St. Louis, MO.
  • 2014 Williams, EM and Richmond, BG. “Did the biomechanics of making and using Paleolithic stone tools influence the origin of the derived human thumb?” ESM, Cambridge, MA.
  • 2014 Roach, NT; Williams, EM; Richmond, BG. “Force production during stone tool knapping,” Paleoanthropology Society, Alberta, CA.
  • 2014 Williams, EM; Chai, H.; Richmond, BG. “The effects of stone toughness on manual force distribution during stone tool production,” American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Alberta, CA.
  • 2013 Williams, EM. “The selective impact of early hominid stone tool behaviors on the modern human hand and wrist.” E. F. Shaw Wilgis Lectureship in Hand Surgery, Continuing Medical Education, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, The Curtis National Hand Center, Baltimore, MD.
  • 2013 Williams, EM; Gordon, AD; VR, Powell; Brooks, AS; Richmond, BG. “Acheulean and Oldowan tool manufacture upper limb strategies,” Paleoanthropology Society, 2013
  • 2012 Williams, EM and Richmond, BG. “Manual pressure distribution during stone tool use,” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 147: Supplement 54:303.
  • 2011 Richmond, BG and Williams, EM. “The evolution of the upper limb after Australopithecus: Integrating paleontology and experimental functional morphology.” Canadian Association for Physical Anthropologists, Montreal, Quebec.
  • 2011 Williams, EM; Gordon, AD; Richmond, BG.
  • 2010 Williams, EM; Richmond, BG. “Hand pressure during Oldowan stone tool production.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Supplement 50:243
  • 2010 Zipkin, AM; Williams, EM; Brooks, AS; Richmond, BG. “Digging stick use and hand biomechanics.” Paleoanthropology 2010:A39.
  • 2009 Williams, EM; Gordon, AD; Richmond, BG. “Wrist and upper limb kinematics of amateur knappers during stone tool production.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Supplement 48:272.
  • 2008 Williams, EMS; Gordon, AD; Richmond, BG. “Upper limb motion during stone tool production.” Paleoanthropology 2008:A35.
  • 2007 Williams, EM. “An accurate and precise method for quantifying lithic edge angles.” Society for American Archaeologists, Austin, TX.