About David Pilbeam
Born 1940. David Pilbeam is an American and British anthropologist and archaeologist.
David Pilbeam (born 21 November 1940 in Brighton, Sussex, England) is the Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University Pilbeam himself later contributed to a paper honouring Ofer Bar-Yosef.
In the summer of 2007, Pilbeam was appointed the interim dean of Harvard College. He oversaw the continuing process of redesigning the undergraduate curriculum, as well as a large increase in financial aid to students and the planning of a housing renewal project. Pilbeam's decision to end the reimbursement of social events which provide alcohol was largely unpopular among students.
Pilbeam describes himself as "interested in a wide range of topics involving human and primate evolution". Among his most recent activities has been working with Michel Brunet and colleagues on the description and analysis of the new hominin from Chad, Sahelanthropus tchadensis. He describes his long-term and continuing interests as including "the behavioral reconstruction and phylogenetic relationships of Miocene apes, which broadens to include more theoretical aspects of phylogenetics", and "the analysis of faunal change and its relationship to environmental change" particularly based on an extensive faunal record from the Neogene Siwalik Series of Pakistan. He also describes himself as having recently become interested in evolutionary developmental biology, and particularly in the development and evolution of the anthropoid axial skeleton. Docteur Honoris Causa, Université de Poitiers, 2002 Foreign Associate, National Academy of Sciences, 1992–1997 Member, National Academy of Sciences (following naturalization), 1997– Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Publications
Papers David Pilbeam has written and contributed to numerous papers, the bulk of which are listed below:
a. (see 1987 reprint)
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m. PDF fulltext Supporting Tables
n.
Books Pilbeam also authored, co-authored, edited and contributed to (e.g. in forewords) books, with some key publications below.
o. (Reprint of 1968 article in Nature).
Book review
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Important facts
People in David Pilbeam's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped David Pilbeam's
Frequently asked questions
Who is David Pilbeam?
American scientist (1940- )
When was David Pilbeam born?
David Pilbeam was born on 21 November 1940 in Brighton.
What is David Pilbeam's occupation?
David Pilbeam is an anthropologist and archaeologist.
What nationality is David Pilbeam?
David Pilbeam is American and British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). David Pilbeam. https://biography.guide/david-pilbeam/
MLA: "David Pilbeam." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/david-pilbeam/.
Chicago: "David Pilbeam." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/david-pilbeam/.
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