John P. Gillin

John P. Gillin, Professor of Anthropology at University of PittsburghJohn Philip GIllin (1907–1973) was an American anthropologist and scholar who made substantial contributions to the field of anthropology. John P. Gillin received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin. His coursework included sociology, psychology, and anthropology.

In the early 1930s, Gillin knew the cultures of South America were unknown to most North Americans. In order to help improve his own knowledge of South American culture and other North Americans, Gillin undertook multiple expeditions to South America. His objective was to research the culture and study the physical anthropology of the area.

In 1933, Gillin taught at Sarah Lawrence College while continuing his anthropological studies. In 1935, Gillin worked as an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Utah. During his tenure, he spearheaded expeditions around Utah to study ecological features and the impact on early humans. From 1937 to 1941, Gillin taught anthropology at Ohio State University. From 1942 to 1946, Gillin taught anthropology at Duke University. From 1946 to 1959, Gillin taught at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. From 1959 until 1972, Gillin taught at the University of Pittsburgh. At the University of Pittsburgh, Gillin was Dean of the Social Sciences and founded its Department of Anthropology.

Over the course of his academic teaching positions, Gillin continued fieldwork among Latin American culture. Gillin was primarily interested in native or Indian cultures. He applied his research on early humans and environments in South America to develop models for understanding modern Latin American culture. Some of the indigenous cultures he studied include Ladinos of Guatemala, Guatemalan Indians that are descendants of the Maya civilization, Apache, people of the Imbabura province in Ecuador, and Creole Peruvian culture. Gillin believed that the study of other cultures would improve understanding of human behavior and, as a result, facilitate peace.