Background
Simons, Elwyn LaVerne was born on July 14, 1930 in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Son of Verne Franklin and Verna Irene (Cuddeback) Simons.
anthropologist educator paleontologist
Simons, Elwyn LaVerne was born on July 14, 1930 in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Son of Verne Franklin and Verna Irene (Cuddeback) Simons.
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Rice University, 1953. Master of Arts, Princeton University, 1955. Doctor of Philosophy in Paleobiology, Princeton University, 1956.
Doctor of Philosophy, Oxford University, England, 1959. Master of Arts (honorary), Yale University, 1967. Doctor of Science, Oxford University, 1995.
Demonstrator, exhibitor, University of Oxford, 1956-1958;
lecturer geology, Princeton (New Jersey) U., 1958-1959;
assistant professor zoology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1959-1961;
visiting associate professor geology, curator vertebrate paleontology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 1960-1961;
head division vert. paleontology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 1961-1977;
professor paleontology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 1967;
professor geology, curator charge division vertebrate paleontology, Peabody Museum, 1965-1977;
professor biological anthropology, anatomy, Duke U., Durham, North Carolina, 1977-1982;
James B. Duke professor, Duke U., Durham, North Carolina, since 1982;
professor zoology, director Duke Primate Center, Duke U., Durham, North Carolina, 1977-1991;
science director, Duke U., Durham, North Carolina, since 1991. Director Paleontological Expeditions Egypt, 1961-1968, 77-98, Northern India, 1968-1969, 96, 98. Research expeditions for fossil mammals, Wyoming, 1960-1996, Iran, 1970, Spain, 1971, Madagascar, 1986, 87-98.
Barbour-Schramm Memorial lecturer U. Nebraska, 1974. David French lecturer Claremont Colls., 1974. Traveling lecturer French Bureau Foreign Affairs, 1976.
Board directors Center Tropical Conservation, North Carolina, Malagasy Fauna Grp. medialist Geological Survey of Egypt, 1996. Appointed Chevelier de'l Ordre National, Madagascar, 1998.
Member American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Philosophical Society, National Academy of Sciences, Society Vertebrate Paleontology, Institute Human Paleontology, American Association Zoological Parks and Aquariums (primate specialist group, advisor prosimian taxon group), Association Physical Anthropology (Charles R. Darwin award 2000), Madagascar Fauna Group (board directors), International Association Human Biologists, Sigma Xi.
Married Friderun Annursel Ankel, December 2, 1972. Children: Cornelia Verna Mathilde, Verne Franklin Herbert. 1 child by previous marriage: David Brenton.
1 adopted child Katherine Egan.