Alan Walker was born in Leicester, England on August 23, 1938. Walker aspired to be a sculptor in his youth, but as he got older he realized that his calling was in anthropology. Alan Walker was a very bright person as he excelled in all areas of academics. He decided against going to the Slade School of Art and instead chose Cambridge University. At Cambridge University, Walker received his Bachelors Degree in natural sciences, which consisted of part one in geology with an emphasis on zoology and the second part in geology specifically dealing with paleontology. In 1967, he received his Ph.D. in geology and paleontology.
Alan Walker has had a very abundant career. In 1963, Walker took a job with the British Museum Scientific Associate. While working at the Harvard Medical School at Harvard University, he taught anatomy and anthropology. Walker stayed extremely busy as he also was the associate editor for the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Alan later took a job at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he was Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy until 1995. Today Alan Walker is a distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Biology at Pennsylvania State University. Walker continues his work today as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Human Evolution.
Walker has done numerous things out of the classroom, such as excavations and specific digs. He did studies of living Madagascan lemurs, and living East African primates. He has also been involved in many excavations including ones in England (Jurassic, Eocene and Pleistocene); Excavations in Madagascar (Holocene); Excavations in Uganda (Miocene), as well as in Kenya (Miocene and Plio/Pleistocene). Walker has continued to visit many other sites, including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Java, all of which have contributed to his profound career.
A list of a few of the honors bestowed upon Alan Walker:
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, 1986.
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, 1988-93.
Center for the Study of Evolution and the Origin of Life,
University of California, Los Angeles - Distinguished Scientist Award, 1992.
1. Interview: April 8, 2000. Alan Walker and Paul Detviler via AOL instant messenger.
2. Internet: http://www.biography.com/
Written By Paul Detviler
Edited By Lindsey Alston