Walter Neves

Walter Alves Neves is a Brazilian anthropologist, archaeologist and biologist from the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil. He is best known for his analysis of the morphological characteristics of early human remains in South America.

Neves analyzed the circa 10,000-year old skull "Luzia" found near Belo Horizonte, Brazil, revealing morphological characteristics that differ significantly from typical Amerind remains.

Neves' findings open many questions regarding the timing and routes of human migration to the New World. Roughly 70 individuals with similar characteristics have been found in the same region.

Neves graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences from University of São Paulo in 1981, and did pre-doctorate work at Stanford University and UC-Berkeley in 1982. He earned his doctorate in Biological Sciences from University of São Paulo in 1984, and did post-doctorate work at the Center for American Archeology at the University of Illinois in 1985 and at the USP's Department of Anthropology from 1991 to 1992. He also earned a Livre Docência degree (a postdoctorate title earned by submitting a second thesis) in Human Evolution at the USP's Department of Genetics and Biological Evolution in 2000.

Since 1992, Neves has served as an associate professor with the USP's Departament of Biology, where he founded and coordinates the Laboratório de Estudos Evolutivos Humanos (Laboratory for Human Evolution Studies).

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