BA, University of Colorado
MA, PhD, University of Oregon
As a biological anthropologist, Dr. Ingmanson's primary research focuses on questions regarding the evolution of intelligence and the nature and origins of cultural behavior. A particular emphasis of her work is the contribution of primate studies to understanding human behavioral patterns and what it means to be human. Much of her research has been with the apes, including chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons. Travelling to central Africa, and most recently to Borneo, she has conducted observations of object manipulation, tool use, communication, social skills, behavioral variation, infant development, ecology, and nonhuman culture. With her expertise in ape behavior, she has worked with a multi-disciplinary group to assist captive facilities in providing the best care possible for their animals. Dr. Ingmanson also works with many students on research in the “Bone Lab,” projects related to forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology, identifying bones, species, and pathology. In her courses, Dr. Ingmanson addresses a wide range of issues that often cross traditional boundaries between natural and social science perspectives.