Dr. Marlijn Noback

Current Position

Former Positions

• Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoecology
  • Researcher Paleoanthropology (Okt. 2014 - Jan. 2015)
  • PhD candidate Paleanthropology (Feb. 2010 - Okt. 2014)

Research Interests

• Geometric morphometrics, Biological shape analysis, Functional morphology, Climate and masticatory adaptation, Modern human cranial variation.

• Science Education & Communication

Education

Workshops & extra courses

• Introduction to scientific and naturalistic illustration, Introduction to functional morphology and biomechanics, Introduction to biomechnical computer simulation (Transmitting Science 2014)
• Imaging & morphometrics, Facial reconstruction, Paleopathology, Cremation practices and cremated remains, Dental anthropology, Cave bear vs. human remains, Tübingen University (2010-2013).
• Introduction to communication science. MOOC, University of Amsterdam (2013).
• E-learning optimal einsetzen, Tübingen Hochschuldidaktik (2013).
• Introduction to Statistics in R (Tübingen 2013).
• Introduction to the EVAN-toolkit (Leipzig 2011, Portland 2012).
• Analysis of Organismal Form, online course in Geometric Morphometrics, University of Manchester, coordinated by Dr. C. Klingenberg (2010).
• Physical Anthropology summercourse and Skeleton practical at Barge’s anthropologica in Leiden, NL, coordinated by Prof. Dr. G.J.R. Maat (2006).

Teaching

• WS 2013-2014 Human Osteology I Lab – Cranial morphology
• WS 2012-2013 Human Osteology I Lab
• WS 2012-2013 Bones as Source (Knochen als Quelle) – lecture and seminar on Virtual Anthropology
• WS 2011-2012 Human Osteology I Lab
• WS 2011-2012 Bones as Source (Knochen als Quelle) - lecture on Virtual Anthropology

Membership

• European Society for the study of Human Evolution (ESHE)
• American Association of Physical Anthropology (AAPA)
• Dutch Society for Physical Anthropologists (NVFA)
• Paleobiology Circle (Paleobiologische Kring)

Awards

Fieldwork experience

Publications

Noback, M.L. and Harvati, K. (2015). The contribution of subsistence to global human cranial variation. Journal of Human Evolution 80:34-50.

Noback, M.L. and Harvati, K. (2015). Covariation in the human masticatory apparatus. Anatomical Record 298:64-84.

Kandel, A.W., Mentzer, S.M., Noback, M.L. and Reyes-Centeno, H. 2014, Third annual meeting of the European Society for the study of Human Evolution. Evol. Anthropol., 23: 45–46.

Kandel, A.W., Noback, M.L. and Slizewski, A. 2013, Second annual meeting of the european society for the study of human evolution. Evol. Anthropol., 22: 157–158.

Vonhof, H.B., Joordens, J.C.A., Noback, M.L., van der Lubbe, J.H.J.L., Feibel, C.S., Kroon, D. 2013. Environmental and climatic control on seasonal stable isotope variation of freshwater molluscan bivalves in the Turkana Basin (Kenya). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 383-384, p.16-26. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.04.022,

Kandel, A. W., Bauer, C. C., Noback, M. L. and Singh, N. 2012. First Annual Meeting of the European Society for the study of human evolution. Evol. Anthropol., 21: 167–168. doi: 10.1002/evan.21318

Joordens JCA, Noback M. L., Vonhof B, Feibel CS, Kroon D. 2011. Climatic and environmental reconstructions in the Turkana Basin: how useful are oxygen isotope ratios? In: Joordens JCA (2011). The power of place: climate change as driver of hominin evolution and dispersal over the past five million years. PhD thesis, VU University Amsterdam, Chapter 2, p. 49-64. [pdf]

Noback M.L., Harvati K., Spoor F. 2011. Climate related variation of the human nasal cavity. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 145 (4), p.599–614. [pdf]

News & media

• Climate related variation of the human nasal cavity. Nature Research Highlights. 474, 423 (23 June 2011) doi:10.1038/474423e [pdf]

• The shape of a nose. Scientific American - Advances. September 2011 Issue, p. 14. [article]

• Genealogía de

• la nariz. Pagina 12 Suplementos Futuro (3 September 2011). [article]

Poster presentations

Noback, M.L. and K. Harvati (2014). Covariation in the human masticatory apparatus. Annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Abstract: AJPA Supplement 58, p. 196¬-197).

Noback M.L., Harvati K, Spoor F. (2013). Diet-related variation in global human cranial shape European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE) meeting, Vienna (Abstract: Proceedings ESHE 2, p. 165).

Noback, M.L., K. Harvati, F. Spoor (2012). Testing uniqueness of Inuit facial shape and its effect on climate-shape analysis. Annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Abstract: Issue 2012, supplement 54, p. 224-225)

Noback M.L., Harvati K, Spoor F. (2011). Modern human climate-related variation: face vs. nasal cavity. European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE) meeting September 2011, Leipzig. [Abstract]

Noback, M.L., K. Harvati (2011). The mosaic morphology of LB1: a new 3D geometric morphometric study. Annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Abstract: Issue 2011, supplement 52, p. 226).

Vonhof, H., J. Joordens, M. Noback, J. van der Lubbe, and C.Feibel (2011). Paleo-environmental reconstruction in the East African Rift: how to interpret stable isotope ratios of Early Pleistocene carbonate fossils from the Turkana Basin? Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 13, EGU2011-9252, EGU General Assembly 2011.

Noback, M.L. & F. Spoor (2009). The nasal cavity of Pleistocene hominins: implications of climate-related variation among modern humans. Annual meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (Abstract: Issue 2009, supplement 48, p. 199-200).

Joordens, J.C.A., M.L. Noback, H.B. Vonhof, C.S. Feibel, D.Kroon (2009). Seasonality over orbital climate cycles, at ~ 2-1.8 Ma in the Turkana Basin. Annual meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society, 2009.

Oral presentations

Noback, M.L. (2014). Climate and diet related variation of the human face. Invited speaker at the Institute for Scientific Archaeology, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (INA – colloqium).

Noback, M.L. (2013). Virtual anthropology & geometric morphometrics: studying climate and diet related cranial variation. Invited speaker at the Department of Osteoarcheology, University of Leiden, Netherlands.

Noback, M.L. (2012). Virtual anthropology: about CT scans, skulls and the value of osteological collections. Invited speaker at Paleobiologische Kring Symposium "Museum treasures", Natural History Museum Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Noback, M.L. (2011). The mosaic morphology of LB1: a new 3D geometric morphometric study. Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen.

Noback, M.L. (2011). Climate and diet related variation in modern human functional cranial components. Guest lecture at the Department of Anthropology, Natural History Museum Vienna.

Noback, M.L. (2011). Climate and diet related variation in modern human functional cranial components. Guest lecture at the Department of Anthropology, Copenhagen University.

Noback, M.L. (2010). Climate adaptation of the human nasal cavity. Students in Evolution and Ecology (StEvE) meeting, Tübingen, Germany.

Noback, M.L. (2009). Klimaat en de menselijke neusholte. Guestspeaker at Annual Meeting of the Dutch Society of Physical Anthropologists.

Noback, M.L. (2008). Climate related variation of the human nasal cavity. 3^rd Biological Anthropology Graduate Student Conference at UCL, London, UK.

Noback, M.L. (2008). Climate related variation of the human nasal cavity. Annual symposium London Evolutionary Research Network, Zoological Institute London Zoo, London, UK (with honourable mention).

Noback, M.L. (2006). The Neanderthal contradiction. Symposium of the Dutch Study Group of Pleistocene Mammals (WPZ).

Extracurricular activities