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Elaine AndersonAmerican scientist, paleontologist
Date of Birth: 08.01.1936
Country:  USA |
Biography of Elaine Anderson
Early Life and EducationElaine Anderson was an American scientist and paleontologist who specialized in the study of long-extinct animals. Interestingly, she also had a good knowledge of modern animals and spent considerable effort in her time to prevent these animals from joining the list of extinct species. Born in Salida, Colorado, Elaine grew up in Denver, Colorado as the only child of John and Edith Anderson. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado in 1960 and finished her master's dissertation in 1965. Afterward, Anderson went to Finland to work on her doctoral research, becoming the first Fulbright scholar in that country. She worked under the guidance of Björn Kurtén, a renowned Finnish paleontologist specializing in prehistoric mammals.
Career
After completing her dissertation, Anderson returned to the United States and soon secured a position as a scientific consultant in the Pleistocene Hall of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The exhibition she worked on has been one of the most popular exhibits in the museum for over 35 years. Notably, Jay Matternas, the artist behind the famous painting depicting Pleistocene mammals in Alaska, drew inspiration from this hall. Anderson also worked at the Idaho Museum of Natural History and the Maryland Academy of Sciences for a brief period of time. However, she had to leave her last job to take care of her ailing mother in Denver. After her mother's passing, Elaine continued to live in the family home and often received visits from other scientists, paleontologists, and naturalists. She frequently visited the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, formerly known as the Denver Museum of Natural History, and in 1984, she became an official staff member of the organization.
In 1994, Anderson became a research assistant and later an adjunct professor of biology at the University of Colorado. She passed away on March 26, 2002, in Denver.
Contributions
As a scientist, Elaine Anderson was best known for her research on mammals and fossil vertebrates. She had a particular interest in carnivores and predators, earning her the nickname "Predator" from her colleagues. Anderson actively conducted research and investigations, and her most notable work was the book "Pleistocene Mammals of North America," co-authored with her mentor Björn Kurtén in 1980. This book provided an impressive analysis of various terrestrial mammal species and included a set of valuable references. To this day, it remains a standard reference for anyone interested in the fauna of North American Pleistocene. From 1995 until her death, Anderson served as an editor for the journal "Mammalian Species." She was also passionate about zooarchaeology and began working in this field long before the term was formally coined. Additionally, Elaine Anderson made significant contributions to the conservation of North American mammals. She was a member of the American Quaternary Association, a group of scientists specializing in the study of the Quaternary period, and an honorary member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
