The Journal of Human Evolution (JHE) Prize was created by Elsevier Publishers and the JHE editors in 2019. The purpose for the prize is to support and encourage research excellence in human or primate evolution.

The JHE Prize is awarded once a year to the most outstanding poster or podium presentation by a student at the AAPA annual meeting in any area of human or primate evolution supported by the journal.

The prize is $500 plus an annual digital subscription to the Journal of Human Evolution.

The Journal of Human Evolution concentrates on publishing the highest quality papers covering all aspects of human evolution. The central focus is aimed jointly at palaeoanthropological work, covering human and primate fossils, and at comparative studies of living species, including both morphological and molecular evidence. These include descriptions of new discoveries, interpretative analyses of new and previously described material, and assessments of the phylogeny and palaeobiology of primate species. Submissions should address issues and questions of broad interest in palaeoanthropology.

In addition to original research papers, space is allocated for the rapid publication of short communications on new discoveries, such as exciting new fossils, as well as to lead book reviews and obituaries. All manuscripts are subjected to review by three referees.

Research Areas Include: 

• Palaeoanthropological work, covering human and primate fossils 
• Comparative studies of living species, including both morphological and molecular evidence 
• Primate systematics and phylogeny, behavior 
• Functional studies, particularly relating to diet and locomotion 
• Body size and allometric studies 
• Studies in Palaeolithic archaeology 
• Taphonomic and stratigraphical studies supporting fossil evidence for primate and human evolution 
• Palaeoecological and palaeogeographical models for primate and human evolution

2024

Hannah Farrell, University of Chicago. Locomotor signals in the clavicle of Australopithecus afarensis

2023

Alexandra Kralick, University of Pennsylvania. “Queering Primate Osteology: Orangutan Skeletons Challenge Normative Assumptions of BinarySex and Gendered Behavior”

2022

William Éamon Callison, Harvard University. “Andean populations adapted to high-altitude hypoxic environments use thoracic ventilation more than lowlanders to breathe while walking and running”

2021

Elizabeth Tapenes, George Washington University. “Ecology and opsin variation drives the evolution of hair phenotypes across Indriidae lemurs – implications for human evolution”

2019

Emma Finestone, CUNY Graduate Center. “ED-XRF study of Oldowan artifacts documents raw material selection and transport through time on the Homa Peninsula, Kenya”