Dennis H. O'Rourke

Dr. O'Rourke joined KU's Department of Anthropology in 2016 from the University of Utah. He has served as Chair of KU's Department of Anthropology, and is an Affiliate Distinguished Professor with the KU Center for Genomics and the KU Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies. He also is a Courtesy Distinguished Professor with KU's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. 

Dr. O'Rourke's research focuses on the use of molecular genetic methods to address long-standing questions in prehistory. His students and collaborators have conducted fieldwork and research projects in Mexico, the Caribbean, the U.S. Southwest and California, as well as the North American arctic, focusing attention on ancient DNA methods to investigate the colonization and dispersal of the North American arctic. 

He is a fellow at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was the 2015 recipient of the Gabriel W. Lasker Service Award from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Learn more about Dennis O'Rourke on the Department of Anthropology website.