Helen Chatterjee

Helen Chatterjee has a joint position as Professor of Biology (aka Professor of Gibbonology) in UCL Genetics, Evolution and Environment in the Division of Biosciences (UCL Faculty of Life Sciences), where she spends most of her time, and Head of Research and Teaching in UCL Public and Cultural Engagement, which includes UCL’s museums, collections, theatre, studio and public engagement unit.

After completing a BSc in Natural Environmental Science and an MSc in Palaeoanthropology at the University of Sheffield, Helen moved to UCL to undertake a PhD and took up the role of Curator at the Grant Museum of Zoology. Helen stayed at the Grant Museum for 10 years and took up the post of Deputy Director of UCL Museums (now Head of Research and Teaching) in 2006. In UCL Biosciences she teaches mammalian evolution and field biology, and has research interests in evolutionary anatomy and the impact of environmental change on biodiversity.

Research interests:
– Mammal evolution (phylogeny and biogeography, particularly Southeast Asian mammals)
– Touch and value of object handling (particularly ‘object therapy’ in hospitals and Object Based Learning at tertiary level)