American Association of Biological Anthropologists



The American Association of Biological Anthropologists is an international group based in the United States which affirms itself as a professional society of biological anthropologists. The organization sponsors two peer-reviewed science journals published by Wiley Publishing: the American Journal of Biological Anthropology and the Yearbook of Biological Anthropology. The Association was formerly called the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, but changed its name to reflect the modern biological framework of the discipline after a series of membership votes between 2018 and 2020.
WWW physanth.org𝕏 PhysAnth

History

The AAPA was first formed following a proposal by Czech-American anthropologist Aleš Hrdlička at the December 1928 New York meeting of Section H of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Twenty anthropologists and anatomists voted in favor of the creation of an American Association of Physical Anthropologists, and an organizational committee of eight was formed. The first annual meeting of the AAPA was held in 1930 in Charlottesville, Virginia, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Association of Anatomists.
This history of the Association from its inception to 1968 was written by Juan Comas, and in 2005 was translated to English.

Name Change

In 2018, at the 87th meeting of the AAPA in Austin, Texas, the Executive Committee stated its intention to hold a survey of AAPA members to assess their opinions on whether the AAPA should change its name, and what potential names could replace it. There were several motivations for the survey, including the fact that most academic departments, courses, and textbooks today use the term biological anthropology rather than physical anthropology, which evokes antiquated foci of the discipline, such as racial typology. Moreover, most members of the AAPA self-identify as biological anthropologists, rather than physical anthropologists. The survey was administered online to AAPA members, and a majority voted in favor of changing the name, with the most popular name choice being American Association of Biological Anthropologists. A formal vote among Regular members took place at the 2019 meeting, with a final vote at the 2020 meeting.

Membership

There are over 2,200 members of the AABA. There are three categories of membership: Regular, Student, and Special. Members of the AABA can attend the annual meeting at a rate determined by their membership category, receive full access to AABA publications and electronic communications, and submit nominations for elected positions. Regular members may vote and serve in elected positions.

Annual meeting

The AABA holds an annual meeting that is attended by scientists from around the world. The Association's website maintains a record of past annual meetings. To date, the Association has held 94 Annual Meetings. The 95th Annual Meeting will be held in Denver, Colorado, USA, March 18-21, 2026, in the Sheraton Downtown Denver.
The locations of past and future meetings of the Association are listed below:
Annual MeetingYearLocation
98th2029San Francisco, California, USA
97th2028Chicago, Illinois, USA
96th2027Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
95th2026Denver, Colorado, USA
94th2025Baltimore, Maryland, USA
93rd2024Los Angeles, California, USA
92nd2023Reno, Nevada, USA
91st2022Denver, Colorado, USA
90th2021Virtual
89th2020Scheduled for Los Angeles, cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
88th2019Cleveland, Ohio, USA
87th2018Austin, Texas, USA
86th2017New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
85th2016Atlanta, Georgia, USA
84th2015St. Louis, Missouri, USA
83rd2014Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
82nd2013Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
81st2012Portland, Oregon, USA
80th2011Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
79th2010Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
78th2009Chicago, Illinois, USA
77th2008Columbus, Ohio, USA
76th2007Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
75th2006Anchorage, Alaska, USA
74th2005Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
73rd2004Tampa, Florida, USA
72nd2003Tempe, Arizona, USA
71st2002Buffalo, New York, USA
70th2001Kansas City, Missouri, USA
69th2000San Antonio, Texas, USA
59th1989Miami, Florida, USA
57th1988Kansas City, Missouri, USA
56th1987New York, New York, USA
55th1986Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
54th1985Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
53rd1984Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
52nd1983Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
51st1982Eugene, Oregon, USA
50th1981Detroit, Michigan, USA
49th1980Buffalo, New York, USA
48th1979San Francisco, California, USA
47th1978Toronto, CANADA
46th1977Seattle, Washington, USA
45th1976St. Louis, Missouri, USA
44th1975Denver, Colorado, USA
43rd1974Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
42nd1973Dallas, Texas, USA
41st1972Lawrence, Kansas, USA
40th1971Boston, Massachusetts, USA
39th1970Washington, D.C., USA
38th1969Mexico City, MEXICO
37th1968Detroit, Michigan, USA
36th1967Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
35th1966Berkeley, California, USA
34th1965University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
33rd1964Mexico City, MEXICO
32nd1963Boulder, Colorado, USA
31st1962Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
30th1961Columbus, Ohio, USA
29th1960Washington, D.C., USA
28th1959Madison, Wisconsin, USA
27th1958Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
26th1957Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
25th1956Chicago, Illinois, USA
24th1955Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
23rd1954Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA
22nd1953Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
21st1952New York, New York, USA
20th1951Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
19th1950Boston, Massachusetts, USA
18th1949Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
17th1948Washington, D.C., USA
16th1946Chicago, Illinois, USA
15th1946Cleveland, Ohio, USA
14th1945Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
13th1942Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
12th1941Chicago, Illinois, USA
11th1940New York, New York, USA
10th1939Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
9th1938Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
8th1937Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
7th1936New Haven, Connecticut, USA
6th1935Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
5th1934New York, New York, USA
4th1932Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
3rd1932Washington DC, USA
2nd1930Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Founding192820 anthropologists and anatomists in attendance at the December 28-29, 1928 meeting of Section H of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) resolved to create the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, an organization that would be open to scientists of any sex and nationality with interest in "physical anthropology".

Position Statements

The Association's full list Position Statements are posted on the Association's website.

Statements on Race & Racism

A 2019 statement on race and racism by the AAPA declared, in part:
Race does not provide an accurate representation of human biological variation. It was never accurate in the past, and it remains inaccurate when referencing contemporary human populations. Humans are not divided biologically into distinct continental types or racial genetic clusters. Instead, the Western concept of race must be understood as a classification system that emerged from, and in support of, European colonialism, oppression, and discrimination.
This statement further emphasized that "No group of people is, or ever has been, biologically homogeneous or 'pure.' Furthermore, human populations are not — and never have been — biologically discrete, truly isolated, or fixed."
Previously, the AAPA had published an official position on biological aspects of race, based on evidence from anthropological research in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 101, pp 569–570, 1996. That statement emphasized that all humans belong to a single species and share common descent, that biological traits are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, and genetic diversity exists within all human populations. This position was first drafted as a revision of the 1964 UNESCO statement on race, which itself was first created in 1950 in response to World War II and Nazism.

Scientific Creationism and the National Center for Science Education (NCSE)

As written in 1982, in agreement with the AAAS, the AAPA condemns the teaching of scientific creationism at public expense.

AABA Code of Ethics

The AABA has an official code of ethics emphasizing the importance of the well-being of the people and animals with which members work; informed consent; conservation of fossil, archaeological, and historical records; making data accessible and disseminating findings; teaching in a non-discriminatory fashion, and giving appropriate credit to all collaborators including students and trainees. The AAPA also issued an official statement on sexual harassment, outlining the definition, prevention, and reporting of sexual harassment and assault within the professional community as well as expectations for behavior among members.

Leadership

The Association is managed by an Executive Committee chaired by the President of the Association. There are five officers at any one time. The President, either Past-President or a President-Elect, the Vice President and Program Committee Chair, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
The Executive Committee consists of eleven voting members: the five officers plus the Chair of Student Programs, Chair of Membership and Credentials, Chair of History & Honors, Chair of Professional Development, the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook of Biological Anthropology. Additionally, there are non-voting members that provide advice: the Early Career Liaison, the Student Liaison, Chair of the Ethics Committee, Chair of the Committee on Diversity, and the Chair of the Harassment Committee for Awareness, Response and Equity.
Presidents of the Association:
NameTerm
Anne Stone2025-2027
Leslea J. Hlusko2023-2025
Steven R. Leigh2021-2023
Anne Grauer2019-2021
Leslie Aiello2017-2019
Susan Antón2015-2017
Karen Rosenberg2013-2015
Lorena Madrigal2011-2013
Dennis O'Rourke2009-2011
Fred Smith2007-2009
John Relethford2005-2007
Phillip L. Walker2003-2005
Eugenie C. Scott2001-2003
Clark Spencer Larsen1999-2001
Matt Cartmill1997-1999
Jere Haas1995-1997
Joyce E. Sirianni1993-1995
Michael A. Little1991-1993
William Stini1989-1991
George Armelagos1987.1989
Jane Buikstra1985-1987
Frank Johnston1983-1985
Eugene Giles1981-1983
William Pollitzer1979-1981
James Gavan1977-1979
James N. Spuhler1975-1977
Edward I. Fry1973-1975
Alice Brues1971-1973
Paul T. Baker1969-1971
Frederick S. Hulse1967-1969
Stanley W. Garn1965-1967
Gabriel W. Lasker1963-1965
Carleton S. Coon1961-1963
W.W. Greulich1959-1961
W. Montague Cobb1957-1959
Mildred Trotter1955-1957
William L. Straus, Jr.1952-1955
Sherwood L. Washburn1951-1952
Thomas D. Stewart1949-1951
Wilton M. Krogman1945-1946, and 1946-1949
Franz Weidenreich1944-1945
Charles B. Davenport1943-1944
William K, Gregory1941-1943
Robert J. Terry1939-1941
T. Wingate Todd1938-1938
Earnest A. Hooton1936-1938
Raymond Pearl1934-1936
Adolph H. Schultz1932-1934
Aleš Hrdlička1928-1932