About Jim Bindon
Jim Bindon is an emeritus professor of anthropology who studies human biology from the perspective of human adaptability. He taught at the university from 1978-2008 when he retired, continuing his class on race until 2015. Focusing on the interactions between biology and culture, he has pursued his research for over 25 years by examining the health repercussions of modernization among Samoans and others. Professor Bindon has studied a variety of biological outcomes among Samoans such as infant and childhood health and growth, adult obesity and blood pressure, DNA polymorphisms and physique, and chronic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. He has related these health outcomes to residence in different communities, diet and activity patterns, education and occupation, and stress due to changing lifestyles as a result of modernization and migration (see several of the papers listed below for details). He has also conducted similar research on biocultural aspects of health among the Mississippi Choctaw, in an African-American population in Alabama and among hotel workers in Hawaii.
Professor Bindon was chairman of the Department of Anthropology from 1993-1998. He also has served the discipline in several roles including: Executive Program Committee Member of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), 1993-1994; AAA Biological Anthropology Section (BAS), Contributing Editor to Anthropology Newsletter, 1986-1989, Secretary-Treasurer, 1991-1993, Executive Committee Member-at-Large, 2003 - 2005; AAA Council on Nutritional Anthropology (now Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition) Vice President and Editor of the CommuNicAtor, 1988-1990; Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1993-1997; Human Biology Association Nominating Committee Member, 1990-1992, Publications Committee Member, 1997-2001, Program Committee Member, 2002-2004. He was also named an inaugural University of Alabama, College of Arts and Sciences Leadership Board Fellow, 2002-2005. Dr. Bindon won the University of Alabama, National Alumni Association Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award in 2005, and he was named a McNair Scholars Program Fellow in 2006. Dr. Bindon retired from the University of Alabama in 2008 and was elected to emeritus status at that time. He was elected to the Hall of Merit of George Washington High School of San Francisco (Class of 1965) in 2010.
For the past two decades, Jim has been concerned with issues having to do with race. Anthropology is the discipline whose history is most directly intertwined with the concept of race and it is important for anthropologists to share our understandings with other scientists and with the public. Some of his ideas about race can be found in the blogs "Race and Human Variation."
Professor Bindon was chairman of the Department of Anthropology from 1993-1998. He also has served the discipline in several roles including: Executive Program Committee Member of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), 1993-1994; AAA Biological Anthropology Section (BAS), Contributing Editor to Anthropology Newsletter, 1986-1989, Secretary-Treasurer, 1991-1993, Executive Committee Member-at-Large, 2003 - 2005; AAA Council on Nutritional Anthropology (now Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition) Vice President and Editor of the CommuNicAtor, 1988-1990; Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1993-1997; Human Biology Association Nominating Committee Member, 1990-1992, Publications Committee Member, 1997-2001, Program Committee Member, 2002-2004. He was also named an inaugural University of Alabama, College of Arts and Sciences Leadership Board Fellow, 2002-2005. Dr. Bindon won the University of Alabama, National Alumni Association Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award in 2005, and he was named a McNair Scholars Program Fellow in 2006. Dr. Bindon retired from the University of Alabama in 2008 and was elected to emeritus status at that time. He was elected to the Hall of Merit of George Washington High School of San Francisco (Class of 1965) in 2010.
For the past two decades, Jim has been concerned with issues having to do with race. Anthropology is the discipline whose history is most directly intertwined with the concept of race and it is important for anthropologists to share our understandings with other scientists and with the public. Some of his ideas about race can be found in the blogs "Race and Human Variation."
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