Eric Sargis was pursuing a business degree at NIU in 1990. That’s when he took an introductory course in physical anthropology taught by a young professor, Dan Gebo.
By the semester’s end, Sargis had dramatically changed his career path. He took more of Gebo’s courses, went on to publish with his mentor and is now a professor of anthropology at Yale University.
“Dan is, without exception, the best teacher I have ever had as an undergraduate or graduate student,” Sargis says.
Such words of praise aren’t unusual. Gebo has taught nearly 6,000 students since he began his NIU career in 1987, shortly after earning his Ph.D. at Duke University. He has won six outstanding teaching awards, as voted on by students in the Department of Anthropology.
“From the first day I was galvanized—not only because of the material and content of the course, but because of Dan’s passion and utter dedication to teaching,” says Joanna Lambert, now an anthropology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Gebo is equally accomplished in the field, specializing in the study of the biomechanics and evolution of primates. In 2000, he led a team of researchers that discovered the fossils of 45-million-year-old, thumb-length primates—a find that captured worldwide headlines.
He often incorporates his research into classroom discussions, where he introduces new fossils and theories that can’t be found in textbooks.
“I always try to work in new information that might challenge current views on primate or human evolution,” he says. “This allows students to understand that science is not a static, all-is-known enterprise.”
- Tom Parisi, NIU Public Affairs
- Photo by Scott Walstrom, NIU Media Services