How You Can Make a Difference
An investment in the Institute of Human Origins helps to fund student scholarships, support research in laboratories and field sites and meet the growing needs of our researchers and students.
The Institute of Human Origins invites you to share in the excitement of discovery, the pursuit of new knowledge and the public discussion of the enduring puzzle of how we "became human."

Areas to invest in

Donald C. Johanson Paleoanthropological Research Endowment
Donald Johanson, IHO Founding Director, created this endowment to inspire and contribute to training the next generation of human origins researchers. Learn more about Johanson's legacy here.

Elizabeth H. Harmon Research Endowment
This visionary endowment gift was established in Elizabeth Harmon’s memory by her parents, Dr. Frank and Judy Harmon, and supports graduate student research relevant to human evolution in Africa. Learn more about Elizabeth's legacy here.

Bill Kimbel Impact Fund
Established by Bill Kimbel's friends and colleagues upon his passing in 2022, this fund will support an annual lecture series in Kimbel's name and, in the future as the endowment grows, it will support a student research and scholarships. Read more about Kimbel's Legacy here.

Kay Reed Scholarship Endowment
This new endowment supports undergraduate and graduate student research and contributes to a shift towards the gender equity needed in the research community. Read more about this endowment here.

Founder's Research Fund
The Institute of Human Origins has established a new research funding program for its faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, thanks to a generous donation made by IHO Executive Board member David Deniger, and Mara Michelle-Batlin.

IHO Gombe Chimpanzee Research Project
The Institute of Human Origins houses the physical materials of the Jane Goodall Institute Gombe Chimpanzee Research Archive — over 60 years of handwritten observations of wild chimpanzees in Gombe National Park.
Connect with us
The study of how and where humans developed on Earth has never been more vibrant than today. We are seeking visionary partners to join our mission to advance the science of human origins and explore the ongoing challenges of our field and laboratory research.
Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Director