2025 Sammy Lee Lecture by Prof. Tristram R. Kidder, Washington University in Saint Louis.
Saturday, November 1, 2025
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Fowler Museum - Lenart Auditorium
Open to public. Please RSVP.
Humans are now the leading cause of environmental change, a concept central to the Anthropocene hypothesis, which suggests human impact on the environment surpasses natural forces. While the Anthropocene is typically dated around 1750 CE, evidence shows that significant human-induced environmental changes began much earlier in China. In this talk, T. R. Kidder examines multiple lines of evidence from the Yellow River region to explore how early Chinese civilizations adapted to climatic changes by manipulating their environments. These adaptations, mediated through social institutions ranging from family units to political organizations, often had unintended consequences that shaped the course of history in unexpected ways. Understanding these ancient changes provides insights into contemporary environmental challenges in China and beyond.
Tristram R. (T.R.) Kidder is the Edward S. and Tedi Macias Professor in Anthropology, and Co-Director of the Program in Public Health & Society in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the faculty of WashU, he taught at Tulane University. T.R. received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University.
T.R. follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, grandmother, great uncle and uncle, all of whom were professional archaeologists. He uses archaeological, geological, and environmental data to explore the archaeology of climate and environmental change in North America, China, and Central Asia. One of his specializations is studying the influences of global change on the geology and environments of large river valleys, such as the Mississippi and Yellow rivers, and subsequent influences on human cultures through time. T.R. has written on a wide range of topics, including Early Classic Mayan artifacts, the early human occupation of Sicily, forager archaeology, the geoarchaeology of earthen mounds, and Han Dynasty collapse and regeneration. He has authored or co-authored over 100 articles in anthropological, archaeological, and Quaternary science journals; in 2023 he was elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. T.R. teaches an undergraduate class on climate change as well as graduate archaeology seminars and recently assumed responsibility to develop and co-direct an undergraduate program in public health.
About Sammy Lee Lecture Series
First presented in 1982 in celebration of his 80th birthday, the Sammy Yukuan Lee Lectures on Chinese Art and Archaeology honors the life and philanthropy of respected businessman, art collector, and Chinese art authority, Sammy Yukuan Lee. This series is presented annually by the UCLA Center for Chinese Studies with support from the Sammy Yukuan Lee Foundation.
Sponsor(s): Center for Chinese Studies