Tina Lasisi is researching the evolution of human hair variation and making space for Black people in the field of biological anthropology

Thank you very much for agreeing to do this interview with us. Can you please introduce yourself to our readers? What do you do?

My name is Tina Lasisi and I am a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State University. I research the evolution of human hair variation.

Can you tell us about your education background?

I grew up in the Netherlands, which is where I did my secondary education. After High School, I went to the University of Cambridge for my undergraduate studies in Archaeology and Anthropology. I specialized in biological anthropology and wrote my undergraduate thesis on the evolution of human hair variation. Then, in 2015, I came to the US to do my PhD in Biological Anthropology at Penn State University.

Did you have to pay for your studies? Did you have any financial burden on your education journey?

I was able to afford my undergraduate studies by taking out student loans from the Dutch government and with help from my parents. When I came to the US, I was able to continue taking out loans from the Dutch government for the Master's portion of grad school. I currently have quite a bit of debt from those student loans, but luckily the terms of student loans in the Netherlands are much more lenient than they are in the US, so I have been able to postpone paying back that sum.

Can you tell us what Biological Anthropology is?

The easiest way to define biological anthropology is by explaining it as the study of humans from a biological perspective. But, by that definition, you might wonder what the difference is between biological anthropology and medicine or simply biology or any other discipline that covers human biology in some way. I think that the best way to understand what defines Biological Anthropology is by looking at the kinds of questions and frameworks people in our field use in their research. Biological anthropologists tend to be interested in understanding humans in an evolutionary context and/or understanding human variation. That said, there are people in biological anthropology who study non-human primates and there are also people who ask questions at the intersection of the biological and the social. Anything can be Biological Anthropology if you can link it back to questions of how humans are or how they came to be.

How did you find your passion for Biological Anthropology?

As an undergraduate, my first year of the Archaeology and Anthropology Tripos at Cambridge required us to take classes in social anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology. I actually went in thinking that I was interested in social anthropology, but after taking some classes on human biological variation, I became fascinated with questions of how and why human differences evolved.

What is your research about, and what kind of problems does your work solve?

My PhD research focused on the evolution of human hair morphology. A large part of my research involves developing new methods to better quantify variation in human hair morphology because it's a trait that we tend to talk about with subjective categories like (e.g. straight, wavy, curly, kinky). My research resulted in methods that can help us efficiently measure the continuous variation between straight to tightly coiled fibers, as well as their cross-sectional shape and size. With these improved methods, we're better able to understand the genetic variation that underlies hair morphology. I also did some experimental work to figure out whether hair morphology affects how much heat we gain from solar radiation. The results of that study are the first to demonstrate that tightly curled hair offers superior protection from solar radiation.

How does your research help us better understand human diversity and the concept of race?

My research shows that hair morphology doesn't exist in categories. Thinking of continuous traits in categories makes it easy for people to try and fit human variation into racial frameworks. One of the biggest issues with these categories is that they homogenize a lot of variation that exists in certain groups and they exaggerate the variation that exists in others, in other words, they are biased. My research provides us with tools to circumvent this bias by looking at variation objectively. Because we all live in a racialized society, it can be hard to not see race even if we're trying our hardest. Having tools that don't rely directly on our perception is very useful for overcoming this kind of bias.

Most studies have mainly focused on Europeans. How relevant is your study in understanding the trait variations of people of African descent?

The methods and categories that were used previously, diminish the variation that exists within the range of hair morphology seen in African-descendant populations. My work shows that we have been ignoring variation that is biologically significant.

What is the most surprising discovery you found in your research?

I was surprised to find that having tightly curled hair offered so much protection from the Sun compared to having straight hair or no hair at all. Anecdotally, I knew that I seemed to not overheat in the sun the same way people with straight hair did, despite people commenting that it must be hot with all that “woolly” hair. This just goes to show how biased misnomers can completely misdirect scientific research.

Have you always been curious to understand human phenotypic variation?

I had never really thought about human phenotypic variation until I went to University. I have wanted to be everything from a lawyer to a politician to a marine biologist. I will say that I have always been curious, though. Even today, you could talk to me about anything and I would probably be excited and have questions about it. The difference is that now I have too much work to go down rabbit holes that don't relate directly to my work.

You recently became the first Black person to graduate with a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Penn State. What motivates you to excel and break barriers?

I think my status as this kind of “first” says more about the hostility of these spaces towards Black people than it does about my excellence. However, I am motivated to push people to create inclusive spaces worthy of Black people's presence. I am part of a group that was recently formed, the Black in Biological Anthropology Collective (https://twitter.com/blackinbioanth) and we aim to create a community for Black biological anthropologists around the world, which is especially important for people who are the “first” in their institutions.

In your opinion, why do you think people of African descent are underrepresented in STEM fields? What do you think should be done to motivate more people to get into STEM?

I don't think there is a lack of motivation. I think plenty of people in Africa and the African Diaspora are interested in STEM. The issue is the disproportionate barriers that they have to face. We need to provide funds and support to Black students who are interested in STEM (and other disciplines). We need to demand that people stop studying us without including us in the direction of that research. We need to listen to Black students and address the problems that lead them to leave these disciplines and career paths.

As a Black woman, I believe you have faced many hurdles to get to where you are now. What was the hardest hurdle you encountered in your career? How did you overcome it?

I believe I have faced relatively few hurdles because I was lucky enough to start my academic career at an elite institution, which opened many doors for me. By sheer luck, I happened to come across mentors who were incredibly supportive and helped me navigate academia. The biggest hurdles I've faced relate to the social aspects of work. I've often rubbed people the wrong way because they perceived me as “uppity” and wanted to put me in my place. Navigating these social stressors is extremely exhausting. The only way to overcome it is by finding community in people who validate your experiences and support you when things go too far.

Where did you grow up and how was it like growing up there?

I was born in Bulgaria then lived briefly in England, then in Switzerland, then I move to the Netherlands when I was 8 years old. I don't recall much about my life before the Netherlands, so I would say that is where I mainly grew up. But being part of an immigrant family that did not have a community was pretty isolating. The Netherlands has its positives and negatives. They have cheese and great bike paths, but also xenophobia and blackface for Christmas. It's a mixed bag.

Did you have a career role model growing up?

I don't recall ever thinking “I want to be like this person when I grow up”, but that may be because I had a different interest every month. I think one of the reasons I was able to be successful is because I was never actively trying to emulate someone. I've noticed that a lot of younger people I mentor have someone in mind who they see as a “career role model” and they think that if they follow the same path, they will end up in the same place. Unfortunately, I think circumstance shapes people's lives much more than they care to admit. No two people will have the exact same path in life. If you lean into that, you'll find that you can offer the world a lot by being emphasizing your unique experience and perspective.

What are your thoughts on Africa? What do you think are the biggest challenges the continent is facing?

I think Africa is a continent with immense wealth in every sense of the word. The biggest challenge is the continued extraction of said wealth by neo-colonialism. Since it is not my area of expertise, I will refrain from commenting any further on the political and economic barriers. However, from the perspective of an African-descendant scientist in a country full of resources (i.e. grants and other funding), I think there is a lot I can do to redistribute some of those resources to benefit African scientists.

How can excellence in STEM help Africa overcome its challenges?

STEM is often perceived as the only or main source of generating valuable knowledge. I would like to push back on this narrative for multiple reasons. We have seen time and time again that focusing on STEM to the exclusion of other forms of knowledge results in the development of solutions that do not adequately tackle the social nature of many pressing issues (ie. in infrastructure and health). This is especially evident in cases when foreign NGOs come into countries and assume they need no local input to solve longstanding issues. The best way excellence in STEM could help Africa overcome its challenges is by redefining excellence to require humility and awareness of the indispensable need for collaboration with those who have expertise in the social, political, and historical contexts we operate in.

What are important lessons you've learned on your way to where you are now in your career?

You can achieve a lot more by bringing together different groups of people than you can by relying on your own knowledge exclusively.

Thinking back, what do you think you would have done differently, if any?

I think I have had so many lucky and unpredictable twists and turns that I wouldn't dare disturb my timeline by changing anything!

What is something that someone wouldn't know by looking at your profile? Any fun facts?

My official first name is actually Oladunni and because my parents called me Tina my whole life, I never learned to pronounce it correctly. It wasn't until I met some Nigerian students in England who corrected me that I realized it. I joke that my dad failed to teach me the most crucial bit of Yoruba before I left home.

Finally, what are your pieces of advice for the African youth?

Given the opportunity, you will succeed. Don't be shy about reaching out to as many people as is necessary to get those opportunities. Sometimes you need to try many doors before one will open for you. But never confuse a lack of opportunity for a lack of capability. Find people who will advocate for you and always advocate for yourself.