About the contributor

• Rebecca Z. German
• Jeffrey B. Palmer

Rebecca Z. German

Rebecca Z. German is the Vice-Chair for Research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. She holds an A.B. degree in mathematics from the University of Chicago, an M.Sc. in geology from the University of Rochester, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Biological Sciences. She is currently a visiting Senior Scholar and Raine Fellow at the University of Western Australia, and Visiting Fellow and Officer of Harvard University. Her work focuses on the potential interactions that exist among evolution, biomechanics, physiology, anatomy and growth.

Jeffrey B. Palmer

Jeffrey B. Palmer is the Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Professor and Director, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is also Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and of Functional Anatomy and Evolution at Hopkins. An alumnus of the Juilliard School, Dr. Palmer received his B.A. and M.D. degrees from New York University, and completed his residency in PM&R at the University of Washington. Dr. Palmer is a Visiting Professor at Fujita Health University in Japan and serves on the editorial boards of Dysphagia and the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.