Prof. Alan cannell, USP, Brazil
Alan Cannell is a distinguished engineer with a degree from University College London and a master’s from the University of Leeds. With a wealth of experience in urban engineering systems and project management, he served as Head of Traffic Control in Curitiba and contributed to Brazil’s National Traffic Safety Program. A founding member of the Safe Kids Program, Cannell has consulted for international organizations like the IDB and World Bank. Since 2017, he has been an associate of the Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana in Rome and, from 2024, a Collaborative Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies, USP. His research focuses on paleoatmospheres, their impact on the biosphere and human evolution, mathematical patterns in biface tools, and nocturnal behaviors of hominins during the Pliocene.
Professional Profile
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Suitability for the Research for Best Researcher Award: Alan Cannell
Summary of Achievements and Research Contributions
Alan Cannell is a highly accomplished researcher with a robust foundation in engineering, coupled with a specialized focus on paleoatmospheres, evolutionary biology, and lithic technology. His academic training from prestigious institutions such as University College London and the University of Leeds provides a strong base for his interdisciplinary expertise. His extensive professional experience includes leadership roles in urban engineering systems, traffic management, and significant contributions to national safety programs. These roles underscore his ability to translate research into impactful applications.
Since 2017, Cannell has expanded his research focus through his affiliation with the Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana (ISIPU) and as a collaborating professor at the Instituto de Estudos Avançados, USP, since 2024. His specific research interests encompass the study of paleoatmospheres, their effects on biospheres, evolutionary impacts, and the mathematical structures of prehistoric tools. These innovative explorations bridge engineering principles with paleontological and evolutionary inquiries.
Education
Alan Cannell holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from University College London and a Master’s degree from the University of Leeds. His academic foundation provided the groundwork for his extensive contributions to urban engineering and traffic management systems. Throughout his academic journey, Cannell demonstrated a keen interest in the intersection of engineering principles and environmental sciences. Postgraduate research enabled him to specialize in paleoatmospheres, focusing on the composition and density of ancient atmospheres and their effects on terrestrial evolution. Cannell’s continuous learning ethos is reflected in his association with prominent academic and research institutions, including the Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana and the Institute for Advanced Studies, USP.
Professional Experience
Alan Cannell’s professional journey is marked by diverse roles in engineering and research. He served as Head of Traffic Control in Curitiba, Brazil, contributing to the design of urban systems and national safety initiatives. As a consultant for organizations like the IDB and World Bank, he provided insights into urban and transportation systems. He also worked with Jaime Lerner Arquitetos Associados on urban development projects. Since 2017, Cannell has been associated with ISIPU in Rome, exploring human evolution and atmospheric changes. In 2024, he became a Collaborative Professor at the USP Institute for Advanced Studies, delving deeper into paleoatmospheres, human evolution, and the environmental factors that shaped prehistoric life.
Awards and Recognitions
Alan Cannell’s contributions have garnered widespread recognition. He was a key architect of Brazil’s National Traffic Safety Program and Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Year of Traffic Safety. His pioneering research on paleoatmospheres and human evolution has earned accolades from international scientific bodies. As a founding member of the Safe Kids Program, his initiatives have impacted public safety worldwide. His scholarly works have been published in leading journals, earning invitations to prestigious conferences like UISPP and COSPAR. His recognition as a Collaborative Professor at USP in 2024 underscores his enduring influence in academic and research circles.
Alan Cannell’s research skills encompass a multidisciplinary approach, blending engineering, atmospheric science, and evolutionary biology. He specializes in paleoatmospheres, investigating their composition and density, and the biospheric impacts of atmospheric changes. His expertise extends to analyzing the evolutionary shifts during the Pliocene, focusing on human evolution and megafaunal extinctions. Cannell employs advanced mathematical modeling to explore the geometric structures of ancient tools and their implications. His studies on nocturnal hominin behaviors and atmospheric dynamics showcase his ability to link scientific rigor with evolutionary insights. His work continues to bridge the gap between ancient environmental changes and their modern implications.
Publication Top Notes
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“Into thin air: The loss of the pliocene giant volant birds”
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“The possible adaption of the human respiratory system to past atmospheres”
- Year: 2024
- Author: Alan Cannell
- Citation: DOI: 10.1113/EP091713
- Journal: Experimental Physiology
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“Paleo-air pressures and respiration of giant Odonatoptera from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Cretaceous”
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“The engineering of the giant dragonflies of the Permian: revised body mass, power, air supply, thermoregulation and the role of air density”
- Year: 2018
- Author: Alan E. R. Cannell
- Citation: DOI: 10.1242/jeb.185405
- Journal: Journal of Experimental Biology
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“Mass Distribution Analysis of Spheroid Manuports, Spheroid Artifacts, and the Lithics of Play Learning”
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“Pattern Recognition of Universal Mathematical Constants in Acheulean Biface Formats”
- Year: 2015
- Author: Alan Cannell
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“Proboscidean resources and the engineering of Acheulean lithic technology”
- Year: 2014
- Author: Alan Cannell
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“Throwing Behaviour and the Mass Distribution of Geological Hand Samples, Hand Grenades and Olduvian Manuports”
- Year: 2002
- Author: Alan Cannell