Katherine Ann Dettwyler facts for kids

Katherine Ann Dettwyler is an American anthropologist. An anthropologist is a scientist who studies humans, their societies, cultures, and how they have developed over time. She used to be a professor at the University of Delaware. In 2017, she became known in the news for comments she made about Otto Warmbier. He was a young college student who got very sick while held in North Korea.

Early Life and Education

Katherine Ann Dettwyler was born on February 3, 1955. She studied anthropology in college. She earned her first degree from the University of California, Davis in 1977. Later, she received her master's degree and her Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington. She finished her Ph.D. in 1985.

Her Work as a Professor

Dr. Dettwyler started teaching in 1985. She was a visiting professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. From 1987 to 2000, she taught at Texas A&M University. She was an Associate Professor there. In 2000, she retired early and moved to Delaware with her family.

During the 1990s, she also worked as a nutrition expert. She helped organizations teach about nutrition in Mali, a country in Africa. She also did research there. After moving to Delaware, she taught part-time at the University of Delaware. She also kept writing and speaking at different events.

Research on Human Development

Dr. Dettwyler has done research on human development. She studied how long humans naturally breastfeed. Her research suggests that the natural age for weaning (stopping breastfeeding) is between 2½ and 7 years old. She looked at things like weight gain, how long babies are in the womb, and when teeth grow in.

Personal Life

Kathy Dettwyler is married to Steven Dettwyler. He also has a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology. They have three children together. In 1999, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Comments on Otto Warmbier

In June 2017, Dr. Dettwyler's comments about Otto Warmbier got a lot of attention. Otto Warmbier was an American college student. He was visiting North Korea and was arrested. He was accused of trying to steal a poster. He was sentenced to a long time in prison.

After about a year and a half, he was released. He was returned to the United States in a coma. He died soon after coming home. Dr. Dettwyler wrote about the case online. Her comments caused a lot of discussion.

At the time, Dr. Dettwyler was a part-time professor at the University of Delaware. After her comments became public, the university announced a decision. They said her teaching contract would not be renewed.