Leslie Van Gelder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leslie Van Gelder
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Van Gelder in Pukeiriti, New Zealand
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| Born | January 27, 1969 Manhattan, New York, U.S.
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| Occupation | Archaeologist, writer, educator |
| Spouse(s) | Kevin J. Sharpe |
| Relatives | Gordon Van Gelder (brother) Russell Van Gelder (brother) Lawrence Van Gelder (uncle) Richard Van Gelder (father) |
Leslie Van Gelder was born on January 27, 1969. She is an American archaeologist, writer, and teacher. She is best known for her studies of ancient art found in caves. Her main work focuses on "finger flutings" in Rouffignac Cave and Gargas Cave in Southern France.
She worked with her husband, Kevin J. Sharpe, for ten years. They created special ways to study these finger flutings. Their research helped them figure out who made the art. They did this by looking at individual handprints and finger sizes. Their work was the first to show that children made some of the art in Rouffignac Cave. This showed that kids were involved in creating art and symbols a very long time ago. Leslie Van Gelder still researches in these caves today. She also gives talks around the world. Her current work looks at the role of children in making cave art. She is also a director at Walden University's College of Education and Leadership.
Her Early Life and Education
Leslie Van Gelder was born in 1969 in Manhattan, New York. Her father, Richard Van Gelder, was a curator at the American Museum of Natural History. A curator is someone who manages a collection, like in a museum. Because of her father's job, Leslie spent time doing field work with him. This included trips to East Africa and U.S. National Parks.
From 1985 to 1989, she taught about the environment. She worked with the Quebec-Labrador Foundation in Canada. Later, she taught high school in New Jersey. In 1998, she went back to school to earn her PhD. A PhD is a very high university degree. She studied something called "Place Studies." This means she looked at how people connect with places. Her writings about this topic appeared in several journals and a book.
She also helps organize a special meeting called the Roundstone Conversation. Since 2004, this meeting has brought together writers. They talk about how places and stories are connected. She was married to archaeologist Kevin Sharpe. He passed away in 2008. Today, she lives in New Zealand.
Family Connections
Leslie Van Gelder's family includes many interesting people. Her father, Richard Van Gelder, was a curator at the American Museum of Natural History. Her uncle, Lawrence Van Gelder, was a senior editor at The New York Times newspaper.
Her brother, Gordon Van Gelder, is a famous science fiction editor. He has even won an award called the Hugo Award. Another brother, Russell Van Gelder, is a top doctor. He is the chairman of ophthalmology at the University of Washington. Ophthalmology is the study of eye diseases.
