• Hominin evolution and ecology
• Paleoanthropology
• (Paleo-)Biogeography of mammals
• Island Evolution
• Modeling spatial behavior across scales

Since April 2008, scientific researcher in paleobiology at Academy of Sciences and Humanities Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities the research center “The Role of Culture in Early Human Expansion” at the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main.

2002–2008: Research scientist in the Vertebrate Paleobiology Group at the Institute for Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Department of Biosciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main.

Since 2002, I have taught courses on Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates, Vertebrate Paleobiology, Human Evolution, Mammalian (Paleo)Biogeography, and Island Evolution at Goethe University, the University of Tübingen, the Institute de Paléontologie Humaine (Paris), and other institutions.

2004–2007: Coordinator of research activities and scientific researcher in the HOPSea network (Human Origins Patrimony in Southeast Asia) at the University of Frankfurt, in collaboration with the Institute of Human Paleontology in Paris, Naturalis in Leiden, the National Museum and the University of the Philippines Diliman in Manila, and the Bandung Institute of Technology in Bandung.

2002–2007: Research scientist in biology in the Junior Research Group “Demographic Trends, Needs, and Supply Systems” within the Priority Program on Social-Ecological Research, in collaboration with the Institute for Social-Ecological Research in Frankfurt am Main.

2001: Scientific Coordinator of paleontological excavations at the Miocene site in Eppelsheim on behalf of the Landessammlung für Naturkunde, Mainz.

2000: Doctoral dissertation in biology (Dr. phil. nat.), University of Frankfurt. 1996–2000: Research assistant in the Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfurt am Main.

1994: Diploma in Biology (Zoology, Anthropology/Human Genetics, Psychology), University of Frankfurt.

2026

Lomborg, K., Cucart-Mora, C., Reschke, J.-O., Hertler, C., Grove, M., Saqalli, M., Gaudout, B.,  Moncel, M.-H. (2026): Changing movements in a changing world: Modeling Early and Early Middle Pleistocene climatic and ecological environments and their influences on hominin dispersal in Eurasia. Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology 9(1): 66–88.https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.212

Reschke, J.-O., Cucart-Mora, C., Lomborg, K., Hertler, C., Saqalli, M., Grove, M., Moncel, M.-H. (2026): Subsistence Strategies in Agent-Based Models of Foraging Hominins: State of the Art and Challenges. Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology 9(1): 135–150.https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.211 

Moncel, M.H., Cucart-Mora, C., Arzarello, M., Ashton, N., Baena, J., Barsky, D., de la Torre, I., Galanidou, N., Garcia-Medrano, P., Hertler, C., Herzlinger, G., Li, H., Mosquery, M., Ollé, A., Pappu, S., Pei, S., Sharon, G., Tian, C., Wang, W., Bae, C. J. (2026). What is the Acheulean? Evolutionary Anthropology 35: e70029. https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.70029 

2025

Hertler, C., van der Geer, A., Puspaningrum, M.R., Anwar, I. P., Reschke, J.O., Hölzchen, E. (2025): Stegodon SEA-crossing: Swim, Shrink, and Disperse. Earth History and Biodiversity 4: 100026.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hisbio.2025.100026. 

Jiangzuo, Q.G., van der Geer, A., Volmer, R., Hertler, C., Li, S.J., Guo, D.G., Wang, S.Q., Deng, T. (2025): A dwarf Megantereon from the Sangiran complex of Java (Indonesia: late Early Pleistocene) and its biogeographic implications. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 32:29.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-025-09771-6. 

Quy, T.T.K., Hertler, C., Nguyen, K.T.K., Piper, P.J. (2025): Diversified Subsistence Strategies in Early Sedentary Populations of Mainland Southeast Asia: Insights from the Faunal Remains at Lò Gach, southern Vietnam. Archaeological Research in Asia.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-025-02295-3

Sukumaran, P., Hertler, C., Chauhan, P. R. (2025). Animals, Environments, and Humans: Diverse Perspectives from the Quaternary. Quaternary Environments and Humans 3(2025): 100079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qeh.2025.100079.

Hertler, C., Tablizo, M., Reschke, J.-O. (2025): SEAcross ABM v.1.1. Zenodo.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15607919. 

2024

Gruwier, B., de Vos, J., Wirkner, M., Hertler, C., & Kovarovic, K. (2024): Diversity, population structure, and paleoecology of Pleistocene large cervids from the Padang Highlands, Sumatra. In: Louys, J., Albers, P., van der Geer, A. (eds): Quaternary Paleontology and Archaeology of Sumatra. ANU Press, Canberra. Terra Australis 56: 121–143. DOI: 10.22459/TA56.2024.06.

Puspaningrum, M.R., Hertler, C., Bruch, A., Anwar, I.P., Hölzchen, E., Krüger, S., Hascaryo, A.T., Reschke, J.-O. (2024): Living in Sangiran: A Spatial Reconstruction of the Hominin Environment in Java at 1 Ma. Earth History and Biodiversity 1: 100001. DOI: 10.1016/j.hisbio.2024.100001.

Reschke, J.O., Hertler, C., Krüger, S. (2024): Early Hominins: Successful Hunters, Catchers, or Scavengers? An Agent-Based Model of Hunting Strategies for Acquiring Meat in Tropical Grasslands. Quaternary Environments and Humans, 2: 100019. DOI: 10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100019.

Reschke, J.O., Krüger, S., Hertler, C. (2024). ForeGatherer Model v2.0 (v1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10853340.

2023

Giemsch, L., Hertler, C. (2023): Makuyuni. In: Beyin, A., Wright, D.K., Wilkins, J., Olszewski, D.I. (eds.): Handbook of Pleistocene Archaeology of Africa. Vol. 2, pp. 11065–1116. Springer.

Kandel, A.W., Sommer, C., Kanaeva, Z., Bolus, M., Bruch, A.A., Groth, C., Haidle, M.N., Hertler, C., Heß, J., Malina, M., Märker, M., Hochschild, V., Conard, N.J., Schrenk, F., Mosbrugger, V. (2023): The ROCEEH Out of Africa Database (ROAD): An Indispensable Research Tool for Quaternary Scientists. PLoS One 18(8): e0289513. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289513.

Kubat, J., Nava, A., Bondioli, L., Dean, M.C., Zanolli, C., Bourgon, N., Bacon, A.-M., Demeter, F., Peripoli, B., Albert, R., Lüdecke, T., Hertler, C., Mahoney, P., Kullmer, O., Schrenk, F., Müller, W. (2023): Dietary strategies of Pleistocene Pongo sp. and Homo erectus on Java (Indonesia). Nature Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01947-0.

Reschke, J.-O., Hertler, C., Puspaningrum, M.R., Krüger, S. (2023): ForeGatherer Model v1.0 (v1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7736326.

Rodríguez, J., Hölzchen, E., Caso, A.I., Berndt, J.O., Hertler, C., Timm, I.J., Mateos, A. (2023): Computer simulation of scavenging by hominins and giant hyenas in the late Early Pleistocene. *Nature Scientific Reports* 13, 14283. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39776-1.

2022

Hertler, C., Reschke, J.-O., Hölzchen, E., Anwar, I.P., Puspaningrum, M.R., Büscher, N., Ngetich, E.K. (2022): SEAcross ABM V1.0 (1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6833780.

Hertler, C. and the ROCEEH Team (2022): The Map Module for the ROAD database. In: Kandel, A.W., Haidle, M.N., Sommer, C. (eds.): Human Origins - Digital Future: An International Conference on the Future of Archaeological and Paleoanthropological Databases. Propylaeum, Heidelberg, pp. 43–44.

Hölzchen, E., Hertler, C., Wilmes, C., Anwar, I.P., Mateos, A., Rodríguez, J., Berndt, J.O., & Timm, I.J. (2022): Estimating the success of human agents in crossing sea straits out of Africa during the Late Pleistocene. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 590, 110845. DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.110845.

2021

Bolus, M., Bruch, A., Haidle, M., Hertler, C., Heß, J., Kanaeva, Z., Kandel, A., Malina, M., & Sommer, C. (2021). “ .” *Archäologische Informationen* 43, 413.

Bolus, M., Bruch, A., Haidle, M., Hertler, C., Heß, J., Kanaeva, Z., Kandel, A., Malina, M., & Sommer, C. (2021): Explore the history of humanity with the new ROAD Summary Data Sheet. Archaeological Information 43, 413–414.

Hölzchen, E., Hertler, C., Mateos, A., Rodriguez, J., Berndt, J.O., & Timm, I.J. (2021): Discovering the opposite shore: How did hominins cross sea straits?. PLoS One 16(6), e0252885. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252885.

2020

Bolus, M., Bruch, A., Haidle, M.H., Hertler, C., Heß, J., Kanaeva, Z., Kandel, A.W., Malina, M., & Sommer, C. (2020): Explore the history of humanity with the new ROAD Summary Data Sheet. MGfU 29, 145–147. DOI: 10.51315/mgfu.2020.29008.

Haidle, M. N., Bolus, M., Bruch, A. A., Hertler, C., Hochschild, V., Kanaeva, Z., Sommer, C., & Kandel, A. W. (2020): Human Origins—Digital Future, an international conference on the future of archaeological and paleoanthropological databases. Evolutionary Anthropology. DOI: 10.1002/evan.21870

2019

Wirkner, M. & Hertler, C. (2019): Feeding ecology of Late Pleistocene Muntiacus muntjak in the Padang Highlands (Sumatra). *Comptes rendus Palevol* 18 (5) 541–554. Elsevier Masson SAS. DOI: 10.1016/j.crpv.2019.03.004

2018

Giemsch, L., Hertler, C., Märker, M., Quénéhervé, G., Saanane, C., & Schrenk, F. (2018): Acheulean Sites at Makuyuni (Lake Manyara, Tanzania): Results of Archaeological Fieldwork and Classification of the Lithic Assemblages. African Archaeological Review, DOI: 10.1007/s10437-018-9284-4.

Bachofer, F., Quénéhervé, G., Hertler, C., Giemsch, L., Hochschild, V., & Maerker, M. (2018): Paleoenvironmental Research in the Semiarid Lake Manyara Area, Northern Tanzania: A Synopsis. In: C. Siart, M. Forbriger, O. Bubenzer (eds.), Digital Geoarchaeology. New Techniques for Interdisciplinary Human-Environmental Research. Cham: Springer, 123–138.

2017

Volmer, R., Hölzchen, E., Wurster, A., Ferreras, M. R., & Hertler, C. (2017): Did leopards (Panthera pardus) become extinct due to competition for prey? Modeling interspecific competition within the Late Pleistocene carnivore guild of the Padang Highlands, Sumatra. *Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology* 487, 175–186. DOI 10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.08.032.

2016

Rodríguez, J., Mateos, A., Hertler, C., & Palombo, M.R. (2016) (eds.): The Power of Models: Mathematical Approaches to the Study of Human-Fauna Interactions in the Pleistocene. Quaternary International, 413, 2–6. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2016.09.005.

Rodríguez, J., Mateos, A., Hertler, C., & Palombo, M.R. (2016): Modeling human presence and environmental dynamics during the Mid-Pleistocene Revolution: New approaches and tools. Quaternary International 393, 19–23. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.06.003.
Volmer, R. & Hertler, C. (2016): The effect of competition on shared food resources in carnivore guilds. Quaternary International 413, 32–43. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.11.054.

Timm, I.J., Lorig, F., Hölzchen, E., & Hertler, C. (2016): Multi-Scale Agent-Based Simulation of Long-Term Dispersal Processes: Challenges in Modeling Hominin Biogeography and Expansion. In: Barceló, J.A., Del Castillo, F. (eds.) Simulating Prehistoric and Ancient Worlds. Springer, Cham, 141–159.

Hölzchen, E., Hertler, C., Timm, I., & Lorig, F. (2016): Evaluation of Out-of-Africa hypotheses using agent-based modeling. *Quaternary International* 413, Part B, 78–90. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.11.022.

Volmer, R., Hertler, C., & van der Geer, A. (2016): Niche overlap and competition potential among tigers (Panthera tigris), saber-toothed cats (Homotherium ultimum, Hemimachairodus zwierzyckii), and Merriam’s Dog (Megacyon merriami) in the Pleistocene of Java. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 441, 901–911. DOI: 10.11016/j.palaeo2015.10039.

Rodríguez, J., Mateos, A., Hertler, C., & Palombo, M.-R. (2016): Modeling human presence and environmental dynamics during the Mid-Pleistocene Revolution: new approaches and tools. Quaternary International 393, 19–23. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.06.003.

2015

Steigerwald, S., Haidle, M.N., Bruch, A.A., & Hertler, C. (2015): Conference report: Expansions 2015, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, July 13–17, 2015. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte 24, 175–178.

Kandel, A.W., Bolus, M., Bretzke, K., Bruch, A.A., Haidle, M.N., Hertler, C., & Märker, M. (2015): Increasing Behavioral Flexibility? An Integrative Macro-Scale Approach to Understanding the Middle Stone Age of Southern Africa. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 23(2), 623–668. DOI: 10.1007/s10816-015-9254-y.

2014

Hertler, C., Bruch, A.A., & Märker, M. (2014): Ecospace — the ecological space of hominids. Senckenberg - natur forschung museum 144 (7/8), 262–265.
Schrenk, F. & Hertler, C. (2014): The Origin and Spread of Early Humans. In: Trümpler, C., I See Wonderful Things: 100 Years of Collections at Goethe University, 286–287.

2013

Hertler, C., Bruch, A.A., & Märker, M. (2013): The earliest stages of hominin dispersal in Africa and Eurasia. In: Bellwood, P. (Ed.): Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration. Vol. 1. Wiley Blackwell, pp. 1–9.

2012

Hertler, C. & Palombo, M.-R. (2012): Linked Effects of Climate Change, Orbital Forcing, Tectonics, and Biotic Interactions: A Research Agenda for Studying Faunal Evolution and Hominin Dispersal Patterns. Quaternary International 279–280, 196.

Bolus, M. & Hertler, C. (2012): Beyond Africa. Archaeology in Germany 4/2012, 22–23.

Kandel, A.W. & Hertler, C. (2012): Homo sapiens … “where no human has ever been before.” Archaeology in Germany 4/2012, 28–29.

2011

Märker, M. & Hertler, C. (2011): Archaeological Site Prediction and Landscape Reconstruction in the Lake Manyara Area, Northern Tanzania. Proceedings on Computer Applications and Quantitative Modeling in Archaeology 2011.

Paudayal, K.N., Panthee, S., & Hertler, C. (2011): A bovid specimen from Late Pleistocene deposits in the Kathmandu Basin, Nepal. Journal of the Stratigraphic Association of Nepal 7, 9–14.

2010

Haidle, M.N., Bolus, M., Bruch, A.A., Hertler, C., Kandel, A.W., Märker, M., Conard, N.J., Hochschild, V., Schrenk, F., & Mosbrugger, V. (2010): The role of culture in early human expansions – A new research center. Quaternary International 223–224, 429–430.

Gutmann, M., Hertler, C., & Schrenk, F. (2010): “Humans as the Subject of Paleoanthropology and the Problem of Scenarios.” In: Gerhardt, V., & Nida-Rümelin, J. (eds.), *Evolution in Nature and Culture*. de Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 135–162.

Märker, M., Bachofer, F., Quénéhervé, G., Hertler, C., Sanaane, C., Giemsch, L., & Thiemeyer, H. (2010): Modeling the spatial distribution of paleontological sites in the Makuyuni region, Tanzania. In: Melero, F.J., Cano, P., Revelles, J. (eds.) Fusion of Cultures. Abstracts of the XXXVIII Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, 147–150.

Kaiser, T., Seiffert, C., Hertler, C., Fiedler, L., Schwartz, H.L., Frost, S.R., Giemsch, L., Bernor, R.L., Wolf, D., Semprebon, G., Nelson, S.V., Schrenk, F., Harvati, K., Bromage, T.G., & Saanane, C. (2010): Makuyuni, a new Lower Paleolithic hominid site in Tanzania. Mitteilungen des Hamburgischen Zoologischen Museum und Institut 106, 69–110.

Mishra, S., Gaillard, C., Hertler, C., Moigne, A.-M., & Simanjuntak, T. (2010): India and Java: Contrasting records, intimate connections. Quaternary International 223–224, 265–270.

2009

Hertler, C. (2009): Changes in the Relationships Between People and Their Environment. In: D. Bandini, U. Kronauer (eds.), Fruits from the Tree of Knowledge: 100 Years of Academy of Sciences and Humanities Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. A Festschrift by the Research Staff. Universitätsverlag Winter, Heidelberg, 43–47.

2008

Hertler, C. (2008): Modeling food supply and demography in prehistoric human populations. In: Hummel, D. (ed.): Population Dynamics and Supply Systems, Campus, Frankfurt/Main, 73–98.

Hertler, C. & Volmer, R. (2008): Assessing prey competition in fossil carnivore communities—a scenario for prey competition and its evolutionary consequences for tigers in Pleistocene Java. *Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology* 257 (1–2), 67–80.

Hertler, C., de Vos, J., & Bautista, A. (2008): Dwarfing and gigantism. In: Sémah, A.M., Setiagama, K., Sémah, F., Détroit, F., Grimaud-Hervé, D., Hertler, C. (eds.) First Islanders – Human Origins Patrimony in Southeast Asia. Exhibition Catalog, 76–80.

Hertler, C. (2008): Beyond Africa—The Expansion of Early Humans. In: Müller, H.A. (ed.) Evolution: Where From and Where To? Vandenhoek und Ruprecht, Stuttgart, 110–119.

Project participants:
Marie-Hélène Moncel, Paris, France (project leader)
Carolina Cucart-Mora, Paris, France (coordinator of the modeling team)
Harry Hall, Liverpool, UK
Kamilla Lomborg, Toulouse, France
Jan-Olaf Reschke, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Christine Hertler, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
Matt Grove, Liverpool, UK
Mehdi Saqalli, Toulouse, France