Employment history
2018-present: Honorary Professor, Earth Stewardship Science Research Institute, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
2018-present: Adjunct Professor, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution (ARCHE), Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
2017-present: Visiting Professor, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBios), Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italia.
2016-present: Research Professor, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
2007-2016: Professor of Zoology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
1998-2007: Assistant Director, Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Education
1987-1989: Postdoctoral fellow – Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
1985-1986: Postdoctoral researcher - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italia.
1978-1985: PhD (Zoology) – University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
1976-1978: BSc Honours (Zoology, first class) – University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
1974-1976: BSc (Biological Sciences) – University of Natal, Durban, South Africa

Contact
3rd Floor – Room ZOT25
Zoology Building
King Williams' Town Road
Alice, 5700
South Africa
Telephone: +27-(0)40-602-2614
I-fax: +27-(0)86-620-5137
E-mail: jdthmasters@gmail.com

Other professional activities/memberships

• Head, African Primate Initiative for Ecology and Speciation (APIES)
• Member of the Primate Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• Fellow of the Linnean Society of London
• Member of the Academy of Science of South Africa
• Handling Editor of Journal of Biogeography
• Editor of African Primates
• Founder member of the Africa Earth Observatory Network (AEON), Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
• Associate of the African Biodiversity Information Centre, Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
• Co-founder of the Primate Ecology and Genetics Group (PEGG), South Africa

Research interests
Fields of expertise: Primate evolution, species concepts, speciation, phylogenetics, biodiversity, conservation, biogeography.

Current research projects

• Linking the evolution of Galagidae to Africa's Cenozoic history
• Multi-parameter identification of cryptic species in primates
• Role of environmental change and natural selection in speciation
• Consequences of Gondwana's break-up for mammalian evolution

Student supervision

Postdoctoral researchers

• 2016: Dr Iris Dröscher, University of Fort Hare, funded by the National Research Foundation
• 2011-2012: Dr Laura Bidner, University of Fort Hare, funded by the University of Fort Hare
• 2010-2011: Dr Kirsten Wimberger, University of Fort Hare, funded by the Claude Leon Foundation
• 2006-2008: Dr Fabien Génin, University of KwaZulu-Natal, funded by the National Research Foundation

PhD students

• 2015-present: Major supervisor of Mr Alexandre Perier
• 2015-2018: Major supervisor (with G. Kerley) of Mr Curswan Andrews, who successfully submitted his thesis in 2018.
• 2013-2016: Co-supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Derick Forbanka, who successfully submitted his thesis in 2016.
• 2010-present: Co-supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Hajarimanitra Rambeloarivony
• 2006-2009: Major supervisor (with M. Perrin and C. Downs) of Ms Sylviane Volampeno who successfully submitted her thesis in 2009.
• 2001-2004: Co-supervisor (with B.G. Lovegrove) of Ms Nomakwezi Mzilikazi, who successfully submitted her thesis in 2004.

MSc students

• 2018-present: Major supervisor of Mrs Buyiswa Mahala
• 2016-present: Major supervisor (with M.J. de Wit) of Ms Philasande Mambalu
• 2015-present: Major supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Ayabulela Yokwana
• 2015-2020: Co-supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Ms Nokuthula Kom, who successfully submitted her dissertation in 2020
• 2014-2016: Major supervisor (with P. Balaresque) of Mr Banele Dosi, who successfully submitted his dissertation in 2016
• 2014-present: Major supervisor of Ms Nyaradzo Manhanga
• 2014-2016: Major supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin and M. Gamba) of Mr Lwandiso Pamla, who successfully submitted his dissertation in 2016.
• 2013-2015: Co-supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Vusumzi Martins, who was the recipient of a scarce skills NRF bursary and was awarded his degree cum laude in 2016.
• 2012-2014: Co-supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Curswan Andrews, who was the recipient of a scarce skills NRF bursary and was awarded his degree cum laude in 2015.
• 2010-2013: Major supervisor (with F.G.S. Génin) of Mr Ntuthuzelo Makhasi, who successfully submitted his dissertation in 2013.

Representative publications

• Masters, J.C., Génin, F., Zhang, Y., Pellen, R., Huck, T., Mazza, P.P.A., Rabineau, M., Doucouré, M. & Aslanian, D. (2021). Biogeographic mechanisms involved in the colonisation of Madagascar by African vertebrates: rifting, rafting and runways. Journal of Biogeography 48(3): 492-510. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14032.
• Génin, F. & Masters, J.C. (2018). Sharing the burden: a neutral approach to socio-ecological theory. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 165(S65): 90-103.
• Masters, J.C., Génin, F., Couette, S., Groves, C.P., Nash, S.D., DelPero, M. & Pozzi, L. (2017). A new genus for the eastern dwarf galagos (Primates: Galagidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181: 229-241.
• Masters, J.C. & Couette, S. (2015). Characterizing cryptic species: a morphometric analysis of craniodental characters in the dwarf galago genus Galagoides. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 158(2): 288-299.
• Masters, J.C., Génin, F., DelPero, M. & Lister, A.M. (2014). The red island and the seven dwarfs: body size reduction in Cheirogaleidae. Journal of Biogeography (Special paper) 41: 1833-1847.

A full list of publications can be found here:

Full list of publications and other research outputs on UFH website

Full list of publications on ResearchGate - H Index: 21 (as of 19 March 2021)

Full list of publications on Google Scholar - H Index: 25 (as of 19 March 2021)

Curriculum Vitae