Bilinda Straight is a cultural anthropologist who works with northern Kenyan pastoralists on issues relating to warfare, emotion, gender, and health. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and is a professor of anthropology at Western Michigan University. She is currently working on a project, funded by the National Science Foundation, that examines potential DNA methylation changes associated with maternal exposure to extreme drought in a context of violence. Her work builds upon similar research with warfare combatants.