Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | Name Zinnia Kumar | |
Occupation Fashion model, scientist | ||
Wintry Whispers || A fashion film by Verve
Zinnia Kumar, also known as Zinnia, is an Australian fashion model and published scientist in human evolutionary biology and ecology.
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Early life and education
Kumar was born in Sydney, Australia to Indian parents and grew up in Sydney's south-western suburbs. She attended Miller Technology High School where she graduated the top of her class and was awarded dux. Kumar graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Advanced Science, with honours.
Career
Kumar has published two original scientific research papers on negative frequency-dependant selection on human traits: the first about men's facial hair, entitled Peak beard and the second on women's hair colour.
Kumar is also a field conservation ecologist having worked in the Australian outback working with Little Blue Penguins, invertebrates and wetland birds. Kumar is also a motivational speaker.
Kumar's study of attractiveness of facial hair in men was the first time negative frequency dependant selection had been applied to a human trait, since Charles Darwin coined the term. The published paper found that attractiveness varies with novelty, less common facial hair types were considered most attractive by men and women. This research went viral on the internet and was covered by many news outlets BBC, The Washington Post, Time, The Guardian, Science Magazine and Forbes, coining a new social term 'Peak Beard'[1].
Kumar is currently undertaking a research degree at Oxford University.