The Human Evolution Research Center (HERC), at the University of California Berkeley, is dedicated to the study of human origins and evolution. HERC represents an international focal point for field and laboratory research and education. It is a center for the study of the process and products of human evolution. Research by the Human Evolution Research Center includes both field and laboratory investigation. The many steps in the process of generating knowledge about human origins and evolution are illustrated in this interactive diagram. The Middle Awash paleoanthropological research project is based in HERC.