Brian Villmoare

Brian Villmoare received his PhD in physical anthropology from Arizona State University in 2008, working with Charlie Lockwood and Bill Kimbel.  There he focused on detailed analyses of the craniofacial morphology of early fossil hominins.  For his dissertation he developed new geometric morphometric methods for quantifying morphological shape to address questions of systematics and craniofacial integration in the hominins.

His research interests range from broad questions of evolutionary theory to high-resolution studies of the internal structures of the hominin face.  Current research projects include studying the role of selection and genetics in evolutionary change and extinction, the specific evolutionary constraints and selection pressures responsible for hominin craniofacial form, determining the homology of unique characters in the hominin cranium, and FEA biomechanical analyses of early hominins.

Past fieldwork includes Makapansgat, South Africa and Koobi Fora, Kenya, and he has worked in the Afar region of Ethiopia since 2002, where he is currently a Director of the NSF-funded Ledi-Geraru Project with Kaye Reed and Chris Campisano.