David S. Strait

Office: Arts & Sciences Building, Room 119
Office Phone: (518) 442-4717
Lab Phone: (518) 442-4699
Fax: (518) 442-5710
E-mail: dstrait@albany.edu

Ph.D., SUNY Stony Brook, 1998

Interests: Paleoanthropology, Functional Anatomy.
Areas: Africa

Co-Director, Human Biology Program

Research Statement

David Strait is a paleoanthropologist who studies the evolution and functional anatomy of humans and other primates. Currently, he is undertaking several research projects. One project entails reconstructing the phylogeny of early humans (phylogeny refers to the pattern of evolutionary relationships between species). A second project uses engineering methods to understand how the facial skeleton of humans and other primates withstand and adapt to the forces imposed by chewing. Thirdly, Dr. Strait conducts paleontological fieldwork in Zambia. Aside from these major projects, Dr. Strait has written about the ecological adaptations of early humans, and the origin and evolution of bipedalism.

Select Publications Since 2000

Articles

2005
Strait, D.S., Wang, Q., Dechow, P.C., Ross, C.F., Richmond, B.G., Spencer, M., Patel, B.A. Modeling elastic properties in finite element analysis: how much precision is needed to produce an accurate model? Anat. Rec. (A): 275-287.

Ross, C.F., Patel, B.A., Slice, D.E., Strait, D.S., Dechow, P.C., Richmond, B.G., Spencer, M. Modeling masticatory muscle force in finite-element analysis: sensitivity analysis using principal coordinates analysis. Anat. Rec. (A): 288-299.

Richmond, B.G., Wright, B., Grosse, I., Dechow, P.C., Ross, C.F., Spencer, M.A., Strait, D.S. Finite element analysis in functional morphology. Anat. Rec. (A): 259-274.

2004
Strait, D.S. and Grine, F.E. Inferring hominoid and early hominid phylogeny using craniodental data: the role of fossil taxa. J Hum Evol.47: 399-452.

Wood, B.A. and Strait, D.S. Patterns of resource use in early Homo and Paranthropus. J Hum Evol. 46: 119-162.

2001
Strait, D.S. Integration, phylogeny, and the hominid cranial base. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 114: 273-297.

Richmond, B. G., Begun, D.R. and Strait, D. S. The origin of human bipedalism: the knuckle-walking hypothesis revisited. Yrbk Phys. Anthropol. 44: 70-105.

2000
Richmond, B.G. and Strait, D.S. Evidence that humans evolved from a knuckle-walking ancestor. Nature 404: 382-385.