William L. Jungers

William L. Jungers, (November 17, 1948) is an American anthropologist and the chair of the Department of Anatomical Sciences at State University of New York at Stony Brook on Long Island, New York. He is most famous for his work on the biomechanics of bipedal locomotion in hominids such as the 3.4 million-year-old "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis),, and the 6.1-5.8 million-year old "Millenium Man" Orrorin tugenensis. He has also devoted much of his career to the study of the lemurs of Madagascar, especially giant, extinct subfossil forms such as Megaladapis. More recently, Jungers has been a subject of media attention due to his analysis of the remains of Homo floresiensis, which he believes to be legitimate members of a newly-discovered species based on remains of the shoulder,, the wrist , and the feet.

Scholarly Life
Jungers is an expert in biomechanics, and his definitive edited work on primate allometry in particular remains a classic reference. Jungers has often said that his main professional interest is in "the limits of what nature can do with regard to form and function", and as such his publication record is diverse. His work concerning the extinct subfossil lemurs, for example, focuses on their initial isolation in the virtually predator-free environment of Madagascar, their subsequent adaptive radiation, and the unusual morphological and behavioral diversity that resulted as a consequence. Similarly, his interest in hominid bipedalism is due to the unique muscular and skeletal constraints required for locomotion in ourselves and our ancestors, and his interest in the "hobbit" fossils reflect the peculiar influence of insular dwarfism. As of August 2008, Jungers has authored well over 100 peer-reviewed articles about the relationship between form and function in many primate species, both extinct and extant. Due to his publication record, academic service, statistical savvy, willingness to help students, journal editorship and focus on media-worthy subjects, Jungers is often considered one of the most influential biological anthropologists living today.

Awards

 * Phi Beta Kappa (Oberlin College)
 * Alfred P. Sloan Scholar, Oberlin College (1966-1970)
 * Comfort-Starr Award in Sociology-Anthropology, Oberlin College (1970)
 * Danforth Foundation Graduate Fellow (1971-1975)
 * Rackham Graduate School Fellowship, University of Michigan (1976)
 * Aescupalius Award in Recognition of Outstanding Teaching, SBU (1994)
 * Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring, SBU (2002)
 * Excellence in Teaching Award - SOM (1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
 * President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2006-2007)
 * Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2006-2007)