David Begun

David Begun is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto, focusing on evolutionary anthropology. His research explores the origins of great apes and humans through paleoanthropology, functional anatomy, and biogeography. Dr. Begun collaborates with teams in Europe, Turkey, and Hungary, integrating fossil evidence with climate data to reconstruct migration patterns and ecological adaptations.

Dr. Begun earned his degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 and has since led fieldwork projects in Spain, Hungary, Turkey, and Romania. His lab (AP 414) investigates Miocene hominoid evolution, with a particular emphasis on dental morphology, locomotion, and cranial reconstructions.

Research interests include:

• Paleoanthropology
• Functional Anatomy
• Systematics
• Human Origins
• Primate Evolution
• Biogeography
• Brain Evolution

Dr. Begun’s recent publications highlight trends in Miocene hominoid taxonomy, dental adaptations, and locomotor evolution. His work often employs geometric morphometrics, synchrotron imaging, and isotopic analysis to explore evolutionary pathways.

Dr. Begun advises graduate students like Andrew Holmes and leads the Rudabanya Field School, providing hands-on excavation training in Hungary. His lab addresses range from 418 to 414 at the Anthropology Building, 19 Russell Street, Toronto.