Claire E Terhune

Claire E Terhune is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Anthropology within the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. She joined the university in January 2014 and serves as the lead Scientific Advisor for the microCT Imaging Consortium for Research and Outreach (MICRO).

Dr. Terhune received her educational training at:

• B.S. in Anthropology from the College of Charleston (2002)
• B.A. in Biology from the College of Charleston (2002)
• M.A. in Anthropology from Arizona State University (2005)
• Ph.D. in Anthropology from Arizona State University (2010)

As a biological anthropologist, Dr. Terhune's research focuses on primate, human, and fossil hominin cranial anatomy and evolution. She employs advanced analytical and quantitative techniques including geometric morphometrics and microCT imaging. Her work spans three major areas: understanding the evolution and function of primate and hominin skull shapes; developing techniques for comparative morphometric analysis; and evaluating models of hominin migration into Europe and Asia during the early Pleistocene. She conducts ongoing field research in Romania, particularly in the Olteț River Valley.

Dr. Terhune's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on primate biomechanics, craniofacial development, and the application of advanced imaging technologies. Her research on capuchin mandibles, dental remains, and jaw leverage reveals patterns of primate evolution and adaptation, while her work in Romania provides critical insights into early hominin dispersal patterns. She has developed innovative approaches to microCT imaging that have broad applications across anthropology, paleontology, and biomedical research.

Dr. Terhune is the founder and lead Scientific Advisor of the MicroCT Imaging Consortium for Research and Outreach (MICRO), established in 2018 with funding from a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant (NSF BCS-1725925). MICRO provides high-resolution microCT scanning capabilities for researchers across disciplines.

Through her leadership of the Terhune Lab, she mentors numerous graduate and undergraduate students who frequently appear as co-authors on her publications. She teaches courses including Introduction to Biological Anthropology, Bones, Bodies, and Brains in Evolutionary Perspective, Mammalian Evolution and Osteology, Statistics in Biological Anthropology, and Human Gross Anatomy.