Peter S Ungar

Peter S Ungar is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Arkansas and Director of the Environmental Dynamics PhD Program. His research focuses on reconstructing diets and environments from fossil teeth, integrating dental microwear analysis, functional anatomy, and climate change biology. A Fellow of multiple prestigious societies and recipient of the PROSE Award for his book Mammal Teeth: Origin, Evolution, and Diversity, he has conducted fieldwork in Latin America and Indonesia and collaborates internationally.

• Education:
  • B.A., Anthropology, State University of New York at Binghamton
  • M.A. and Ph.D., Anthropological Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Ungar’s work spans ecology, evolution, and human origins, with notable contributions to understanding the role of diet in the evolution of human ancestors and Arctic mammals. He has developed innovative surface analysis technologies to study tooth wear patterns and authored influential works like Teeth: A Very Short Introduction and Evolution’s Bite, bridging academic and public audiences.

His teaching encompasses courses such as Human Evolution, Primate Adaptations, and advanced topics on teeth and climate change. He advises students in Anthropology and the interdisciplinary Environmental Dynamics Program.

• Scientific Awards:
  • PROSE Award (Association of American Publishers)
  • National Academy of Sciences member
  • American Academy of Arts and Sciences member
  • AAAS Fellow
  • Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars Fellow

Ungar’s research also extends to oral health studies among the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania and clinical applications of dental wear analysis. He has served as visiting faculty at Flinders University, University of Helsinki, and Southwest Jiaotong University, and maintains affiliations with institutions in South Africa and Arkansas.