Stephen Chester

Stephen Chester is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Brooklyn College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. He also serves as a doctoral faculty member in the PhD Program in Anthropology at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and is a core faculty member in the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP). Dr. Chester maintains affiliations with four major natural history museums: the American Museum of Natural History, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Yale Peabody Museum, where he builds significant fossil collections.

Dr. Chester received his PhD with distinction from Yale University in 2013 under the tutelage of Eric Sargis. His academic journey has positioned him at the forefront of research on primate origins and mammalian evolution following the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction.

As a biological anthropologist and paleontologist, Chester specializes in the origin and early evolutionary history of primates and other placental mammals. His research focuses on the skeletal anatomy of fossil primates that lived shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs. He employs advanced techniques including micro-CT scanning, 3D visualization, and morphometric analyses to examine primate supraordinal relationships and evolutionary morphology. A significant portion of his work investigates how mammals responded to periods of global warming in Earth's history, providing insights into current climate change challenges.

Analysis of Dr. Chester's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on Paleocene mammals, particularly plesiadapiforms and other early primate relatives. His research increasingly incorporates advanced imaging technologies to examine cranial and skeletal morphology in unprecedented detail. The work spans multiple disciplines including paleontology, evolutionary biology, and anthropology, addressing fundamental questions about primate origins through detailed morphological analyses and phylogenetic studies.

Dr. Chester's contributions to the field have been recognized through coverage in major media outlets including National Geographic, PBS NOVA, and The New York Times, though specific formal scientific awards are not mentioned in the available information.

As a dedicated mentor, Chester has advised numerous students across academic levels, from undergraduate to PhD candidates. His research is currently funded by prestigious sources such as the National Science Foundation and Leakey Foundation, supporting both his field expeditions in western North America and laboratory work. He has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Human Evolution and is a Series Editor with Eric Delson for the Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology book series at Springer Nature Publishing.

Dr. Chester directs the Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology Laboratory (MEML), which functions as a fully operational fossil preparation facility, 3D scanning and visualization studio, and computing laboratory for morphometric and phylogenetic analyses. MEML is noted for its commitment to inclusivity, operating on the principle that diverse perspectives lead to better scientific outcomes. The laboratory actively involves undergraduate and master's students from Brooklyn College, as well as PhD students from The Graduate Center, CUNY, and the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology.