Stephen Wroe

Stephen Wroe is a Professor in Evolutionary Biology at the School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England (UNE), Australia. He is the Director of the Function, Evolution & Anatomy Research (FEAR) Lab, a multidisciplinary team collaborating with researchers from the University of Newcastle and University of New South Wales. His research integrates 3D imaging, finite element analysis, and biomechanics to explore evolutionary patterns in living and extinct animals.

His primary research areas include:

• Palaeontology
• Physical Anthropology
• Biomechanics
• Cranial Mechanics
• Evolution of Carnivores and Marsupials
• 3D Modeling of Fossil and Extant Species

Wroe’s recent research publications (2018–2021) reveal a strong trend in computational biomechanics and geometric morphometrics, applied to diverse taxa such as raptors, marsupials, primates, crocodiles, and early birds. His work frequently involves finite element analysis to simulate feeding behavior, cranial stress, and locomotion, contributing to understanding evolutionary adaptations. He has developed extensive 3D models from CT scans, enabling digital 'crash-testing' of skulls to assess functional performance.

His scientific honors include:

• ARC Discovery Outstanding Researcher Award Fellow (2014–2016)
• ARC QEII Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (2006–2010)
• U2000 Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Sydney (2000–2005)

Wroe has supervised over two dozen higher degree research students, serving as primary supervisor for 14 PhD and 3 Honours students, and co-supervisor for 10 PhDs. He has been awarded five major Australian Research Council grants, supporting his innovative research in evolutionary biomechanics. He also coordinates the course ZOOL100 at UNE and mentors students in palaeontology and zoology.

He leads the FEAR Lab, which uses cutting-edge 3D modeling and biomechanical simulation to investigate functional anatomy across evolutionary time. The lab collaborates widely and encourages student-led projects on diverse taxa, provided CT scan data is available.