Welcome to my homepage!

I am a biological anthropologist and anatomist in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I study modern human morphological variation by examining archeological skeletal remains.

My research interests focus on variation in body size, body shape, body proportions, and functional anatomy of the limbs (robusticity and directional asymmetry). I examine these properties in relation to environmental factors, namely climate and subsistence. In my primary work, I investigate this variation among indigenous humans from the Americas prior to European colonization.

By investigating this diversity through time, this research informs us about the morphologies of ancestral populations and, potentially, the ways in which environments shaped them. Coupled with archaeological data, these studies produce a more holistic model of human movement within and interactions with the mosaic landscape of the Americas and beyond.

I also curate the Department of Anthropology's archaeological human osteology collections, as well as the Oak Ridge pedigreed small primate skeletal collection. Contact me (see below) to inquire about access to these.

Please explore this site using the links above. Under PUBLICATIONS are some PDF copies of and all supplemental materials - including high-resolution versions of figures - from my peer-reviewed papers and books. A list of the courses I instruct and related materials are available under COURSES. Links to osteological databases, my research laboratory (OVAL), and additional links to sites of interest are found under RESOURCES. Contact me at:

Dr. Benjamin M. Auerbach
229 South Stadium Hall
Department of Anthropology
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996 USA
E-mail: auerbach(at)utk.edu
Telephone: (+01) 865-974-4408.