Susan H. Williams, Ph.D. • Comparative Functional Morphology & Biomechanics

My research focuses on the functional morphology and biomechanics of feeding. I use the vertebrate feeding apparatus as a model system for investigating musculoskeletal integration, the effects of cyclical loading on skeletal morphology, muscle coordination and development, and motor pattern evolution. I am also interested in  understanding how dietary preferences, food mechanical properties and feeding behavior influence the evolution of the skull. Studies are currently underway on a variety of mammals, including artiodactyls, perissodactyls, rodents, primates, and bats and lizards.