Craig D. Byron, Ph.D.

Craig D. Byron, Ph.D., joined the Department of Biology in 2006. Since this time at Mercer, he has watched the biology department grow substantially in the number of students, the number of faculty, and in the available resources for conducting faculty-student collaborative scholarship in and out of the classroom.

Education

• Ph.D., Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia
• M.A., Anthropology, Kent State University
• B.A., Anthropology, Indiana University

Specialty

Quantitative biology, organismal biology, data science, reproducible research, Middle Georgia ecology

Professional Interests

Byron’s scholarly interests have evolved from biological anthropology toward the quantitative study of organismal biology in natural settings. He enjoys combining field-based research with reproducible analytical methods and data science to address biological questions while creating collaborative opportunities for undergraduate research and education.

Other Interests

Byron enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, working in the yard at home where he has two cats and a dog, and making pizza from scratch every Friday night. After approximately 600-700 pizza nights in my house (and counting), I feel confident in my ability to turn out a quality artisanal-style pizza.

Recent Publications

• (2023) Byron C, Reed D, Iriarte‐Diaz J, Wang Q, Strait D, Laird MF, Ross CF. Sagittal suture strain in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus and Cebus) during feeding. Am. J. Biol. Anthropol. 180:633–654.
• (2021) Byron, C. D., Kiefer, A. M., Thomas, J., Patel, S., Jenkins, A., Fratino, A. L. and Anderson, T. The authentication and repatriation of a ceremonial tsantsa to its country of origin. Herit. Sci. 1–13.
• (2020) Selby, M.S., Lovejoy, C.O., Byron, C.D. Odd-nosed monkey scapular morphology converges on that of arm- swinging apes. Journal of Human Evolution. 143, 1-10.
• (2019) Sedghi L, Byron CD, Jennings R, Chlipala GE, Green SJ, Siloh-Suh L. Effect of Dietary Fiber on the Composition of the Murine Dental Microbiome. Dentistry Journal. 7(58), 1-13.
• (2018) Byron CD, Segreti M, Hawkinson K, Herman K, Patel S. Dietary Material Properties Shape Cranial Suture Complexity in the Mouse Calvarium. Journal of Anatomy. 233, 807-813.
• (2017) Byron CD, Granatosky MC, Covert HH. An anatomical and mechanical analysis of the douc monkey (genus Pygathrix), and its role in understanding the evolution of brachiation. Am J Phys Anthropol. 164(4),801–820.
• (2017) Ledogar JA, Benazzi S, Smith AL, Weber GH, Carlson KB, Dechow PC, Grosse IG, Ross CF, Richmond BG, Wright BW, Wang Q, Byron C, Carlson KJ, de Ruiter DJ, Pryor McIntosh L, Strait DS. The biomechanics of bony facial “buttresses” in South African australopiths: an experimental study using finite element analysis. The Anatomical Record. 300, 171-195.

For access to Byron’s self-archived articles please see his Research Gate page.

Contact Craig D. Byron, Ph.D.

478-301-2163
byron_cd@mercer.edu
Office: Godsey Science Center, Room 327