Michael Steiper

Dr. Michael Steiper is a biological anthropologist and professor in the Department of Anthropology. His interests broadly relate to human and primate evolution.

Dr. Steiper’s research focuses on topics including primate molecular evolution, the relationship between the fossil and genetic history of primates, and the interplay between skeletal and genetic variation. While he mainly uses genetic and bioinformatic techniques, he has also participated in paleontological expeditions on three continents.

In addition to his role as a professor of anthropology, Dr. Steiper serves as associate provost for academic success, institutional effectiveness and strategic analytics. He is interested in advancing equitable success among both students and faculty, as well as curricular innovation, academic planning, and ways of leveraging analytics to drive change in higher education.

He also served as inaugural director of the Human Biology Program, currently Hunter’s second largest major, and led an active lab that examined several key questions in primate evolution and mentored students at all levels who are currently employed in academia and STEM.

Dr. Steiper obtained his PhD from Harvard University.

• Harvard University (PhD)
• Harvard University (MA)
• New York University (BA)

• Steiper, M.E., Grube, N. M., and C. M. Gagnon, (2021) “Elevated diversity in loci linked to facial morphology is consistent with the hypothesis that individual facial recognition is important across hominoids.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 174: 785-791.
• Zichello, J. M., Baab, K. L., McNulty, K. P., Raxworthy, C. J. and M. E. Steiper (2018) “Hominoid intraspecific cranial variation mirrors neutral genetic diversity.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 115:11501-11506.
• Gagnon, C. M., Steiper, M. E. and H. Pontzer (2018) “Elite swimmers do not exhibit a body mass index trade-off across a wide range of event distances.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B 285: 20180684.
• Garrett, E. C. and M. E. Steiper (2014) “Strong Links Between Genomic and Anatomical Diversity in Both Mammalian Olfactory Chemosensory Systems.“ Proceedings of the Royal Society B 281: 20132828.
• Guevara, E. E., and M. E. Steiper (2014) “Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Papionina using concatenation and species tree methods.” Journal of Human Evolution 66: 18-28.
  Steiper, M. E., Walsh, F., and J. M. Zichello (2012) “The SLC4A1 gene is under differential selective pressure in primates infected by Plasmodium falciparum and related parasites.” Infection, Genetics and Evolution 12:1037-1045.
• Steiper, M. E. and E. R. Seiffert (2012) “Evidence for a convergent slowdown in primate molecular rates and its implications for the timing of early primate evolution.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109:6006-6011.
• Jameson, N. M., Zhuo-Cheng Hou, Sterner, K. N., Weckle, A., Goodman, M., Steiper, M. E., and D. E. Wildman (2011) “Genomic data reject the hypothesis of a prosimian primate clade.” Journal of Human Evolution 61: 295-305.
• Israfil, H., Zehr, S. M., Mootnick, A. R., Ruvolo, M., and M. E. Steiper (2011) “Unresolved molecular phylogenies of gibbons and siamangs (Family: Hylobatidae) based on mitochondrial, Y-linked, and X-linked loci indicate a rapid Miocene radiation or sudden vicariance event.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 58: 447-455.
• Wilkinson, R. D., Steiper, M. E., Soligo, C., Martin, R. D., Yang, Z., and S. Tavaré (2011) “Dating Primate Divergences through an Integrated Analysis of Palaeontological and Molecular Data.” Systematic Biology 60:16-31.
• Tsantes, C.M. and M. E. Steiper (2009) “Age at First Reproduction Explains Rate Variation in the Strepsirrhine Molecular Clock.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106:18165-18170.
• Sallam, H.M., Seiffert, E.R., Steiper, M. E., and E.L. Simons (2009) “Fossil and molecular evidence constrain scenarios for the early evolutionary and biogeographic history of hystricognathous rodents.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106: 16722-16727.
• Chung, W.K. and M. E. Steiper (2008) “An assessment of mitochondrial COII introgression into the nuclear genome of gorillas.” International Journal of Primatology 29:1341-1353.
• Steiper, M. E.* and N.M. Young*. (2008) “Timing primate evolution: lessons from the discordance between molecular and paleontological estimates.” Evolutionary Anthropology 17: 179-188. *Contributed equally
• Steiper, M. E., Parikh, S. J., and J. M. Zichello (2008) “Phylogenetic Analysis of the Promoter Region of the CD40L Gene in Primates and other Mammals.” Infection, Genetics and Evolution 8:406-413.
• Steiper, M. E. and N. M. Young. (2006) “Primate molecular divergence dates.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41:384-394.
• Steiper, M.E., Wolfe, N. D., Karesh, W. B., Kilbourn, A. M., Bosi, E. J., and M. Ruvolo. (2006) “The phylogenetic and evolutionary history of a novel alpha-globin-type gene in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).” Infection, Genetics and Evolution 6: 277-286.
• Steiper, M. E. (2006) “Population history, biogeography, and taxonomy of orangutans (Genus: Pongo) based on a population genetic meta-analysis of multiple loci.” Journal of Human Evolution 50: 509-522.
• Steiper, M. E., Wolfe, N. D., Karesh, W. B., Kilbourn, A. M., Bosi, E. J., and M. Ruvolo. (2005) “The population genetics of the alpha-2 globin locus of orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).” Journal of Molecular Evolution 60: 400-408.
• Steiper, M. E.*, Young, N. M.*, and T. Y. Sukarna. (2004) “Genomic data support the hominoid slowdown and an Early Oligocene estimate for the hominoid-cercopithecoid divergence.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101 (49): 17021-17026. *Contributed equally
• Steiper, M. E. and M. Ruvolo. (2003) “Genetic sex identification of orangutans.” Anthropologischer Anzeiger 61: 1 – 5.
• Steiper, M. E. and M. Ruvolo. (2003) “New World Monkey phylogeny based on X-linked G6PD DNA sequences.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 27: 121-130.

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