Stephen Wroe | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | University of New South Wales |
| Known for | Carnivores, marsupials |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biomechanics, Palaeontology, Physical anthropology, Zoology |
| Institutions | University of New England (Australia) |
Stephen Wroe (also known as Steve Wroe) is an Australian vertebrate palaeontologist, [1] biomechanist, [2] YouTuber, and science communicator.
As a researcher, he is best known for his work describing and evaluating carnivores, especially measuring their bite force quotient. [3]
Currently, he is Professor in Evolutionary Biology at the University of New England (Australia)'s School of Environmental and Rural Science. [4]
He obtained a science degree with honors at the University of New South Wales in 1991 and obtained a Ph.D. in paleontology at the same university in 1999. [5]
Wroe worked briefly as a research fellow at the Australian Museum before taking up a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Sydney. [5] In 2005 he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship [6] and an Australian Research Council Discovery Outstanding Researcher Award in 2013 [7] [8] .
Wroe was quoted by BBC News on the issue of whether Neanderthals could speak. [9]
He has appeared in:
| Year | Title | Season | Episode No. | Series Title | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Marsupial Carnivores | 1 | 9 | Killer Instinct with Rob Bredl | Amazon Prime |
| 2002 | What Killed the Mega Beasts? | - | - | - | Discovery Channel |
| 2009 | Death of the Mega Beasts | - | - | - | Discovery Channel |
| 2009 | Monster Shark | 1 | 5 | Prehistoric Predators | National Geographic Channel |
Wroe has had the species Protamalleus stevewroei named after him. [3]
The species name stevewroei honours Professor Steve Wroe for his significant contributions to Australian mammalian palaeontology, particularly in the description and interpretation of fossil dasyuromorphians. The name also acknowledges his influential research into the biomechanics of bite force in extinct mammalian carnivores, which has greatly advanced understanding of functional morphology and predatory adaptations in deep time.