Anthropology
Open Access

Tyler G OBrien

Biography

Dr. Tyler G. O’Brien is an Associate Professor of Physical Anthropology at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He research is in the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. He has participated in both prehistoric and historic archaeological excavations in New York, and in Bolivia. He has collaborated on a number of publications using craniometric traits to determine biological relationships among ancient groups from Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. His current work looks at patterns of artificial cranial deformation (ACD) among prehispanic populations of South America, specifically focusing on skeletal samples from Argentina and Bolivia. In a recent publication with a mathematician, he explores the various typologies in the classification of ACD. Results statistically quantify differences between basic ACD styles. O’Brien is also consulted as a forensic anthropologist by various law enforcement agencies in the Midwest for his knowledge of post-mortem decay rates in an underwater context.

Research Interest

He research is in the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology.