We have begun our study of dinosaurs by
learning about the scientists who first produced some of the scientific
research on dinosaurs in the 1800s and early 1900s. And one of this week's homework questions
does ask you to "choose to join" one of four very interesting
paleontologists from those earlier times:
Charles Sternberg, Barnum Brown, Werner Janensch and Franz Baron Nopcsa. We have many more such fascinating scientists
doing exciting dinosaur research today, and they are not restricted to that "white male" category that represented most of those earlier workers.
So please find information and share your thoughts about a current dinosaur paleontologist with whom you think it would be fun to work (or just "tag along"!). Choose just one researcher, describe who that person is and what she/he is working on, add your reasons for especially being interested in what this scientist (or graduate student) is doing... and, finally, share a link. It would be great to expand our introduction to dinosaur paleontologists by choosing someone other than a "middle-aged white male (with a beard)" as mostly is pictured in Chapter 14 of our textbook!
Thanks. Dr. B.
19 comments:
An expert in the microscopic structure of dinosaur bones, Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan is an extraordinary paleontologist as well as a zoology professor at the University of Cape Town. Microscopic inspection of bones can reveal rapidity of bone growth, age, gender, and hibernation patterns, giving us an idea of how certain dinosaurs survived in arctic terrains. She has written multiple books on the microbiology of bones as well as a book on the dinosaurs of Africa, meant to encourage young children in South Africa to pursue science. She is a Fellow with both the Royal Society of South Africa and at the University of Cape Town. Not only has she done research on the micro structure of dinosaur bones, but her current work is looking at early mammals and early bird species. Her dedication to educating people on the ancient world, and drawing connections between early species and modern birds and mammals using the newest radiological and microbiological techniques are admirable. Microscopic examination gives us a whole new portal into understanding ancient life.
http://www.biologicalsciences.uct.ac.za/bio/staff/academic/chinsamyturan
The paleontologist who I have found that I would like to work with is a woman named Karen Chin. She is at the University of Colorado where she's an Associate Professor for the Department of Geological Sciences, and also a Curator of Paleontology at their Museum of Natural History. She originally got into paleontology after she got a job at the Museum of the Rockies and became fascinated with fossils. At the time she had been studying modern grasslands at Montana state, and made a complete switch due to her interests. Karen's main research involves trying to reconstruct ancient ecosystems (mainly Mesozoic paleo-communities). Her main tool in conducting this research is through finding and studying coprolites (feces). One of her most fascinating finds was when she was examining a Tyrannosaurid coprolite from Canada and found fossilized muscle tissue! Her research on this was published in 2003. Chin loves working in the field, but explains that each hour of work in the field leads to many hours in the lab and under the microscope. I find Chin an inspiration because she found something that she loved to do and went for it, even when she was on a different path. That is very cool!
The link to information on Paleontogist Karen Chin :
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=paleopeople&interview_id=14
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/skeleton-of-tyrannosaurus-rex-discovered
I was hoping to find an openly out or queer dinosaur paleontologist to really get away from the typical "white male" image in our textbook but alas my research was not conclusive. However, I did find something on a female dinosaur paleontologist who made an amazing discovery of a Tyrannosaurus rex while she was exploring the Badlands with her golden retriever. Sue Hendrickson made the discovery on August 12th, 1990 which appeals to me because my birthday is August 12th. Pretty trivial but interesting. Sue Hendrickson is self taught, which I really admire, and specializes in fossil inclusion in amber.
http://naturalsciences.org/nature-research-center/directors/lindsay-zanno
I would like to work with Dr. Lindsay Zanno. She is a young, ambitions and successful paleontosist. She is currently working in the US and was recently awarded one of the leading experts on a(.. bizarre group of herbivorous theropods dubbed therizinosaurs, some species of which possessed scythe-shaped hand claws and more than five feet in length.) (para 1). I respect Dr. Zanno for taking risks and looking for new species. Keep up the great work Dr. Zanno and I look forward to following your hard work.
If given the opportunity, I would definitely want to work with Caitlin R Kiernan. She is a paleontologist and a fantasy author who is very strong in her opinions and conviction towards equality for men and women in the workplace. Her early career was in vertebrate paleontology, and she co wrote a paper on a new species of mosasaur called Selmasaurus russelli. She has published fantasy novels and scientific journals alike. She seems so interesting and passionate about all of her work. I feel like I would feel empowered in her presence and inspired to accomplish many different things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caitl%C3%ADn_R._Kiernan
I'd like to direct your attention over to Darren Naish, a near middle-aged paleontologist without a beard. Based out of the United Kingdom, he has worked with other paleontologists to successfully identify one of the earliest of the tyrannosauroidea, unique in that it is much smaller than your usual Tyrannosaurus and is equipped with proportional forelimbs! The reason why I would follow this guy out in the field is because he's an avid cryptozoologist as well. In case neither of you have heard of cryptozoology, it's basically the study of bigfoot, loch ness monster and other speculative creatures. I've been interested in cryptids (as they're called) for quite some time and I find Darren's research to be interesting from the articles I've read of his in National Geographic. One of his recent ideas based on his research is of that of a dolphin-like dinosaur that possibly outlived most dinosaurs. His new book, Cryptozoologicon, explores the highly speculative existence of cryptids and their fictional biology. It's quite the read, if any one is interested in exploring the subject.
A rather interesting Paleontologist that I would like to work with is Gerta Keller.
Raised in Switzerland, she grew up in poverty, but earned her PHD from Stanford University in 1978, and now teaches at Princeton. She contests the widely accepted theory that dinosaurs became extinct because of an impact that resulted in the Chicxulub crater. Instead, she thinks that Volcanos emitting sulfur and carbon dioxide, and errupting repeatedly had a lot more to do with the extinction of the dinosaurs. While her ideas may be controversial, I think it would be extremely interesting to pick her brain about the different theories regarding extinction.
http://www.npr.org/2013/02/07/171170142/fresh-clues-in-dinosaur-whodunit-point-to-asteroid
I would like to work with Paul Sereno. Paul earned his doctorate in geology at Columbia University. He discovered several new dinosaur species on five continents. He and his team discovered the first dinosaurs in Argentina in 1988 and his teams have excavated more than 70 tons of dinosaur fossils in Sahara in the early 1990s. He also found the Asian continent's first dinosaur skull and discovered a herd of more than 20 dinosaurs that died in their tracks.
His achievements are very impressive, and he also had several award recognitions. I believe working with Dr. Sereno would be a great opportunity to learn and explore, and there would be a chance to discover fossil with his team
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/paul-sereno/
LEI WANG
A paleontologist I've been wanting to have coffee and biscuits with for quite a while is Dr. Robert Bakker. He's known as a bit of a "wild man" in paleontology because of his outspokenness in disagreeing with some popular paleontological theories. He focuses on recreating the world of the dinosaurs, in great detail, so that we can gain a deeper understanding of what is was like to be alive in their time. He wrote a great book, that I highly recommend, called "Raptor Red". It follows a female Utahraptor through the loss of her mate, and her fight for survival in the Jurassic world. The detail is wonderful, steeped in paleontology research; her world really comes alive! I would like to work with Dr. Bakker because of his focus on recreating the world of the dinosaurs, not just reconstructing their bones.
Here's a link:
http://www.hmns.org/?option=com_content&id=88&Itemid=94
So this may be cheating. I love movies. And if you have ever heard of this little movie called Jurassic Park, you have probably heard of him and how he’s friends of Steven Spielberg. And if not, you might notice his name on our textbook. He's the one who came up with the theory of what the parasaurolophus sounded like. With the tube and all. Perhaps not fully out of the status quo as suggested, but what a cool dude. I would be an honor just to shadow him during a day of his normal routine.
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/fae/dbw.htm
Sorry forgot to add his name :(
David B. Weishampel
So this may be cheating. I love movies. And if you have ever heard of this little movie called Jurassic Park, you have probably heard of him and how he’s friends of Steven Spielberg. And if not, you might notice his name on our textbook. He's the one who came up with the theory of what the parasaurolophus sounded like. With the tube and all. Perhaps not fully out of the status quo as suggested, but what a cool dude. I would be an honor just to shadow him during a day of his normal routine.
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/chamber/mantell.html
GIDEON & MARYANN MANTELL
I have to admit that I have used this link twice in different homework. It is because I think this couple fits both topics well. On the way of researching science, this couple would be interesting to work with. For me, I think MaryAnn is a attractive women. As a qualified wife, she helps her husband on dinosaur research. Meanwhile, as a independent woman, she chased for a better life bravely. It is a challenging choice to divorced with a talented paleontologis.I would love to chat with MaryAnn and learn her wisdom and brave.
I too actually chose Paul Sereno but I see that my classmate Lei Wang chose him and I believe the rule is that we cannot duplicate, I also look at the things i could find on Diego Pol. Mr.Pol is a 40 year old paleontologist from Rasario Santa Fe. He currently works as a researcher of Conicet in the Paleontological Museum and has a degree in bio sciences. There is really one reason I believe I would have a great experience shadowing and or assisting Diego is because everything I have heard and read about him is seemingly full of skill. I am very attracted to learning new things and my findings of him lead me to believe that he would be a twin spirit.
Paleontologist/Geologist David Wilcots
He has over 20 years of experience and also has experience as a geologist. He lives in philidelphia and also does work in Delaware. Notably he has been a field expeditionist for the Burke Museam here in Seattle. I would like to go on an expedition with him and bring back our finds to Seattle. I also found that he does nature photography as well which is a small interest of mine. Finally, I find his work with geology interesting with being paired with the study of Paleontology.
I would like to work with David Bottjer, he is a paleontologist who just recently won an award for scientific excellence for long term, outstanding contributions to sedimentary geology. It is said he won because he pushes the boundaries in paleontology, and that's exactly the type of person I would like to work with
http://news.usc.edu/61372/usc-scientist-awarded-for-excellence-in-paleontology/
I would like to work with Victoria Arbour; she is a paleontologist originally from the University of Alberta, but recently moved to North Carolina State University to begin her postdoctoral research. Victoria Arbour is focusing her work on the phylogenetic relation of Ankylosaurid dinosaurs; the relationship between the four types of Ankylosaurid dinosaurs. Her work is interesting to me because she revisited the idea of the Ankylosaurid dinosaurs and found that there was more than one genus. The Ankylosaurid dinosaurs are very interesting because of their club-tails and the way they used them to defend themselves.
http://ncsu.academia.edu/VictoriaArbour
When starting my search for a paleontologist to work with I was searching for one that primarily worked in Arizona because that is where I was born and raised. I found Paleontologist David Elliot that worked out of the Northern Arizona University School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability but further researched led me to his wife Judy Elliot. She is a paleontologist from Australia that has worked to uncover many fossils. She is also the creator of the award-winning magazine "Australian Age of Dinosaurs Journal." Her journal has won awards for 3 years in a row. It would be a great pleasure of mine to work with her and all she does towards the study of fossils.
The first link I posted is the original website I started reading about David Elliot. The second link is about Judy Elliot and the amazing magazine she made.
http://greatcretaceouswalk.blogspot.com/2010/12/australian-age-of-dinosaurs-is-now.html
http://australianageofdinosaurs.com/news-whitley-award-09.php
I would like to work with Patricia Vickers-Rich: Paleontologist/Geologist/Ornithologist. Her experience is as varied as her travels. She has a BA in Paleontology, a MA in Geology, published over 10 books, had several research positions, and been a lecturer. She, along with her husband Dr. Tom Rich, has made some important finds that contribute to our understanding of dinosaurs. In 1997 Patricia and her husband discovered a fossilized jaw bone measuring 16mm in length that changed the theories on the evolutionary process of mammals.
http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/monmag/issue1-98/fossil.html
Kathryn O'Connor
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