Students

I. Postdoctoral Fellows:

Dr.  Krister Smith (PhD 2007, Yale University), VPL postdoc 2007-2008

Current position: Assistant Curator, Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany.

Dr. Jessica Maisano (PhD 2000, Yale University), JSG postdoc 2007-2008

Current position: Facilities Manager, University of Texas High Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility.

Dr. Oscar Alcober (PhD 1996, Univ. San Juan, Argentina), VPL postdoc 1997-1998

Current position: Director, Instituto Y Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Argentina.

II. Doctoral Students:

Dr.  Eric Ekdale (PhD 2009, UT Jackson School of Geosciences)

Dissertation: Variability in the Bony Labyrinth in Living and Extinct Placental Mammals.

Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, San Diego Natural History Museum.

Dr.  Nina Triche (PhD 2007, UT Jackson School of Geosciences)

Dissertation: Phylogeny and Evolutionary Biogeography of Penguins.

Current position: Petroleum Paleontologist, Hunt Oil, Houston

Dr.  Thomas Edward Macrini (PhD 2006, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: The Evolution of Endocranial Space in Mammals and Non-Mammalian cynodonts.

Current position: Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas.

Dr.  Ronald S. Tykoski (PhD 2005, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Anatomy, Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Coelophysid Theropods.

Current position: Chief Technician, Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, Texas.

Dr.  Jonathan Franzosa (PhD 2004, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Evolution of the Brain in Theropod Dinosaurs.

Current position: Science teacher, Anderson Academy, Austin

Dr.  John Chaille (PhD 2001, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: The Relationship of Mammalian Morphometric Diversity to Environmental Variations and Its Use in Paleoclimatic Reconstructions.

Current position: Retired

Dr.  Pamela Owen (PhD 2000, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Phylogenetic Relationships Among American Badgers (Taxidiinae) and the Evolution of the Badger Ecomorph.

Current position: Senior Educator, Texas Natural Sciences Center.

Dr.  Matthew W. Colbert (PhD 1999, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Patterns of Evolution and Variation in the Tapiroidea (Mammalia: Perissodactyla).

Current position: Research Engineer-Scientist, University of Texas High Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Facility.

Dr.  John W. Merck, Jr. (PhD 1997, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Phylogenetic Analysis of Euryapsidan reptlies.

Current position: Senior Lecturer and Assistant Director, Earth, Life and Time Program, University of Maryland.

Dr.  Christopher A. Brochu (PhD 1997, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Phylogenetic systematics and taxonomy of Crocodylia.

Current position: Associate Professor, Department of Geology, University of Iowa.

Dr.  Jeffrey Gill Pittman (PhD 1992, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: Stratigraphy, Lithology, and Depositional Environments of Dinosaur Track-bearing Beds of the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Current position: Lecturer, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas.

Dr.  Gorden Lee Bell, Jr. (PhD 1992, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Dissertation: A Systematic Revision of the Mosasauridae (Reptilia, Squamata) Based on a Phylogenetic Model of Relationships.

Current position: Geologist, Resource Management Division, National Park Service, Guadelupe Mountains National Park, Texas.

III. Masters Students:

Ms. Heather Ahrens (MS 2010, UT Jackson School of Geosciences)

Thesis: Craniodental Morphology of the Raccoon, Procyon lotor, and the Relationships of Procyonidae.

Current position: PhD student, Johns Hopkins University.

Ms. Amy Balanoff (MS 2003, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Osteological Description of an Embryonic skeleton of the Extinct Elephant Bierd, Aepyornis (Paleognathae: raritae) (with CD-ROM supplement).

Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, American Museum of Natural History.

Mr. David L. DuFeau (MS 2003, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: The Cranial Anatomy of the Theropod Dinosaur Shuvuuia deserti (Coelurosauria: Alvarezsauridae), and its bearing upojn coelurosaurian phylogeny (with CD-ROM supplement).

Current position: PhD candidate, Ohio University.

Ms. Nina Triche (MS 2003, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Cranial Osteology of Caiman crocodiles and implications for its systematic placement (with CD-ROM supplement).

Current position: Petroleum Paleontologist, Hunt Oil, Houston.

Mr. Gerald Grellet-Tinner (MS 2001, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: The Use of Eggs and Eggshells in Phylogenetic Analysis.

Current position: Assistant Professor, South Dakota School of Mines.

Mr. Thomas Edward Macrini (MS 2000, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: High Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) of the skull of an Extant Opossum (Monodelphis domestica) and a comparison of its Ontogeny to Synapsid Phylogeny (with CD-ROM supplement).

Current position: Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas.

Mr. Ronald S. Tykoski (MS 1998, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: The Osteology of Syntarsus kayentakatae.

Current position: Chief Technician, Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, Texas.

Ms. Mary Stewart Miller (MA 1997, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Late Campanian Squamate Reptiles of the Terlingua Local Fauna.

Current position: Senior Educator, Austin Science and Nature Center.

Ms. Kyoko Kishi (MA 1995, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Computer Multimedia Software for Education in Geology (with CD-ROM supplement).

Current position: Senior Systems Analyst, University of Texas Center for Teaching and Learning.

Ms. Mary Amy Sheldon (MA 1995, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Ontogeny of Selected North American Mosasaurs.

Current position: High School Teacher, Alabama.

Mr. Christopher A. Brochu (MA 1992, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Comparative Limb Ontogeny of Fossil and Recent Crocodylotarsan Archosaurs.

Current position: Associate Professor, Department of Geology, University of Iowa.

Ms. Anne Inger Weil (MA 1992, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Stratigraphic and Faunal Analysis of Cretaceous Mammal Site, Big Bend.

Current position: Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Cell biology, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Science.

IV. Undergraduate Honors Theses:

Ms. Sharon Bruyere (BS 1994, UT Department of Geological Sciences)

Thesis: Software Applications in Authorware.

Current position: Image analyst, US Navy.

Mr. Paul David Polly (BA 1987, UT Plan II)

Thesis: Relationships of the Procyonidae, Canidae, and Felidae: A Cladistic Analysis.

Current position: Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Indiana.