William Reyes

William  Reyes
B.S., Geosciences (Geochemistry), The University of Houston-Downtown, 2018
Ph.D., Geosciences (Vertebrate Paleontology), The University of Texas at Austin, expected 2025


Supervisor


Generally, I am interested in the macroevolutionary processes that determine how terrestrial vertebrates have responded to periods of climatic fluctuations in earth's history. My research is focused on increasing our understanding of the endocranial morphology, paleoneurology, and paleoecology of Late Triassic pseudosuchians (crocodilian-relatives), particularly that of aetosaurs from North America. Additionally, I'm interested in the origins of the dominant archosaur clades seen in the Triassic and the evolution of these vertebrates in a global aspect.

Much of my research is collections based and heavy in the use of high-resolution computed tomography. Most of my fieldwork has been focused on studying the vertebrate fauna and stratigraphy of the Late Triassic Chinle Formation throughout Utah and Arizona, locations include: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Glen Canyon, and, currently, Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO).

Current Research Projects

Studying the covariation between brain-endocasts and cranial phenotypes within the Aetosauria

NSF Graduate Student Research Fellowship - National Science Foundation (2021)

Graduate Student Mentoring Fellowship - The University of Texas at Austin (2020 - 2021)