Research

Ongoing Projects

ferruginous microbialites and redox environments

This ACS-funded project is focused on the lateral changes in the expression of the unconformity surface and overlying red crust intersecting Cambrian successions of South Australia and is the subject of Clara Wong's MS thesis. 

Small Shelly Fossils and Cambrian bioherm architecture

This project looks at the transition from Lower to the Middle Cambrian biohermal structures and forms the basis for Casey Bennett's MS thesis. 

Preservational Pathways in lower Cambrian Small Shelly Fossils from South Australia

This NSF-funded project looks at preservation and sample bias in SSF datasets and forms the basis of Eury Speir’s PhD. 

Coprolites! Fossilized feces unravel feeding behaviors of Eocene vertebrates

This project forms the basis of Jeremy Webb’s MS thesis looking at the internal bone constituents to determine feeding behaviors of the producer. 

Systematics, taphonomy and paleoecology of Conulariids from the Silurian Waukesha Lagerstätte

This is a collaborative project that was the topic of April Miller’s MS thesis research. 

Shell structure, growth, and taphonomy in phosphatic brachiopods

This project looks at how micro-CT can be used to assess the growth patterns within an unusually thick-shelled species of Cambrian brachiopod.

Student Opportunities

If research is your jam I have a number of potential projects appropriate for undergraduate and graduate-level research. From Late Cambrian echinoid encrusted hardgrounds in SE Missouri, to Mesozoic fish coprolites from Kansas, to even some Orsten-style small shelly fossils from the Middle Cambrian of Queensland, Australia, and many more. 

Or you can develop your own project!

If a lab experience (and a chance to hang with a bunch of paleontologists) is more up your alley, look no further! There are several opportunities to help out in the lab, from taking photos of fossils, picking microfossils under a microscope, to making 3D models online. Check out MizzouX for our growing repository of virtual collections. 

Together with several colleagues, we are also planning to curate, digitize, and publicize the Missouri University Paleontological and Mineral Collections, plus core teaching collections. 

If any of this sounds interesting and you would like to get involved please contact me.