Tidbits

 

Congratulations are due!
To Tony Barnosky and former graduate student Chris Bell, whose research on the role of climate change and biodiversity was highlighted in the UC Berkeley News. Tony is also to be congratulated on the receipt of an NSF grant to complete work on the MIOMAP project.
To Jim Kurpius, who completed his dissertation and Doctoral Degree. His research focuses on the evolutionary patterns of both living and extinct taxa of the rocky, nearshore marine systems.
To Ben Matzen, who completed his Masters Degree. His thesis was entitled “Bradysaurus Cranial Material from the Tapinocephalus Zone of the Karoo Basin, South Africa.” Ben is now working as a paleontologist at LSA Associates.
To Caroline Strömberg, who completed her Doctoral Degree and is now working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. Her dissertation was entitled “The origin and spread of grass-dominated ecosystems during the Tertiary of North America and how it relates to the evolution of hypsodonty in equids.”
To Carole Hickman, who was invited to give the opening lecture at a Rockefeller conference on “The Influence of Cooperative Bacteria on Animal Host Biology” in Italy last October. Carole is to be further congratulated having been selected as


J. Howard Hutchison with David Haasl
David Haasl (right), editor of PaleoBios, presents Howard Hutchison with the latest issue of the journal, which honors Hutch’s contributions to the study of fossil turtles. (photo by Colleen Whitney)
  Carole Hickman and Kevin Padian celebrated
The UCMP community has an informal celebration for award recipients Carole Hickman (with cake) and Kevin Padian (with mug). (photo by Colleen Whitney)

the 2003 recipient of the Gilbert Harris Award, presented each year by the Paleontological Research Institute in recognition of excellence in contributions to systematic paleontology.
To Samantha Hopkins, who received a Sigma Xi grant to fund a study on the use of oxygen isotopes in small mammal teeth as a signal adaptation to arid environments.
To Andrew Lee, who passed his orals! His research focuses on the relationship between structure and function of limb bones in dinosaurs.
To J. Howard Hutchison, to whom the recent issue of PaleoBios, a peer-reviewed journal published by UCMP, was dedicated for his contributions to paleontology. Howard was recognized for more than 30 years of work documenting North American turtles from the late Jurassic through the Cenozoic, and, as cited in the dedication, for his “continuing influence in mentoring and engaging others in the study of fossil turtles.”
To Kevin Padian who received the 2003 Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization sponsored by Annual Reviews, Inc. and Wonderfest. The award recognizes Kevin’s efforts to increase the public understanding of science and to improve the quality of science education. And further congratulations are due to three more students—see the Interim Director’s Letter.

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January, 2004