Sterling Nesbitt

My research focuses on the evolution of Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrate assemblages through major Earth events (e.g., climate change, extinctions) with a keen interest in reptile evolution. To examine events like the origin of dinosaurs and the evolution of faunas in the Triassic Period (252 - 202 Ma), I have concentrated on the origin and early evolution of archosaurs, a large group of vertebrates that includes crocodylians, dinosaurs, birds, and all their close relatives.

Particularly, I am interested in the evolution of character systems (e.g., hindlimb evolution), growth dynamics (e.g., tracking changes in ontogeny), and reconstructing phylogenetic relationships of reptiles from the Triassic. Our diverse vertebrate evolution research group (lab) looks at preservation, axial systems, and growth and how all three of these factors influences interpretations of morphology, convergent evolution, and phylogeny. To answer our questions, we travel to museums around the world and conduct fieldwork in Zambia, Tanzania, Argentina, Arizona, and New Mexico. I teach courses on the evolution of life, vertebrates, and Earth.

Education

Ph.D. Geosciences, Columbia University, 2009

B.A. Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley, 2004

Homepage:

https://vtpaleobiology.wixsite.com/nesbittvtpaleo