Staff
Resident Staff
Luis M. Chiappe, Ph.D.
Director
Curator, Dept. of Vertebrate Paleontology
As the Director of the Dinosaur Institute, I supervise all of the Institute's programs. My research is centered around the evolution of archosaurs, a group of reptiles that includes crocodiles, pterosaurs (flying reptiles), dinosaurs and their descendants, the birds.
My research takes me all over the world, and is strongly based on field work-over the last 20 years, I have conducted field work in United States, Argentina, Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. One of the core programs of my research is the origin and early evolution of birds. Together with my students and associates, I have documented the existence of numerous species of Mesozoic birds and nonavian theropod dinosaurs, and provided detailed analyses of their genealogical relationships. The foundation provided by these genealogical studies have led to inferences about the evolution of many attributes of birds and it has helped to decipher the evolutionary steps taken between the dinosaurian forerunners of early birds and their modern counterparts.
Another important program of my research activities deals with the reproductive behavior and development of sauropod dinosaurs. Much of this work has been centered in the exceptional sauropod nesting site of Auca Mahuevo, in Patagonia (Argentina), a site my associates and I discovered in 1997. I am also an Adjunct Professor at University of Southern California and a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim and the Alexander Humboldt foundations.
Published Works
Doug Goodreau
Lab Supervisor
As Lab Supervisor of the Dinosaur Institute, I'm responsible for training, advising and directly assisting our volunteers, in addition to contract paleontological preparatory staff, in all phases of fossil preparation. With over 15 years of experience, I currently organize crews and equipment for national/international field expeditions in an effort to continuously build our dinosaur collection at the museum. Our team does everything from prospecting, discovering, documenting, and collecting fossil material brought into our lab, which is then cleaned thoroughly using state-of-the-art equipment, materials and techniques.
We're constantly challenged by the delicate nature and wide range of fossil remains to be stabilized as proficiently as possible, which in turn is often molded, cast and painted for exhibit/networking with other institutions. My service in the United States Marine Corps right out of high school prepared me well for the many harsh conditions we often face when doing fieldwork each season. I have also pursued careers in special effects makeup and as an embalmer, specializing in restorative art (the reconstruction of severely traumatized human remains). These skills have also been supplemented by college studies in geology and biology.
I never could have imagined my childhood fascination with dinosaurs would come full circle with the fossil preparation work I do at the Dinosaur Institute. As varied as my background expertise and interests have been, they have enabled me to become an invaluable tool in The Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Aisling Farrell
Curatorial Assistant
As the Curatorial Assistant for the Dinosaur Institute I am involved in many of our current projects, as well as maintaining the present dinosaur collections, helping to prepare new specimens in the lab and participating in our expeditions. I believe that having a well curated and easily accessible collection is extremely important, for both research and for the protection of important specimens. I love this job because it allows me to get involved with all manner of projects from the collection of dinosaur fossils in the field, to education and museum exhibits.
My interests in the natural world span the vast realms of both the past and present. I completed my undergraduate degree in Earth Science, majoring in Zoology and followed that with a Master's degree in Taxonomy and Biodiversity. My research focused on pipefish and seahorse systematics, creatures that have always fascinated me. Throughout my travels I have worked and volunteered at many institutions. These experiences have given me opportunities to join all kinds of expeditions, from collecting fossils in Mexico to biodiversity studies in Europe and Australia.
Stephanie Abramowicz
Illustrator
I recently received my BFA from the University of Southern California where I emphasized in painting and drawing. As science illustrator for the Dinosaur Institute I get to engage my love for art with my interest in natural science and my passion for detail and precision.
The illustrations I make are often used to help interpret information for scientific publications, graduate proposals, or press releases. These diagrams and depictions often take the form of skeletal reconstructions, line drawings or fleshed out renderings. In addition to creating images I also have the opportunity to participate in field work. It's great to be able to be involved is so many different parts of the process of dinosaur research-finding and excavating specimens, mapping, visually reconstructing and preparing figures for publication. For me, the challenge to combine scientific precision with artistic sensibility is exciting and it is what I find most appealing about my work
Selected Works
Doyle Trankina
Fossil Preparator
I graduated from the University of Southern California where I studied sculpture and illustration. With a background in special effects, toy prototyping, and fine art, I developed much of the dexterity and attention to detail necessary for fossil preparation. Deciphering what is bone and what is dirt can be difficult, so it helps to have a good eye and soft touch.
In addition to cleaning and preparing dinosaur specimens for exhibition, I also assist in prospecting and collecting new specimens on our field expeditions. With a team of technicians, students, researchers, and our director Luis Chiappe, we work together to open new quarries and recover the fossils efficiently and safely, so that they may be prepared either by myself, Dinosaur Institute staff or volunteers.
Although I primarily work as fossil preparator, I do work occasionally as an artist for the Dinosaur Institute and museum. I have worked on museum exhibits in the past and remain involved in sculptural fossil reconstruction, fabrication, mold making, casting, as well as teaching some of these techniques through the Museum's Adventures in Nature program.
Selected Works
Karin Rice
Fossil Preparator
I'm a geologist by training with industry experience in environmental and engineering geology, and paleontological resource mitigation. I'm also a graduate student with interests in active tectonics in central Mongolia and syntectonic sedimentation associated with retroarc foreland basin development.
My love of geology is a direct result of my early love of fossils fostered by family fossil hunting trips led by my mother. Though I was originally fascinated by marine invertebrate fossils, I've grown increasingly fond of marine and terrestrial vertebrates over almost four years of paleontological monitoring on construction sites.
There's nothing like being the first person to uncover a 9 million year old whale skull or pick up a 10,000 year old mastodon tooth, and as a geologist I'm always thinking about the sedimentary environment the fossils were deposited in.
Preparing dinosaur bones that are over 65 million years old is a thrill that is nearly unmatched, except maybe by discovering them.
Paige Johnson
Fossil Preparator
As a Paleontological Preparator for the Dinosaur Institute I am helping to prepare specimens that will be displayed in the new dinosaur gallery. I graduated from Occidental College with a degree in Philosophy and Studio Art, however, I have always had a strong interest in biology and natural science, especially biodiversity and evolution. I first became involved with the museum through volunteering in the Marine Biodiversity Processing Center, where I realized how much I enjoyed working in collections. I enjoy fossil preparation because it allows me to incorporate artistic techniques with natural science, and I love having the opportunity to learn so much first hand. It is very exciting to be a part of this department and I am thrilled to be involved in the transformation of the museum.
Karl Urhausen
Fossil Preparator
I received a BFA in painting from California State University Long Beach. A great love of the past has lead me to diverse fields of interests from contraptionaria, to Fine Model building, Miniatures and instrument making. I have a background in Painting, Sculpture and antiquities conservation, with an emphasis on the preservation of leather and wood.
As a preparator for the Dinosaur Institute I am called upon to utilize a full range of skills. Every piece presents a series of challenges that require unique solutions. In the world of the museum one can easily get lost, sooner or later you may end up as part of an exhibit!
Leann Moore
Fossil Preparator
I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Anthropology - Cultural Resource Management option. Although I am interested in all fields of anthropology - archaeology and ethnobotany were my primary undergraduate research interests. I enjoy learning a little bit about everything and my interests are constantly expanding.
I was cross-trained in paleontology field and lab techniques while working as an archaeological field monitor over the past four years. I found that I loved working with fossils because it often felt like I was solving a puzzle – removing dirt to reveal the shape of the bone, finding pieces that fit together, and literally putting a piece of Earth's history into our record of understanding.
Preparing Dinosaur fossils for curation and display at the museum is an exciting new opportunity and I feel very fortunate to be part of it.
Robert Cripps
Fossil Preparator
A childhood love of dinosaurs and previous volunteer work at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum has led to my current position as a Paleontological Preparator here at the Dinosaur Institute.
Originally from Adelaide, South Australia and having a background in special effects makeup and photography, I have always held a strong appreciation for the Earth Sciences and enjoy working as a team player in this fascinating department.
Not only is everyday a satisfying learning experience but it also yields a high degree of satisfaction from being involved in such important work for what is truly one of North America's finest museums.
Sara Bertelli, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
My general research interests relate to the systematics and evolution of both extinct and living birds. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Dinosaur Institute where I am focusing on fossil birds from Denmark, the oldest and best-preserved fossils of modern birds. After graduating with a PhD from The Universidad Nacional de Tucuman (in Argentina where I grew up), I accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the American Museum of Natural History in New York where I examined such diverse groups of birds as penguins, song birds, tinamous and their relatives, the ratites (which are flightless birds such as ostriches, kiwis, and cassowaries).
My research has taken me to many countries across Europe, North America and South America where I have conducted filed studies and visited numerous museums. My current interests also concern the evolutionary relationships of the phorusracids or “terror birds”.
Published Works
Jingmai O'Connor
Graduate Student-in-Residence
I am a geology student at USC (University of Southern California) studying paleontology. My research interests lie primarily in dinosaur evolution and the new discoveries of feathered dinosaurs and early birds coming out of China.
For my doctoral dissertation, I plan to focus on a diverse group of primitive Mesozoic birds known as the Enantiornithes. These birds are not closely related to modern birds (Neornithes) and therefore have received very little attention and much about their evolutionary history and the group's genealogical interrelationships (the shape of the family tree) is still unknown. I will investigate these questions using a technique for inferring genealogy known as cladistics. Once the genealogy of these birds is better understood, I will be able to shed light on the evolutionary history of the group, in terms of how the physical features of these birds evolved and how the group adapted to new environments.
As an undergraduate studying geology, I conducted research on fossil mammals and paleomagnetics (ancient magnetic signatures imprinted in sedimentary rocks).
Published Works
Alyssa Bell
Graduate Student-in-Residence
I am a graduate student at the University of Southern California in the Earth Sciences Department. My research interests are primarily in avian evolution and the use of phylogenetics to study Cretaceous bird diversity. In particular, I am interested in resolving the systematics of a group of Late Cretaceous marine birds called hesperornithiforms.
As an undergraduate I did research on the molecular systematics of modern birds at William Jewell College and Brigham Young University. As a master's student at the University of Tennessee I worked on developing molecular techniques to use anaerobic enteric bacteria as indicators of surface water contamination.
Honorary Staff
Rodolfo A. Coria
Research Associate
Director, Museo Municipal "Carmen Funes"
Plaza Huincul, Neuquén
Argentina
My research focuses primarily on Argentine dinosaurs, especially those from Patagonia, a region that ranks among the best dinosaur graveyards.
During the last 20 years, my field and laboratory investigations have resulted in the description of a large dinosaur diversity of both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaur species and an assessment of their genealogical relationships. Some of these dinosaurs include the colossal sauropod Argentinosaurus huinculensis and the megapredator Giganotosaurus carolinii; other ones are the carnivorous Aucasaurus garridoi, Ilokelesia aguadagrandensis, Quilmesaurus currie, and Mapusaurus roseae.
The overall goal of my research is to understand how the dinosaur faunas of Patagonia evolved through time.
Published Works
Lowell Dingus, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Growing up in Southern California, I served as a volunteer at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. In 1987, I completed my dissertation at the University of California (Berkeley) and moved to New York to direct the Fossil Hall Renovation at the American Museum of Natural History.
For over 25 years, I have had the opportunity to conduct geological and paleontological field research from the remote Patagonian badlands of Argentina to the harsh Gobi Desert badlands in Mongolia to the dinosaur-bearing formations of the Missouri Breaks in East-central Montana. As a geologist, my responsibilities are somewhat different than most members of paleontological field crews. The sequence of rock layers that contains the fossils also contains the key clues that help answer numerous important questions: How long ago did the fossil animals live? How did they die? What was their habitat like? By studying the layers of rock in the field and collecting samples of the rocks to analyze back in the lab, we can learn a lot more about what the world of the dinosaurs was really like.
My interests also include public education. I have written several books for children and I am presently the President of InfoQuest, a private, non-profit foundation devoted to public education, field work, and research involving paleontology, geology and technological literacy.
Published Works
Temporary Staff
Ryan Urabe
Web Design
I am a business student at The University of Southern California, and I have been working at the museum through the federal work-study program for the past three years. My duties include the preparation, creation and retouching of images and figures for publication, as well as the design of the Dinosaur Institute's website.
A lifelong dinosaur nut, I have read Jurassic Park cover to cover around twenty to thirty times. However, growing up in Hawai`i, where no dinosaur ever lived, I was unable to go to the museum and see the fossils up close, as children can here. Now, I enjoy being near to the actual real-life research that is being done on these magnificent animals. It never fails to amaze me how little we really know about dinosaurs, and how much more we have left to find out.
Brittany Knotts
Work Study
I am a work-study student from USC and work in the Dinosaur Institute prep lab. My job is to clean and repair dinosaur fossils for the museum’s collection or for exhibit. My major is in Broadcast Journalism and I plan to pursue a career in a related field, so why then, do I work as a fossil preparator? Because I love it!
I have always been fascinated with dinosaurs and when I found the opportunity to work with fossils, I jumped on it. It is a very nice (and educational) break from the average paperwork and reading that comes with college life.
Nathan Carroll
Field Assistant
As a Field Assistant, I perform numerous jobs for the Dinosaur Institute. Since I live in southeastern Montana, I gather bulk supplies, such as plaster, for upcoming expeditions that are usually not easy to transport from Los Angeles. During the year, I prospect in Carter County and look for potential fossil sites that the Dinosaur Institute can work on the following year. By taking pictures and recording GPS information beforehand, I reduce the time, which would normally be needed to find fossils during the next expedition. In addition, many of these sites are difficult to access, so I help find and sometimes create usable routes. This involves a lot of communication with the local ranchers, many of whom I know.
Raised on a ranch in Carter County I had the fortunate opportunity of being exposed to paleontology from an early age. As a youngster, I frequently explored the curious buttes and outcroppings of the Hell Creek Formation that dot the plains of my home county. I also found it to be a great way to loosen up after a track meet or a tough football game in my high school years. In the summer of my freshman year of high school I was introduced to Dr. Luis Chiappe and the crew as they were excavating Thomas the T. rex, which happened to be about 30 minutes away from where I live. They invited me to help each following summer and I happily and eagerly accepted each invitation. This opportunity enhanced my research interests and lead me to do a high school science project on the functional morphology of T. rex teeth that I presented at Intel ISEF.
I am currently pursuing paleontology as my major at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. I feel deeply privileged to be able to chase the magnificent animals that knew a different flora and fauna of Montana than the herds of cattle now know.
