David Jablonski
Encyclopedia
David Jablonski is an American professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago
. His research focuses upon the ecology and biogeography of the origin of major novelties, the evolutionary role of mass extinctions—in particular the K-T extinction
—and other large-scale processes in the history of life. As a lecturer, he is known for his extreme enthusiasm.
Jablonski was educated at Columbia University
(earning his B.A.
in 1974) and completed his graduate work at Yale
(with his M.S.
in 1976 and Ph.D.
in 1979). As an undergraduate he worked at The American Museum of Natural History
in the City of New York
, NY. Then continued his postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara
and the University of California, Berkeley
. In 1985 he was hired by the University of Chicago.
In 1988 the Paleontological Society awarded Jablonski with the Charles Schuchert Award
, which is given to persons under 40 "whose work reflects excellence and promise in paleontology". In 2010 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. His research focuses upon the ecology and biogeography of the origin of major novelties, the evolutionary role of mass extinctions—in particular the K-T extinction
Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event
The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, formerly named and still commonly referred to as the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, occurred approximately 65.5 million years ago at the end of the Maastrichtian age of the Cretaceous period. It was a large-scale mass extinction of animal and plant...
—and other large-scale processes in the history of life. As a lecturer, he is known for his extreme enthusiasm.
Jablonski was educated at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(earning his B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1974) and completed his graduate work at Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(with his M.S.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1976 and Ph.D.
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1979). As an undergraduate he worked at The American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in the City of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, NY. Then continued his postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
and the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. In 1985 he was hired by the University of Chicago.
In 1988 the Paleontological Society awarded Jablonski with the Charles Schuchert Award
Charles Schuchert Award
The Charles Schuchert Award is presented by the Paleontological Society to a person under 40 whose work reflects excellence and promise in the science of paleontology .- Awardees :...
, which is given to persons under 40 "whose work reflects excellence and promise in paleontology". In 2010 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
.
Selected publications
- Jablonski, D. ed. et al. (1996) Evolutionary Paleobiology Univ. of Chicago Press ISBN 0-226-38913-8
- Jablonski, D. et al. (1997) Macroevolution in the 21st Century. International Senckenberg Conference and Workshop.
- Jablonski, D. (1999) The future of the fossil record. Science 284: 2114-2116.
- Jablonski, D. (2000) Micro- and macroevolution: scale and hierarchy in evolutionary biology and paleobiology. Paleobiology 26(4): 15-52.
- Jablonski, D. (2001) Lessons from the past: evolutionary impacts of mass extinctions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98: 5393-98.
- Jablonski, D. (2002) Survival without recovery after mass extinctions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 8139-8144.
- Jablonski, D. (2002) A more modern synthesis American Scientist 90 (July–August): 368-371.
- Jablonski, D. (2004) Extinction: Past and present. Nature 427: 589
- Jablonski, D. (2005) Mass extinctions and macroevolution Paleobiology 31(2): 192-210.
- Jablonski, D. (2007) Scale and hierarchy in macroevolution. Palaeontology 50: 87-109.