At heart I consider myself a paleoecologist, with a wide range of research interests related to taphonomy, comparative anatomy, paleobiogeography, and functional morphology. I have done extensive field work in Texas, Wyoming, and Utah. To date, my research has focused on two main areas: 1) the interplay between climate patterns, local environmental conditions, and vertebrate diversity at different spatial scales; and 2) using functional morphological and biomechanical principles to understand the ecology and evolution of dinosaurs and Mesozoic communities. Currently I am using geometric morphometrics to examine shape variation in fossil claws as well as studying the internal anatomy of bird claws to better reconstruct dinosaur claw soft tissue anatomy. This work allows for exploration of ecological differences between theropod species and the evolution of the theropod forelimb, especially with regards to the evolution of flight.
