My research focuses on the interplay between biogeographic changes and faunal dynamics during the Late Devonian Biodiversity Crisis and Late Ordovician Richmondian Invasion. This work involves developing and implementing GIS methods to examine invasive species phenomenon during key intervals in the history of life. Other current biogeographic projects involve Miocene horses of North America and Mesozoic vertebrates of Gondwana.

I am also involved in several other projects including a project examining exceptional preservation of a non-mineralizing arthropod fauna from Jurassic lacustrine deposits in Antarctica and the systematics and taphonomy of crustaceans in general, with a particular emphasis on conchostracans.

I consider educational outreach to be an important component of my career. I routinely participate in efforts to promote science to K-12 girls and provide presentations to school, public organizations, and amateur fossil groups. I think it is important as a scientist to educate the public, particularly K-12 students, about the nature of scientific inquiry, geologic processes, and the evidence of biotic evolution through fossils. I also incorporate interactions with local Bahamians into my Carbonates of the Bahamas field course.

I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, home to spectacular Upper Ordovician shallow marine deposits.  I spent many hours collecting and identifying fossils in the local streams growing up which helped foster my interest in invertebrate paleontology. 

I attended the Ohio State University as an undergraduate and majored in Biology and Geological Sciences, focusing my studies on the interplay between these fields, especially within arthropod paleobiology where I worked with Loren Babcock on crayfish phylognetics. 

I completed my MS and PhD in the Department of Geology at the University of Kansas with Bruce Lieberman. During my graduate work, I focused on developing GIS methods for paleobiogeography, phylogenetics of Devonian brachiopods, bivalves, and crustaceans, and implementing methods to assess and analyze speciation decline during the Late Devonian Biodiversity Crisis.

When not busy with teaching and research, I enjoy traveling with my husband, Dan--prefereably to places with amazing geology, hiking, and new cultures...and occasionally great paleontology as well. As of April 2008, I will have been to all 50 States, so my next goal is all 7 continents (3 down, 4 to go).

Recent trips have included: the Canary Islands-a chain of volcanic islands off the coast of Africa; Alaska--including both the spectacular Alaska Range and the retreating coastal glaciers; and hiking in both the Shenandoah and Smoky Mountain ranges of the Appalachian Mountain Belt. Former favorite trips include the Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rockies and the French Alps. In June 2008, we are headed to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and visit the Amazon Rainforest.

Of course, hiking in beautiful southeast Ohio with our dog, Parker, is always great.

Thank you for visiting my website. If you have any questions about my research or would like reprints of any of my papers, send me an email.

Copyright © 2007 Alycia Stigall
Web page last updated 7/29/08
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