PALEOENTOMOLOGY

Dr. Dena M. Smith, Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences

Research Program

My research is broadly focused on insects in the fossil record. Insects constitute the most diverse group of organisms on the planet and although they have received great attention from researchers who work on modern insects, there are few workers in the country who use the fossil record to study the evolution of insects. To study evolution, I work at very different spatial and temporal scales – conducting both in depth field-based research at targeted localities and large-scale literature based research across multiple geologic time intervals. I also conduct studies in modern ecosystems and in the lab in order to learn more about the specifics of plant-insect interactions and processes of fossilization. My research program has three main emphases; 1) Insects and Climate Change, 2) Diversity Patterns through geologic time, and 3) Sampling and Taphonomy.

Invertebrate Paleontology Collections

The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History was first established in 1902 and houses anthropological, botanical, entomological, paleontological and zoological collections. The mission of the CU Museum can be divided into three specific goals; 1) to provide support for scholarly research, 2) to provide instructional support for the university and 3) to provide extra-classroom educational opportunities for the university and general public.

The paleontology section of the CU Museum has focused on the Paleogene fossil record of the Rocky Mountain region, but we do have specimens that range throughout the Phanerozoic, originating from localities across the globe. Invertebrate Paleontology now has approximately 300,000 fossil marine invertebrates, terrestrial invertebrates and plants in the collection. We are among the few museums worldwide to have sizeable and historically important fossil arthropod collections, including over 300 insect and spider holotypes. We now have over 75,000 insect compression fossils from Creede, Florissant , Green River , Latah and Pitch Pinnacle Formations as well as Cockerell’s fossil insect collections from Argentina and Siberia (not yet curated). Cockerell, Lanham and Rohwer collected much of the fossil insect material in the early 1900s, although new material is now being collected and accessioned into our holdings from the Green River Formation and Pitch Pinnacle of Colorado.

Teaching Program

I teach several courses through the Department of Geological Sciences and the Museum and Field Studies Program. I serve as an advisor to MS and PhD candidates in the Geological Sciences and MS students in the Museum and Field Studies Program. I have served on student committees at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in Anthropology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geological Sciences and the Museum and Field Studies Program. I have had the opportunity to work with undergraduate interns through the SMART Program, SURE Program, UROP, Geology Mentorship Program, CU Honors Program, RECESS Program and Independent Study Projects.
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