Professor Dr. Susan Kidwell

Biography

Susan Kidwell is the William Rainey Harper Professor at the University of Chicago, specializing in Geophysical Sciences, particularly in the fields of Stratigraphy and Taphonomy. Her research primarily focuses on understanding fossil records and community structure through the study of fossil assemblages and their ecological fidelity. Kidwell's work involves analyzing time-averaged remains, exploring the skewness in biological information due to various post-mortem processes, and employing ship-based fieldwork to gather insights into the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems. A substantial portion of her research examines urban southern California's marine fossil records and how these relate to historical environmental changes due to anthropogenic influences. She has extensively published in renowned journals, addressing topics such as the biological effects of climate variability on marine ecosystems, and the significance of dead data patterns in understanding biodiversity and conservation. Kidwell emphasizes the importance of rigorous mechanistic understanding of sediment and skeletal preservation to help manage coastal resources and advocate for effective environmental policy.

Research Interests

Experience