2007 Ph.D., Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Advisors: Kevin Padian and Bill Clemens
Title: Postcranial pneumaticity in dinosaurs and the origin of the avian lung

2001 M.S., Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Advisor: Richard L. Cifelli
Title: The evolution of vertebral pneumaticity in the Sauropoda

1997 B.S., cum laude, Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Advisor: Richard L. Cifelli
Title: A new sauropod from the Early Cretaceous of Oklahoma

INVITED TALKS AND SYMPOSIA

Wedel, M.J. May 2, 2012. What pneumaticity tells us about sauropods, and vice versa. A.

            Watson Armour III Research Seminar, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL.

Wedel, M.J. April 8, 2012. Flip-top heads, air-filled bones, and teenage pregnancy: how

            sauropod dinosaurs got so big. Natural History Museum of LA County, Los Angeles, CA.

Wedel, M.J. December 11, 2011. Sauropod pneumaticity: a report from the front lines. DFG

            533 'Evolution of Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of Bonn, Germany.

Graff, V.I., Wedel, M.J., Taylor, M.P. December 11, 2011. Neck support in sauropods. DFG

            533 'Evolution of Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of Bonn, Germany.

Naish, D., Wedel, M.J., Taylor, M.P., and Hone, D.W.E. December 11, 2011. The long necks of

          sauropods did not evolve primarily through sexual selection. DFG 533 'Evolution of

Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of Bonn, Germany.

Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. December 11, 2011. Sauropod necks: how much do we really

             know? DFG 533 'Evolution of Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of Bonn,

            Germany.

Wedel, M.J. March 23, 2011. All-time giants: how the largest dinosaurs got so big. San

            Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, CA.

Wedel, M.J. November 11, 2010. Impacts and the history of life: an observer's perspective.

            AstroCamp, Idyllwild, CA.

Wedel, M.J., and Pyenson, N.J. July 27, 2010. The evolution of gigantism in whales and

            sauropods: contrasting solutions to common problems. Evolution of Gigantism

            symposium, ICVM, Punta del Este Uruguay [also listed above under Abstracts]

Wedel, M.J. February 11, 2010. Professional ethics in paleontology. Webb Schools, Claremont, CA.

Wedel, M.J. July 18, 2009. Cosmic catastrophe: asteroids vs. dinosaurs. San Bernardino County

            Museum, Redlands, CA.

Wedel, M.J. April 25, 2009. The evolution of dinosaurs. Tree of Life workshop, Jepson

            Herbarium, Berkeley, CA.

Wedel, M.J. November 20, 2008. A new sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Utah.

            Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.

Wedel, M.J. November 16, 2008. Vertebral pneumaticity and the repeated evolution of long

            necks in sauropods. DFG 533 'Evolution of Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of

            Bonn, Germany.

Wedel, M.J. November 14, 2008. Confessions of an air-head: pneumatic bones and sauropod

            lungs. DFG 533 'Evolution of Sauropod Gigantism' workshop, University of Bonn,

            Germany.

Wedel, M.J. November 20, 2005. Carving your Thanksgiving dinosaur. Lawrence Hall of

            Science, Berkeley, CA.

Wedel, M.J. October 22, 2005. What pneumaticity tells us about ‘prosauropods’, and vice versa.

            Evolution of Giants symposium, 65^th SVP meeting, Mesa, AZ. [also listed above under

            Abstracts]

Wedel, M.J. October 3, 2001. The evolution of vertebral pneumaticity in the Sauropoda.

            Sauropod Evolution and Paleobiology symposium in honor of John S. McIntosh, 61^st

            SVP meeting, Bozeman, MT. [also listed above under Abstracts]

Wedel, M.J. April 26, 2001. Sauroposeidon and air sac systems in dinosaurs. Sam Noble

            Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OK.

Wedel, M.J. March 22, 2001. Vertebral pneumaticity in dinosaurs: evolution and implications.

            Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, CA.

 

Professional Service
 

Selected by Proceedings B as a Top Reviewer in 2009.

Over 60 peer reviews for Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, AMNH Novitates, Anatomical Record, Biological Reviews, Biology Letters, Bonner Zoologische Beiträge, BYU Geology Studies, Cretaceous Research, Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae, Historical Biology, Journal of Experimental Zoology, Journal of Systematic Paleontology, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, III Latin-American Congress of Vertebrate Paleontology, Palaeontology, PaleoBios, PLoS ONE, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, and Indiana University Press.
 

Professional Consulting

2012:  Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc., Carolyn Jaynes, research, fact checking, and proofing art for dinosaur project

2012: Capstone Press, Aaron Sautter, research, fact checking, and proofing art for Show Me Dinosaursbook

2011: Capstone Press, Shelly Lyons, research, fact checking, and proofing art for Dinosaur Timeline book

2011: Capstone Press, Christine Peterson, research, fact checking, and proofing art for dinosaur book series

2011: Scholastic, Inc., Megan Butler, research, fact checking, and proofing art for iPad app The Magic School Bus: Dinosaurs

2010: Scholastic Inc., Jennifer Contrucci, research, fact checking, and proofing art for Nintendo Digging Dinosaurs video game

2009-10: Capstone Press, Aaron Souter, fact checking and proofing art for dinosaur books

2008: Scholastic, Inc., Megan Butler, research, fact checking, and proofing art for upcoming video game

2007-08: Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc., Julia Petchey, research, fact checking, and proofing illustrations for T. Rex's Mighty Roar

2006-07: University of California Museum of Paleontology, Judy Scotchmoor, revising and writing content for UCMP taxa pages

2005: Lawrence Hall of Science, Brooke Smith, research, fact checking, signage, and public demonstrations for exhibit Big Dinos Return

2003: Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc., Wesley Hall, research, fact checking, and proofing illustrations for book Leap and the Lost Dinosaur



 

 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Western Univ. of Health Sciences, 2008-Gross Anatomy (lab and lecture) 1 semester

Instructor, School of Natural Science and Writing Program, UC Merced, 2007-2008
Introduction to Ecology 1 semester
Human Anatomy Laboratory 1 semester
Contemporary Biology 1 semester
Core 1, The World at Home 1 semester

Graduate Student Instructor, Department of Integrative Biology,UC Berkeley,2002-2007
Biology and anatomy labs 10 semesters

National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellow, UC Berkeley, 2004-2005
Exploring California Biodiversity 2 semesters

Instructor, Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, 2001
Introduction to Zoology 1 semester

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Zoology,University of Oklahoma,1998-2001
Zoology and anatomy labs 7 semesters

 

Research Grants (source, title, amount)

2006, UC Dept. of Integrative Biology,Pneumatic hiatuses in dinosaurs,$4730

2005, UC Dept. of Integrative Biology, Micro CT of pneumatic bones in birds, $3760

Jurassic Foundation, Postcranial pneumaticity in sauropods, $1500

Sigma Xi GIAR, Pneumatization in birds: micro CT, $780

2004, UC Dept. of Integrative Biology, Development of pneumaticity in birds, $2825

UCMP Samuel Welles Fund, Origin and evolution of pneumaticity, $1000

UC Museum of Paleontology, The canalis supramedullaris of sauropods, $299

2003, UC Dept. of Integrative Biology, Development of pneumaticity in birds, $4700

UC Dept. of Integrative Biology, Evolution of pneumaticity in dinosaurs, $200

2000, OU Graduate College, Evolution of pneumaticity in sauropods, $300

OU Graduate Student Senate, Evolution of pneumaticity in sauropods, $100

1997, OU Honors Council, A new sauropod dinosaur from Oklahoma, $200

OU Honors Council, A new sauropod from the Antlers Fm., $200

 

Fourth International Award in Palaeontology Research, Fundaci ³n Conjunto Paleontol ³gico de Teruel â “ Din ³polis, Spain, 2006

George D. Louderback Award, UC Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, 2004-2005

Teaching Effectiveness Award, University of California, Berkeley, Spring 2004

Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor, UC Berkeley Dept. of Integrative Biology, Spring 2004

First Place, University of Oklahoma Graduate College Student Poster Session, Spring 2000
 

DOCUMENTARY APPEARANCES

October 17, 2011        “Weird or What: Monsters.” History Channel Canada.

August 19, 2011          “Jurassic CSI: Megasaurus.” National Geographic Channel.

December 13, 2009.  “Clash of the Dinosaurs: Generations.” The Discovery Channel.

December 6, 2009.    “Clash of the Dinosaurs: Extreme Survivors.” The Discovery Channel.

            “                          “Clash of the Dinosaurs: Perfect Predators.” The Discovery Channel.

            “                          “Clash of the Dinosaurs: The Defenders.” The Discovery Channel.

September 24, 2009. “Animal Armageddon: The Next Extinction”. Animal Planet.

March 5, 2009.            “Animal Armageddon: Panic in the Sky”. Animal Planet.

February 26, 2009.     “Animal Armageddon: Doomsday”. Animal Planet.

November 8, 2008.    “Evolve: Size”. The History Channel.

September 2, 2008.   “Evolve: Flight”. The History Channel.

March 23, 2008.          “Walking With Dinosaurs 2008”. The Discovery Channel.
 

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREP

Lee, A., Padian, K., Taylor, M., Wedel, M., Irmis, R., and Werning, S. In prep.Reassessing

            the '3/4-law' of metabolism to predict dinosaur body temperature.

Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. In prep. Vertebral morphology and the evolution of long necks in

            sauropod dinosaurs.

Wedel, M.J., and Taylor, M.P. In prep. Caudal pneumaticity in the sauropod dinosaurs

            Giraffatitan brancai and Apatosaurus excelsus.

Wedel, M.J., Taylor, M.P., and Graff, V.I. In prep. Sauropod dinosaurs did not support their

            necks using ventral compression bracing.
 

MANUSCRIPTS IN REVIEW

Wedel, M.J., and Taylor, M.P. In review. Neural spine bifurcation in sauropod dinosaurs of the

Morrison Formation: ontogenetic and phylogenetic considerations. PalArch’s Journal of

Vertebrate Paleontology.

 

PUBLICATIONS

Wedel, M.J. 2012. A monument of inefficiency: the presumed course of the recurrent

            laryngeal nerve in sauropod dinosaurs. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57(2):251-256.

Yates, A.M., Wedel, M.J., and Bonnan, M.F. 2012. The early evolution of postcranial skeletal

            pneumaticity in sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 57(1):85-100.

Taylor, M.P., Hone, D.W.E., Wedel, M.J., and Naish, D. 2011. The long necks of sauropods did

            not evolve primarily through sexual selection. Journal of Zoology 285(2):150-161.

Taylor, M.P., Wedel, M.J., and Cifelli, R.L. 2011. A new sauropod dinosaur from the Lower

            Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

            56(1):75-98.

Taylor, M.P., Farke, A.A., and Wedel, M.J. 2010. The Open Dinosaur Project. The

            Palaeontological Association Newsletter 73:59-63.

Farke, A.A., Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. 2009. Public databases offer one solution to mistrust

            and secrecy. Nature 461:1053.

Taylor, M.P., Wedel, M.J., and Naish, D. 2009. Head and neck posture in sauropod dinosaurs

            inferred from extant animals. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 54:213-220.

Wedel, M.J. 2009. Evidence for bird-like air sacs in saurischian dinosaurs. Journal of

            Experimental Zoology 311A:611-628.

Wedel, M.J. 2007C. Review of: Tidwell, V., and K. Carpenter (eds.). 2005. Thunder-Lizards:

            The Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press, Bloomington. In: PalArch.nl

            Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology. 2pp.

Wedel, M.J. 2007b. Aligerando a los gigantes (Lightening the giants). ¡Fundamental! 12:1-84.

            [in Spanish, with English translation]

Wedel, M.J. 2007a. What pneumaticity tells us about ‘prosauropods’, and vice versa. Special

Papers in Palaeontology 77:207-222.

Wedel, M.J. 2006. Origin of postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in dinosaurs. Integrative Zoology

            2:80-85.

Wedel, M.J. 2005. Postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in sauropods and its implications for mass

            estimates; pp. 201-228 in Wilson, J.A., and Curry-Rogers, K. (eds.), The Sauropods:

            Evolution and Paleobiology. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Wedel, M.J., and Cifelli, R.L. 2005. Sauroposeidon: Oklahoma’s native giant. Oklahoma Geology Notes 65:40-57.

Bonnan, M.F., and Wedel, M.J. 2004. First occurrence of Brachiosaurus (Dinosauria:

            Sauropoda) from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Oklahoma. PaleoBios

            24(2):13-21.

Wedel, M.J. 2003b. The evolution of vertebral pneumaticity in sauropod dinosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23:344-357.

Wedel, M.J. 2003a. Vertebral pneumaticity, air sacs, and the physiology of sauropod dinosaurs.

            Paleobiology 29:243-255.

Wedel, M.J., and Sanders, R.K. 2002. Osteological correlates of cervical musculature in Aves

            and Sauropoda (Dinosauria: Saurischia), with comments on the cervical ribs of

            Apatosaurus. PaleoBios 22(3):1-6.

Wedel, M.J., Cifelli, R.L., and Sanders, R.K. 2000b. Osteology, paleobiology, and relationships

            of the sauropod dinosaur Sauroposeidon. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 45:343-388.

Wedel, M.J., Cifelli, R.L., and Sanders, R.K. 2000a. Sauroposeidon proteles, a new sauropod

            from the Early Cretaceous of Oklahoma. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20:109-114.

Wedel, M.J. 2000. Reconstructing Brachiosaurus. Prehistoric Times 42:47.

 

ABSTRACTS

Wedel, M.J. 2012. The evolution and development of skeletal pneumaticity: exceptions to the

            epithelial hypothesis suggest other levels of control. Symposium of Vertebrate

            Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, 2012 meeting proceedings.

Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. 2012. Re-evaluating “Apatosaurus” minimus, a bizarre Morrison-

            Formation sauropod with diplodocoid and macronarian features. Symposium of

            Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, 2012 meeting proceedings.

Graff, V.I., Wedel, M.J., and Taylor, M.P. 2012. Evaluating hypotheses of neck support in

            sauropod dinosaurs. CalPaleo, 2012 meeting proceedings.

Wedel, M.J. What pneumaticity tells us about sauropods, and vice versa. CalPaleo, 2012 meeting

            proceedings.

Wedel, M.J., and Yates, A.M. 2011. ADiplodocus-sized bipedal basal sauropodomorph from the

            Late Triassic of South Africa. Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative

            Anatomy, 2011 meeting proceedings.

Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. 2011. Sauropod necks: how much do we really know?

            Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, 2011 meeting

            proceedings.

Wedel, M.J., and Yates, A.M. 2011. ADiplodocus-sized bipedal basal sauropodomorph from the

            Late Triassic of South Africa. Western Area Vertebrate Paleontology, 2011 meeting

            proceedings.

Wedel, M.J., and Taylor, M.P. 2010. Caudal pneumaticity and pneumatic hiatuses in the

            sauropod dinosaurs Giraffatitan and Apatosaurus. Symposium of Vertebrate

            Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, 2010 meeting proceedings.

Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. 2010. Why giraffes have such short necks. Symposium of

            Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, 2010 meeting proceedings.

Wedel, M.J., and Pyenson, N.J. 2010. The evolution of gigantism in sauropods and whales:

            contrasting solutions to common problems. International Congress of Vertebrate

            Morphology, 2010 meeting proceedings. [listed below under Invited Talks and

            Symposia]

Hone, D.W.E., Wedel, M.J., Xu, X., and Clark, J.M. 2009. A small Asian brachiosaurid

            sauropod dinosaur from the Late Middle Jurassic of China. Journal of Vertebrate   Paleontology 29, Supplement to Issue 3.

Naish, D., Taylor, M.P., and Wedel, M.J. 2009. Extant animals provide new insights on head and

            neck posture in sauropods. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29, Supplement to Issue 3.

Yates, A., Wedel, M., and Bonnan, M. 2009. The early evolution of postcranial pneumaticity in

            sauropodomorph dinosaurs: New evidence from South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate

            Paleontology 29, Supplement to Issue 3.

Sanders, R.K., and Wedel, M.J. 2008. The endocranial anatomy of the dome-skulled chalicothere

            TylocephalonyxUCMP 115867 with emphasis on the paranasal sinuses and turbinates.

            Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(3), Supplment.

Wedel, M.J., and Taylor, M.P. 2008. Did sauropods really decline in the Early Cretaceous of

            North America? PaleoBios 28(1), Supplement, p. 8.

Pine, S., and Wedel, M. 2007. Increases in sacral vertebrae in non-avian dinosaurs: a pervasive,

            homoplastic, driven evolutionary trend. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(3):130A.

Wedel, M.J. 2006. Pneumaticity, neck length, and body size in sauropods. Journal of Vertebrate

            Paleontology 26(3):137A.

Wedel, M.J. 2005. What pneumaticity tells us about “prosauropods”, and vice versa. Journal of

            Vertebrate Paleontology 25(3):128A. [listed below under Invited Talks and Symposia]

Wedel, M.J. 2004. Skeletal pneumaticity in saurischian dinosaurs and its implications for mass

            estimates. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(3):127A.

Wedel, M.J., Bonnan, M.F., and Sanders, R.K. 2002. Two previously unreported sauropod

            dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Oklahoma.  Journal of

            Vertebrate Paleontology 22(3):118A.

Wedel, M.J. 2002. An unusually large cervical rib of Apatosaurus from the Morrison Formation

            of Oklahoma, with comments on the cervical musculature of sauropods.  PaleoBios

            22(1), Supplement, p. 8.

Wedel, M.J. 2002. Ontogeny and vertebral pneumaticity in sauropod dinosaurs. Western Area

            Vertebrate Paleontologists, 2002 Meeting Proceedings.

Wedel, M.J. 2001. Evolution of vertebral pneumaticity in the Sauropoda. Journal of Vertebrate

            Paleontology 21(3):111A-112A. [listed above under Invited Talks and Symposia]

Sanders, R.K., Wedel, M.J., Sereno, P.C., and Staab, G. 2000. A restoration of the cranio-

            cervical system in Jobaria. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(3):67A.

Wedel, M.J. 2000. New material of sauropod dinosaurs from the Cloverly Formation. Journal of

            Vertebrate Paleontology 20(3):77A.

Wedel, M.J., and Sanders, R.K. 1999. Comparative anatomy and functional morphology of the

            cervical series in ratites and sauropods. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(3):83A.

Wedel, M.J., and Sanders, R.K. 1998. Using computerized tomography to investigate sauropod

            cervical morphology. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18(3):87A.

Wedel, M.J., and Cifelli, R.L. 1997. A new sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of

            Oklahoma. SVP 1997 Program Changes, p. 3.