About
Jacques Gauthier is a Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences and Curator at Yale University. His research focuses on vertebrate paleontology, reptile and bird evolution, and phylogenetic systematics. He holds a B.S. (Zoology, 1973), M.S. (Biology, 1980), and Ph.D. (Paleontology, 1984) from San Diego State University and University of California, Berkeley. His work combines fossil analysis with molecular data to reconstruct evolutionary relationships. Key contributions include studies on turtle origins, snake evolution, and the development of phylogenetic nomenclature (PhyloCode). He teaches courses like Vertebrate Paleontology and Systematics Discussion Group. His research spans reptile phylogeny, dinosaur metabolism, and the impact of mass extinctions on biodiversity. Active in curating the Yale Peabody Museum’s collections, he collaborates on projects involving fossil imaging and genomic analysis to resolve evolutionary debates.
