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Meghan Balk is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Evolution and Paleobiology Group at the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo. Her work combines museum collections and trait databases to investigate how inter- and intra-specific traits change across time and space. She is passionate about digitizing museum data and enabling FAIR data principles for continued exploration of data-driven science across evolutionary biology and ecology. Balk received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in 2017 with a concentration in Interdisciplinary Science through the Department of Biology. She earned her B.S. from the University of California, Davis in 2010 in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, & Biodiversity, with a minor in Paleobiology through the Department of Geology. Her academic journey reflects a strong foundation in both biological sciences and geological perspectives on evolutionary processes. Her research employs both micro- and macroscopic approaches to understand abiotic and biotic drivers of phenotypic evolution. She investigates within and among lineage phenotypic evolution using fossil and modern records of organisms like bryozoans. Her work on abiotic drivers examines body size changes in species like the bushy-tailed woodrat across geological time, while her research on biotic drivers explores predator-prey relationships in the fossil record, particularly focusing on species like Otodus megalodon. She utilizes machine learning and computational approaches to extract morphological trait data from specimen images. Balk's publication record demonstrates expertise across evolutionary biology, paleontology, ecology, and computational approaches. Her recent work focuses on developing FAIR and modular workflows for image-based knowledge discovery in the emerging field of imageomics. She has made significant contributions to understanding body size evolution across geological time, predator-prey relationships in the fossil record, and promoting open science principles for trait-based research. Her work bridges traditional paleontological methods with cutting-edge computational techniques. Balk is actively involved in several research projects including ROCKS PARADOX (Dissecting the paradox of stasis in evolutionary biology) and Machine-readable Nature (MaNa). She collaborates with researchers across institutions to create ontologies and workflows for trait data, such as the Functional Trait Resource for Environmental Studies (FuTRES) project and the Biology-Guided Neural Networks project. She teaches courses including Foundational Open Science Skills workshop, Git for Mere Mortals webinar, and R Basics Crash course, emphasizing the importance of reproducible research practices.

• Ecological and Evolutionary Biology
• Paleobiology
• Functional Morphology
• +7 more

Bjarte Hannisdal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Bergen, Norway, and affiliated with the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research. He plays a key leadership role in iEarth, a national Centre of Excellence in geoscience education, serving as the iEarth Education Chair and Head of Focus Area 1, which aims to develop innovative frameworks for higher education in geosciences. Department of Geosciences, University of Bergen Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research iEarth – Centre of Excellence in Geoscience Education His research lies at the intersection of geobiology, paleontology, and Earth system science, with a strong focus on quantitative methods. He investigates Earth system evolution, causality in dynamical systems, and the co-evolution of life and the planet using advanced statistical and information-theoretic approaches applied to geological and fossil records. His work spans microbial ecology in deep-sea sediments, paleoclimatology through isotope analysis, and the detection of causal interactions in deep time. Hannisdal has made significant contributions through a high-impact publication record, with articles in top journals such as Science , Nature Geoscience , PNAS , and Physical Review E . His recent publications highlight trends in applying machine learning and information theory to geoscience problems, including microbial responses to oxygen, causality detection in incomplete records, and the calibration of geochemical proxies. These works reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend, integrating biology, physics, and computational methods into Earth sciences. He is actively involved in higher education, having developed and taught courses such as GEOV114 (Introduction to Geobiology) and GEOV302 (Data Analysis in Geosciences), and contributes to others like GEOV344 and BIO318. His educational research explores student-centered learning and computational skill development. He has supervised doctoral research, including Dario Blumenschein’s project on educational change. His work is supported by funding from the Research Council of Norway, Trond Mohn Foundation, and EU Horizon 2020. Hannisdal collaborates widely across institutions and disciplines, as evidenced by his co-authorship with researchers from Norway, the US, Germany, and others.

• Quantitative Paleobiology
• Geobiology
• Earth System Evolution
• +7 more

Thomas Fredrik Hansen is a Professor at the Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, where he is affiliated with the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES). His research primarily focuses on evolutionary biology, theoretical biology, and quantitative genetics, with particular emphasis on evolvability, macroevolution, and phylogenetic comparative methods. Hansen's research interests span evolutionary quantitative genetics, morphological evolution, evolvability, and macroevolutionary dynamics. His work integrates theoretical frameworks with empirical data to understand how genetic architecture influences evolutionary potential and constraints. He has made significant contributions to understanding how evolvability shapes macroevolutionary patterns, the role of epistasis in morphological divergence, and the application of phylogenetic comparative methods to study evolutionary processes across diverse taxa. His theoretical work on evolutionary constraints and adaptive landscapes has provided new insights into the mechanisms that govern long-term evolutionary change. Analysis of Hansen's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of quantitative genetics and macroevolution. His work demonstrates how microevolutionary processes scale up to macroevolutionary patterns, with particular attention to evolvability as a key determinant of evolutionary trajectories. He has pioneered approaches to measuring and modeling the relationship between genetic architecture and evolutionary potential across different time scales. His research often involves collaborations with empirical evolutionary biologists to test theoretical predictions using data from diverse organisms including plants, insects, fish, and mammals. Hansen has been actively involved in mentoring students and collaborating with researchers across various institutions. His work has contributed significantly to methodological advances in evolutionary biology, particularly in the areas of phylogenetic comparative methods and quantitative genetics. He has also contributed to important theoretical debates regarding evolutionary constraints, the measurement of selection, and the interpretation of evolutionary patterns in the fossil record. Hansen maintains an active research program through the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), where he collaborates with researchers studying diverse aspects of evolutionary biology, ecology, and biodiversity. His work bridges theoretical and empirical approaches to evolutionary biology, making substantial contributions to our understanding of how genetic architecture shapes evolutionary potential across different biological scales.

• Evolutionary Biology
• Theoretical Biology
• Quantitative Genetics
• +5 more

Lee Hsiang Liow is a Professor at the Natural History Museum of the University of Oslo, Norway, where he conducts research in paleobiology and macroevolution. He co-leads the Evolution and Paleobiology (EPA) group and previously ran the Bryozoan Lab for Ecology, Evolution & Development (BLEED). Liow is also one of five Principal Investigators at the Centre for Planetary Habitability (PHAB). His research focuses on understanding how ecological and evolutionary processes on generational time scales produce macroevolutionary patterns observable in the fossil record. Liow specializes in using bryozoans as model organisms to study long-term evolutionary phenomena, including skeletal mineralogy, competitive interactions in fossil communities, and the relationship between microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns. His work integrates quantitative methods with paleontological data to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. Analysis of Liow's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong focus on bridging micro- and macroevolution, with research spanning paleobiology, evolutionary theory, statistical methodology, and climate change impacts. His work frequently appears in top-tier journals including Science, PNAS, Nature Ecology & Evolution, and Paleobiology, demonstrating his significant contributions to understanding evolutionary processes across deep time. Schuchert Award of the Paleontological Society (2020) Liow actively collaborates with researchers worldwide, as evidenced by his extensive co-authorship network. His research projects include Abiota, Biota, Constraints in Macroevolutionary Processes; Digitization of Norwegian Bryozoa (NorDigBryo); Dissecting the paradox of stasis in evolutionary biology (ROCKS PARADOX); InvertOmics; and SELECT – Fossil temporal dynamics of phenotypic selection & life history evolution. His work continues to advance our understanding of evolutionary processes through innovative approaches to analyzing the fossil record.

• Paleobiology
• Macroevolution
• Evolutionary Biology
• +4 more

Kristin Armstrong-Oma is a Professor of Archaeology at the University of Stavanger , currently serving as Department Director at the Archaeological Museum . She received her doctorate from the University of Southampton and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Oslo . Research Focus: Specializing in human-animal relationships during Scandinavia's Bronze and Iron Ages, her work integrates cultural theory and feminist perspectives to examine household dynamics, domestication processes, and multispecies entanglements. Key themes include: Ontological frameworks for human-animal coexistence Symbolic and functional roles of animals in prehistoric societies Interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeology and modern theory Scientific Contributions: Authored three monographs and numerous peer-reviewed articles, with recent work analyzing polar bear skeletons, Viking-era wetlands, and transnational exhibition collaborations. Her 2023-2025 publications emphasize climate change relevance through historical animal husbandry studies and multispecies archaeology. Academic Activities: Active in exhibition curation and public archaeology, she explores intersections between prehistoric and contemporary art. Notable projects include UNESCO heritage assessments and Viking Age women's transatlantic connections.

• Archaeology
• Human-Animal Studies
• Cultural Theory
• +3 more

Trond Reitan is a Researcher at the Centre for Planetary Habitability at the University of Oslo . His work bridges paleobiology, statistical ecology, and hydrological modeling, employing advanced Bayesian inference and stochastic differential equations to analyze ecological and evolutionary patterns across diverse systems. Key research areas include: fossil community dynamics, plant-pollinator networks, and climate-biodiversity interactions Active in computational modeling and statistical methodology development Collaborates across disciplines from primatology to genomics Scientific publications (15 most recent) demonstrate expertise in: Stochastic processes and Bayesian inference in ecological modeling Time series analysis of paleobiological datasets Climate change impacts on species interactions Evolutionary implications of genetic repeat variation Hydrological influences on avian breeding patterns Computational frameworks for community stability analysis

• Paleobiology
• Ecological Statistics
• Evolutionary Biology
• +7 more

Torbjørn Håkan Ergon is an Associate Professor at the University of Oslo's Department of Biosciences, working at the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES). He also serves as the director of the Finse Alpine Research Center and is an associate editor of Methods in Ecology and Evolution. His educational background includes: BSc and MSc from the University of Bergen PhD from the University of Oslo Additional PhD work at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Patuxent Wildlife Research Centre (Maryland) and University of Tromsø, and has conducted research at University of Otago (New Zealand), University of Wellington (New Zealand), University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University (NY). Ergon's research focuses on understanding variation in life-history traits and demographic rates within populations and linking this to population level patterns and processes such as delayed density dependence. His work combines theoretical and empirical approaches, with particular emphasis on developing statistical models to estimate (correlated) distributions of latent life-history traits within populations. This research has significant implications for evolutionary processes, especially the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in life-history traits. His broader research interests include long term bird population studies, bioacoustics, and statistical modeling in ecology. His research spans multiple areas including small rodent population dynamics, seabird ecology, and the development of innovative statistical methods for ecological data analysis. Ergon has led and participated in numerous research projects including BIODIVTRENDS, studies on Fennoscandian bird populations, fishing-induced eco-evolutionary changes, and spatio-temporal dynamics of small rodents. Ergon teaches several courses at the University of Oslo: Design and analysis of biological studies (BIOS3000/4000) Alpine Ecology (BIOS5312/9312) Terrestrial Zoology (BIOS2210) Life history strategies and climate effects (BIOS 5112/BIOS 9112) His scientific work has been widely cited, with 78 publications accumulating over 19,000 reads and 2,600+ citations according to ResearchGate. His research has been published in leading journals including Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Animal Ecology, Ecology, and Methods in Ecology and Evolution. As an associate editor for Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Ergon plays an important role in advancing methodological approaches in ecological research. His leadership of the Finse Alpine Research Center facilitates important alpine ecosystem studies in Norway.

• Ecological statistics
• Life-history theory
• Population dynamics
• +5 more

Lene Liebe Delsett is a Researcher at the Norwegian Center for Paleontology within the Natural History Museum at the University of Oslo. Her work focuses on marine reptiles from the Mesozoic era, with particular expertise in ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and whale evolution. She currently leads the ECHO project (2023-2026), funded by the Norwegian Research Council, which investigates evolutionary convergence between whales and ichthyosaurs across different geological periods. Dr. Delsett earned her PhD in vertebrate paleontology in 2018 from the Natural History Museum in Oslo. She was a US-Norway Fulbright postdoctoral fellow at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC in 2021. She has also worked as a researcher in the trans-disciplinary Collecting Norden project (2022-2023). Her research interests span vertebrate paleontology with emphasis on convergent evolution between marine tetrapods across geological eras. She specializes in ichthyosaurs (particularly Late Jurassic Ophthalmosauridae), whales (including their evolution and museum collection history), and plesiosaurs (focusing on Arctic specimens and paleohistology). Her work combines morphological analysis, microstructure examination, and historical collection studies to understand evolutionary pathways, feeding strategies, locomotion, and reproductive adaptations of these ancient marine creatures. Dr. Delsett's recent publications demonstrate a consistent research trajectory examining evolutionary patterns across marine reptile groups. Her work bridges paleontological analysis with museum collection studies, revealing how historical biases affect our understanding of evolutionary processes. She frequently employs comparative methods across different marine reptile groups to identify convergent evolutionary pathways, with particular attention to Arctic specimens from Svalbard and other northern regions. Dr. Delsett is currently principal investigator for the ECHO project (Evolutionary Convergence in Historical Oceans), a Young Talents grant from the Norwegian Research Council running from 2023-2026. She has also been involved in the Collecting Norden project studying historical whale collections. Her research often involves international collaborations with institutions in the UK, France, and Denmark, demonstrating her strong network within the paleontological community. Her laboratory work focuses on the analysis of fossil specimens from Arctic regions, particularly Svalbard, with expertise in both morphological examination and histological analysis. She works closely with the Spitsbergen Mesozoic Research Group and the Norwegian Center for Paleontology (NORPAL), contributing to ongoing fieldwork and specimen analysis from Arctic expeditions. Her research has provided new insights into the distribution of marine reptiles across ancient oceans, particularly how species like Colymbosaurus persisted across geological boundaries.

• Vertebrate Paleontology
• Convergent Evolution
• Ichthyosaurs
• +7 more