Barbara Seuß

Dr. Barbara Seuß is a researcher at the Chair of Paleoenvironment within the GeoZentrum Nordbayern at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). She holds a Dr. rer. nat. (Doctor of Natural Sciences) and has been actively involved in paleontological research since completing her PhD in 2012. Her current role includes administration of the PaleoSynthesis project funded by the Volkswagen Foundation since October 2019.

• Diploma in Geology and Paleontology from FAU (July 2005)
• PhD thesis submitted February 2012: 'The Buckhorn Asphalt Quarry – An Impregnation Deposit: Its Facies, Fauna, Paleobiology & Depositional Environment'
• Rigorosum (oral examination) completed April 2012

Dr. Seuß specializes in Paleozoic paleontology with particular expertise in Carboniferous-Permian period research. Her primary research interests focus on bioerosion patterns in fossil cephalopods, biodiversity dynamics during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age, and exceptional preservation in fossil Lagerstätten. She has conducted extensive research on the Buckhorn Asphalt Quarry deposit in Oklahoma, which has yielded exceptional preservation of Carboniferous fossils including nautiloids, gastropods, and bryozoans. Her work integrates detailed taxonomic studies with broader paleoenvironmental reconstructions.

Analysis of Dr. Seuß's recent publication record reveals a strong focus on Paleozoic marine invertebrates, particularly cephalopods and gastropods from Carboniferous deposits. Her research increasingly incorporates advanced analytical techniques including molecular approaches to paleontology and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) for mineralogical analysis. A significant portion of her work examines biodiversity patterns across major climatic transitions, especially the Late Paleozoic Ice Age, and investigates how marine ecosystems responded to global cooling events. Her publications span top paleontological journals including Palaeontologia Electronica, Facies, and Palaeontology.

Dr. Seuß has secured significant research funding including a DFG proposal approved in June 2014 for the project 'Paleobiodiversity and community structures of deposits during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age and the response of the marine benthic invertebrate fauna to global cooling,' which began August 1, 2014. She also received an FFL grant for 'Bioerosion in Nautilus' from August 2013 to July 2014. Her current major project is the administration of the PaleoSynthesis project 'Strengthening Paleontology – The German seed for global cooperation' funded by the Volkswagen Foundation since October 2019.

Dr. Seuß's research is centered around the Buckhorn Asphalt Quarry Lagerstätte in Oklahoma, which has provided exceptional preservation of Carboniferous fossils with aragonite preservation. Her work with international collaborators has focused on understanding the facies, fauna, and depositional environment of this important site. She has been instrumental in establishing connections between the German paleontological community and international partners through the PaleoSynthesis project, strengthening global cooperation in paleontological research.