معرفی
Bruce J. MacFadden is a UF Distinguished Professor and inaugural Director of the Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI), serving at the Florida Museum of Natural History. He holds a B.S. from Cornell University (1971), M.Ph. from there (1974), and Ph.D. from Columbia University (1976). His career spans over four decades with roles including Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chair of departments, and Associate Director for Exhibits. He has directed over $35M in NSF grants and authored 200+ peer-reviewed articles and multiple books.
Research focuses on fossil mammals, stable isotopes, and global change, emphasizing Neogene herbivore paleobiology. Notable contributions include work on horse evolution, shark tooth isotopes, and Panama Canal Basin paleontology. He pioneered K-12 STEM education programs like the Shark AI Project and Fossil Project citizen science initiatives. His outreach includes 3D fossil modeling, social media engagement (Instagram paleontology), and teacher-scientist partnerships.
Major awards include the Paleontological Society’s Strimple Award (2018) and Pojeta Award. He has advised 24 graduate students and developed courses on vertebrate paleontology and broader impacts of science. Collections leadership includes fieldwork in Florida/Nebraska and managing the Vertebrate Paleontology Collection with over 400,000 specimens. Current projects integrate AI in middle school education and digitization of microvertebrate fossils.
