Natalia Rybczynski

Natalia Rybczynski is an Adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Biology at Carleton University, affiliated with the Faculty of Science. Her primary research focuses on Paleobiology and Paleoenvironments of the Cenozoic High Arctic and functional morphology of vertebrate feeding and locomotion systems. She holds offices at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Gatineau and coordinates interdisciplinary projects on Arctic paleoenvironments, pinniped evolution, and vertebrate herbivore feeding mechanisms.

Education:

• B.Sc. in Biology, Carleton University
• M.Sc. in Zoology, University of Toronto
• Ph.D. in Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University

Research Interests:

• Reconstructing Arctic paleoenvironments during the Neogene
• Evolutionary transitions in marine mammals (e.g., pinnipeds)
• Feeding kinematics in herbivorous vertebrates like hadrosaurs
• Integration of field-based paleontology with biomechanical and anatomical analyses

Her publications span paleoclimatology, fossil analysis, and evolutionary studies, emphasizing Arctic ecosystems and vertebrate adaptations. Collaborative work includes geoscientists to reconstruct ancient Arctic climates and anatomists to model feeding systems in extinct species. Active in field expeditions and lab-based experimental studies.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Canadian Museum of Nature researchers and international teams in Arctic paleontology projects. Engages in interdisciplinary initiatives like the PoLAR-FIT project studying Pliocene Arctic ecosystems.