Rainer Schoch

Prof. Dr. Rainer Schoch is Professor of Palaeontology at the University of Hohenheim and head of the Palaeontology department at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart (SMNS). His research focuses on the evolution of early terrestrial vertebrates and Triassic ecosystems, with extensive work on temnospondyl amphibians, early reptiles, and the water-to-land transition.

Education

• 1990–1995: Studies in Geology and Palaeontology, University of Tübingen
• 1998: PhD, University of Tübingen
• 2018: Habilitation, University of Jena

Research Interests

Prof. Schoch’s work centres on early land vertebrate evolution, examining the fossil record of the first tetrapods, their bone micro-structure, and the depositional settings that preserve them. He investigates how bony fishes colonised land 365 million years ago, the life cycles and metamorphosis of early amphibians, and the functional changes in organs (feeding, respiration, locomotion) during this transition. A second major theme is Triassic ecosystems, where he reconstructs food webs and habitats using exceptionally preserved fossils from southern Germany, analysing the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction and the recovery of terrestrial and aquatic communities. Methodologically, he integrates traditional anatomy, bone histology, CT scanning, and geochemistry in collaboration with the University of Mainz.

Current Projects

• Evolution of life histories in early terrestrial vertebrates
• Tetrapod faunas of the Middle and Upper Triassic
• Origin of turtles based on the stem-turtle Pappochelys
• Palaeoecology of early land vertebrates

Scientific Awards

• Friedrich von Alberti-Preis (2010) – awarded for outstanding contributions to Triassic research.

Supervision & Collaboration

Prof. Schoch leads a dynamic research group that currently hosts four post-doctoral researchers (Dr Eudald Mujal Grané, Dr Orla Bath Enright, Dr Stephan Spiekman, Dr Gabriela Sobral, Dr Daniel Schwarz, and Dr Sanjukta Chakravorti) and four doctoral students (Joep Schaeffer, Raphael Moreno, Feiko Miedema, Samuel Cooper). His team benefits from DFG funding and international collaborations spanning the USA, UK, China, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, and Morocco.

Laboratory & Fieldwork

At SMNS he curates the fossil amphibian and reptile collections and oversees active excavations in the Triassic strata of southern Germany. He also serves as monument commissioner for vertebrate fossils from the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic of Baden-Württemberg, ensuring the preservation of key sites such as Holzmaden.