معرفی
Dr. Wilma Wessels is a Researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht University, Faculty of Geosciences, specializing in stratigraphy and paleontology. Her work focuses on vertebrate paleontology, particularly the biostratigraphy, biochronology, biogeography, and evolution of small mammal associations from the Oligocene and Miocene epochs across Eurasia and North Africa.
Her research interests include:
- Vertebrate Paleontology
- Biostratigraphy and Biochronology
- Evolution of Small Mammals
- Oligocene-Miocene Terrestrial Ecosystems
Dr. Wessels' recent publications highlight trends in mammalian evolution, particularly rodents and marsupials, with strong regional focus on Southeastern Europe (especially Serbia), Turkey, Mongolia, and Libya. Her work integrates field data with stratigraphic analysis to reconstruct paleoenvironments and evolutionary timelines. She has contributed to understanding faunal transitions during major climate shifts in the Oligo-Miocene.
Scientific contributions and recognitions:
- Guest editor for Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments
- Organizer of the XIV Annual Meeting of the European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists (EAVP)
- Participant in the RCMNS Interim Colloquium 2016
- Visiting researcher at Junior College Utrecht (2012–present)
She has supervised numerous bachelor’s and master’s students and taught courses such as Paleontology - Fauna, Vertebrate Evolution, and Evolution of the Horse until September 2022. Her collaborative research projects involve institutions in Serbia, Austria, Mongolia, and the United States.
Dr. Wessels is actively involved in international research networks, with fieldwork conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Libya, Mongolia, Serbia, Spain, and Turkey. Her work contributes to broader geological and evolutionary understanding of terrestrial ecosystems during the Cenozoic era.
