Steven Jasinski

Ms, biological sciences

PhD, Paleontology

HOMETOWN: New Freedom

CURRENT HOME: Harrisburg

DEGREE: PhD, Paleontology, Biological and Earth Sciences

Welcome to:

Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis

The Tyrant lizard from the McRae from the

Late Cretaceous in New Mexico

I am Steven E. Jasinski, an American paleontologist and zoologist in the Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

    I graduated from Susquehannock High School in Glen Rock, PA, and went to Pennsylvania State University afterward. I graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Geobiology. Along the way I was advised by Dr. Peter Wilf, a paleobiologist, and Dr. Russell Graham, a vertebrate paleontologist. Following Penn State, I attended East Tennessee State University for my M.S. Dr. Jim Mead was my thesis advisor and committee chair, while Drs. Blaine Schubert and Steven Wallace were other committee members. All three were vertebrate paleontologists. I recently finished my Ph.D. program at the University of Pennsylvania working with the renowned Dr. Peter Dodson, along with Drs. Donald Brinkman, Herman Pfefferkorn, Douglas Jerolmack, and Reto Gieré.  

American paleontologist and biologist.

Quick Facts

Bs, geobiology

Studied biomechanics of theropod dinosaurs

Artwork by Sergey Krasovskiy

My research interests focus on the anatomy, phylogeny, life history, along with biomechanics and behavior of extinct and extant animals. Researching the anatomy, morphology, and phylogenetic relationships of animals allows for a more thorough understanding of the animals themselves. Additionally, this allows for more information to be gathered on the life history and behavior of these animals. Understanding these things in extant animals allows one to infer and obtain a better comprehension in extinct and fossil animals, but also leads to a better understanding of how animals live today and in the past. I analyze the biomechanics and behavior, or potential behavior, of extant and extinct animals. I seek to bring life to fossils, and not only does this include describing and analyzing individual extinct animals and fossils but investigating faunas and ancient ecosystems as well. In particular, understanding ancient ecosystems and how they change through time can allow us to infer potential implications for changes occurring today. Macroevolutionary trends through time are also used to understand change and make inferences for things happening today and potentially in the future, often on large scales.

Education

Hutchemys walkerorum

holotype carapace (BDM 063)