People

Dr. David F. Wright

Members of the lab use a combination of fossils, phylogenetic methods, fieldwork, and mathematical modeling to investigate macroevolutionary dynamics in the marine biosphere. My lab’s interests revolve around three reciprocally illuminating research areas:

Macroevolution: the origin of major lineages, models of morphological diversification, and the interplay between ecological and geological processes in large-scale evolutionary radiations.

Phylogenetic paleobiology: integrating geologic data and the fossil record with statistical approaches including Bayesian inference and Phylogenetic Comparative Methods (PCMs) to quantify patterns of trait evolution & diversification in the history of life.

Echinoderm systematics and evolution: diversity, phylogeny, and geological history of the phylum Echinodermata (starfish, sea urchins & their kin), especially the Crinoidea (sea lilies & feather stars).

Postdoctoral Collaborators

Dr. Marine Fau (2022-present)

Dr. Fau’s research investigates macroevolutionary patterns in marine ecosystems and focuses on the phylogenetic relationships, morphological evolution, and biogeographic distribution of echinoderms. Dr. Fau is an expert on the systematics of living and extinct starfish, and is working collaboratively with our lab on a project titled, “Phylogeny, diversification and origin of modern sea stars: an integrated approach from genes and fossils”. Marine received her PhD in 2020 from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Her postdoctoral research is funded by the Swiss National Fund (Mobility Postdoc) and is being conducted remotely at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) where she is co-supervised by Gene Hunt in the Department of Paleobiology.

Graduate students

Charlotte (Charlie) Filipovich (2023-present)

Charlie joined the lab as a prospective PhD student in 2023 after completing a B.A. in Geology at Colgate University. At Colgate, Charlie conducted undergraduate research on recent ecological shifts in benthic mollusc communities of the northern Gulf of Mexico (with Dr. Paul Harnik), and was also actively involved in science communication and outreach. For her dissertation research, Charlie is interested in exploring the relationship between environmental change and biodiversity, including extinction risk and macroevolutionary dynamics. Outside of the lab, Charlie enjoys spending time in cafés (she identifies as a caffeine enthusiast), checking out the local music scene, and going on hikes to look for exciting rocks! For the first component of her dissertation research, Charlie is working on a project revolving around the evolutionary origin, phylogenetic relationships, and diversification of early Paleozoic flexible crinoids (Flexibilia).

Kiera Crowley (Starting Fall 2024)

We are excited to be welcoming Kiera to our lab in Fall 2024! Kiera graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University in 2022, where she double majored in Geological Sciences and Evolutionary Biology (with a minor in Classical Literature). Since graduating, Kiera has actively worked on a variety of independent research projects involving the ecologic, taxonomic, and macroevolutionary dynamics of marine invertebrates, all while also being a full-time staff member (Assistant to the Director) at the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) in Ithaca, NY. Kiera’s research at Cornell and PRI (with Dr. Warren Allmon) used phylogenetic approaches to better understand the role of the K-Pg mass extinction in shaping patterns of biodiversity, extinction selectivity, and recovery in turritellid gastropods. At OU, Kiera will expand her taxonomic and phylogenetic skillsets to investigate macroevolutionary dynamics in early Paleozoic crinoids.

Undergraduate students

Rayhana Niyogi (2023)

Rayhanna joined in 2023 to assist with a long-term Wright lab project to better understand the phylogeny and morphologic diversification of Upper Carboniferous crinoids from Oklahoma. She helped inventory our extensive collection of crinoid type material in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History to update taxonomic information and identifications based on an updated version of Gary Webster’s heroic Bibliography of Paleozoic Crinoids.