Julia A. Clarke is a Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin where she holds the Jackson Chair in Geobiology. She is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. She has published over 150 papers including 16 in the journals Nature and Science.
She is interested in how new structures and functions arise in deep time with a focus on the evolution of dinosaurs including birds. She has worked on evolution of the musculoskeletal system (in flight and wing propelled diving) and more recently on the evolution of visual and vocal communication. She has an international field program in paleontology (e.g. in Antarctica, South America, Asia) and has led highly interdisciplinary collaborative teams integrating data on living animals to ask new questions of the fossil record.
Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Humboldt Foundation, The National Geographic Society, Explorers Club, AAAS, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and has been covered by NPRs Science Friday, The New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic Magazine, NOVA, and other outlets. She is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, American Ornithological Society, and The Anatomical Society. She received her degrees from Brown University (B.A) and Yale University (PhD).
Ph.D.
in Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, 2002
B.A.
in Geo-Biology and Comparative Literature, Brown University, 1995
Evolution of anatomical novelty, vertebrate paleontology, systematic biology, avian vocalization and the evolution of flight, fossil birds. Dinosaurs.
Associate Editor,
Science Advances, Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B, Evolution (2018)
Associate Editor,
Paleobiology (2013)
Co-Editor in Chief,
Journal of Anatomy (2012 - 2018)
Editor in Vertebrate Morphology,
Zoologischer Anzeiger (2011 - 2012)
Executive Committee, Member-At-Large,
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2008 - 2011)
Operations Committee, Member-At-Large,
National Center for Evolutionary Synthesis (NESCent.org) (2007 - 2008)
Session moderator,
Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2006 - 2007)
Editor in Vertebrate Morphology and Paleontology,
Journal of Anatomy (2005 - 2011)
Chair, Predoctoral Fellowship Committee,
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2004 - 2006)
Sigma Xi Grants,
Aid of Research, Committee (2004)
Governing Council, Member-At-Large,
International Society of Phylogenetic Nomenclature (2004 - 2006)
Predoctoral Fellowship Committee,
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2003 - 2008)
Co-convener, "Missing Data- Practical Problems and Theoretical Issues" Symposium,
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2000)
Organizing committee member and moderator, "New Perspectives on the Origin and Early Evolution of Birds: an International Symposium in Honor of John H. Ostrom,",
Yale Peabody Museum and Yale University Department of Geology and Geophysics (1999)
NSF Panelist: Systematics (BIO),
NSF Referee: Systematics (BIO), Paleobiology (EAR), and Polar Programs (OPP),
NERC Referee, UK: Fellows Program,
National Geographic Society, Exploration Fund Referee,
Fellow (FRSB)
- Royal Society of Biology (2018)
Elective Member, an honorary membership category that recognizes contributions to ornithology
- American Ornithological Society (2017)
Humboldt Research Award
- Humboldt Foundation (2016)
Provost's Teaching Fellow
- The University of Texas (2016)
Outstanding Research Award
- Jackson School of Geoscience (2013)
Knebel Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award
- Jackson School of Geosciences (2012)
Gigapan Science Outreach Fellow
- Fine Foundation/NASA/Carnegie Mellon Robotics (2010)
Outstanding Faculty Member Engaged in Extension Award
- North Carolina State University (2008)
NSF Research Highlights - OISE Directorates
(2007)
G.G. Simpson Award
- Yale University (2006)
Argentine Fulbright Commission, 50th anniversary volume, distinguished alumna
(2006)
NSF Research Highlights - OPP Directorates
(2005)
Sigma Xi - Full Associate Member
- Brown University (2004)
Orville Prize-best dissertation in the Earth Sciences
- Yale University (2001)
G.G. Simpson Award
- Yale University (2001)
Hutchinson Prize Fellowship for Biospheric Studies
- Yale Institute (2000)
Estwing Hammer Prize for outstanding research in Geology
- Yale University (2000)
Henry Gardiner Ferguson Fellowship in Geology
- Yale University (1999)
Graduate Student Fellowship
- National Science Foundation (1997 - 2000)
Arnold Prize Fellowship for undergraduate achievement and an original research project ($15,000; declined to accept Fulbright Grant).
- Brown University (1995)
Sigma Xi
- Brown University (1995)
Phi Beta Kappa
- Brown University (1994)
