Executive Committee

The Paleobiology Database is overseen by an Executive Committee including the researchers who have contributed the largest amount of data:

  • Martin Aberhan, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin
    level-bottom communities, Mesozoic bivalves
  • John Alroy, Macquarie University
    Cenozoic mammals, miscellaneous Cretaceous and Cenozoic tetrapods
  • Kay Behrensmeyer, Smithsonian Institution
    Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems data
  • Richard Butler, LMU München
    Permian-Jurassic terrestrial vertebrates, pterosaurs, dinosaurs
  • Matthew Carrano, Smithsonian Institution
    dinosaurs, Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrates, marine reptiles, pterosaurs, Mesozoic mammals
  • Matthew Clapham, University of California, Santa Cruz
    Permian-Triassic marine invertebrates, fossil insects, Pennsylvanian-Jurassic fish
  • Austin Hendy, University of Florida
    Cenozoic molluscs, Cretaceous ammonoids, Cambrian marine invertebrates, body size
  • Carlos Jaramillo, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
    Mesozoic and Cenozoic plants and vertebrates of South America and tropical latitudes
  • Wolfgang Kiessling, Universität Erlangen
    reefs, corals, radiolarians, Triassic-Jurassic marine invertebrates
  • Carrie Schweitzer, Kent State University
    fossil crabs, lobsters and shrimps; Decapoda
  • Jocelyn Sessa, Smithsonian Institution (Secretary of the Committee)
    Cretaceous through Cenozoic marine molluscs, climate reconstruction
  • Mark Uhen, George Mason University (Chair of the Committee)
    marine mammals and birds, Eocene and Oligocene vertebrates, fossils of the Mid-Atlantic states
  • Loïc Villier, Université Pierre et Marie Curie
    echinoderms other than crinoids and blastozoans
  • Peter Wagner, Smithsonian Institution
    Paleozoic gastropods

The Database was overseen by an Advisory Board between 2000 and 2011. Before dissolving itself in April, 2011, the outgoing Board created the Executive Committee to oversee all matters related to the Database's membership; access to data; storage of data; and apportioning of credit. Additional responsibilities implied by this mandate include selecting institutions to house mirror websites and setting terms for interoperability with other organizations such as databases, publishers, scientific societies, and governmental agencies. The Committee also makes recommendations with respect to fundraising, recruiting members, and creating education and outreach initiatives. The Executive Committee was initially named the Data Management Committee and was renamed in November, 2012.

Members of the Advisory Board included John Alroy (2000-2011), Richard Bambach (2000 - 2003), Mike Benton (2006-2011), Matt Carrano (2005-2011), Will Clyde (2003 - 2005), James Crampton (2006-2011), Michael Foote (2000 - 2006), Franz Fürsich (2000-2011), Pat Gensel (2003-2011), Steve Holland (2000 - 2006), Linda Ivany (2000 - 2003), Dave Jablonski (2000 - 2006), Wolfgang Kiessling (2003-2011), Michal Kowalewski (2003 - 2006), David Lazarus (2006-2011), Scott Lidgard (2000 - 2003), Charles Marshall (2000 - 2005), Arnie Miller (2000 - 2006), Tom Olszewski (2000 - 2003), Mark Patzkowsky(2000-2011), Roy Plotnick (2005-2011), David Remsen (2006-2011), Kaustuv Roy (2000 - 2003), Pete Sadler (2006-2011), Hallie Sims (2000 - 2006), Dena Smith (2003-2011), Mark Uhen (2003-2011), Loïc Villier (2006-2011), Pete Wagner (2000 - 2005), Peter Wilf (2006-2011), and Scott Wing (2000 - 2003).