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Bruce Lieberman
Curator
Invertebrate Paleontology
Biodiversity Institute

Professor - Geology

Contact Information

Office Phone: 
785.864.2741
Email: 
blieber@ku.edu
Building: 
Lindley Hall

 Bruce is a paleobiologist whose research focuses on the study of macroevolutionary patterns and processes.  

My research involves using the fossil record to study macroevolutionary patterns and processes. One focus of my research involves reconstructing phylogenetic patterns in arthropods, especially trilobites, during key time periods in the history of life, such as the Cambrian radiation and the end Ordovician mass extinction. I also study the relative roles abiotic and biotic factors play in influencing evolution and extinction. A central part of my research involves performing biogeographic analyses, including developing and using phylogenetic approaches and also using GIS and ecological niche modeling to study the fossil and extant biota.  I have also studied mechanisms of evolutionary stasis, levels of selection, what causes speciation and extinction rates to vary in deep time, and general theoretical issues related to tempo and mode in evolution.  More details on research in my lab can be found at:

paleo.ku.edu/geo/lieberman.html

Education

1991—1994        Ph.D. Columbia University, Geological Sciences.  Advisor, Niles Eldredge, March 1994

1989—1991        M.A. Columbia University, Geological Sciences

1984—1988        A. B. Harvard University, Geological Sciences, Summa Cum Laude, Advisor, Stephen Jay Gould 

 

 

Printable CV: 
application/pdf iconcvnew11.pdf
 

Academic Appointments

Current Appointments

Curator
Invertebrate Paleontology
Biodiversity Institute

Professor - Geology

Previous Appointments

Post-Doctoral Fellowships

1996—1998        NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Earth Sciences. Advisor Andrew Knoll, Harvard University

1994—1995        Advisor Elisabeth Vrba, Yale University

 

Professional Positions

2007—present         Professor, with tenure, Department of Geology, University of Kansas

2007—present         Senior Curator, Division of Invertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas

2005—2007         Interim Director, Paleontological Institute and Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, University of Kansas

2005—2007         Acting Director, Division of Invertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas

2004—2004         Visiting Professor, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University and Visiting Curator, Division of Invertebrate Paleontology, Peabody Museum of Natural History. Funds provided by Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and Yale Peabody Museum.

2002—2007         Associate Professor, with tenure, Department of Geology, University of Kansas

2002—2007         Courtesy Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas

1999—2002         Courtesy Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas

1998—2002         Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, University of Kansas

1998—1998         Instructor, Harvard University

1995—present         Curatorial Affiliate, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University

1995—1995         Instructor, Yale University

 

Professional Societies

American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Geological Institute

Geological Society of America

International Biogeography Society

International Palaeontological Society

Kansas Academy of Science

Paleontological Research Institution

Paleontological Society

Sigma Xi

Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology

Society of Systematic Biologists

 

Grants

2007—2012         NSF Systematic Biology RevSys, “Revisionary systematics of Cheirurid trilobites.” $450,000 ($213,000 to KU), PI with PI Jonathan Adrain

2005—2008         NSF Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology, “An integrative paleontological and paleoenvironmental study of the Middle Cambrian Spence, Wheeler, and Marjum soft-bodied faunas of Utah.” $250,000 ($110,000 to KU), PI with co-PI’s Derek Briggs, Mary Droser, and Robert Gaines

2004—2010         NSF DBI, “Archiving the history of life: High-density storage to solve space needs for an invertebrate paleontology research and teaching collection.” $251,708, PI with co-PI’s Roger Kaesler and Steve Hasiotis

2004—2007         NASA Exobiology, “Did a gamma ray burst cause the late Ordovician mass extinction?” $417,552, co-PI with PI Adrian Melott and co-PI’s Claude Laird, Mikhail Medvedev, and Larry Martin

2003—2006         KU Endowment Association, Self Faculty Scholar Award, $150,000, PI

2001—2005         NSF Geology and Paleontology, “A Sequence, Chemo-, and Biostratigraphic Study of Late Early Cambrian Rocks, Southern Selwyn Basin, Mackenzie Mountains, N.W.T., Canada.” $212,000 ($117,000 to KU), co-PI with PI Mike Pope

2001—2002         National Geographic, “Early Cambrian Climate and Evolution.” $20,000, co-PI with PI Mike Pope and co-PI Mario Coniglio

2001—2004         NSF-REU Research Experience for Undergraduates. $181,000, one of 10-co-PI’s along with PI Helen Alexander

2000—2003         NSF-OPP Antarctic Geology and Geophysics, “Characterization of the Fauna of the Middle Cambrian Nelson Limestone: A Fauna of Relevance to Antarctic Geology.” $60,000, PI

2000—2003         NSF EPSCoR First Award, “Assessing the Long Term Effects of Invasive Species Using the Fossil Record.” $35,000, PI

1995—1997         NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Earth Sciences, $72,000

Awards

2009         Jan F. and Mary L. van Sant Geology Excellence Award

2005-         Fellow of the Paleontological Society

2003         Jan F. and Mary L. van Sant Geology Excellence Award

2002         Schuchert Award, Paleontological Society, to a paleontologist under 40 whose research and career demonstrates excellence and promise

2000         Jan F. and Mary L. van Sant Geology Excellence Award, $5000

2000—2003         Paleontological Society distinguished lecturer

 

 

 

Books published

 

6. Lieberman, B. S. Paleontology and the Origin of Species: A Macroevolutionary Synthesis. Oxford University Press, New York. In prep.

5. Wiley, E. O., and B. S. Lieberman. 2011. Phylogenetics, 2nd edition. J. Wiley & Sons, New York. 432 p.

4. Lieberman, B. S., and R. A. Kaesler. 2010. Prehistoric Life: Evolution and the Fossil Record. Wiley/Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, UK, 385 p.

3. Lieberman, B. S., A. Stigall Rode, editors. 2005. Paleobiogeography: Generating New Insights into the Coevolution of the Earth and Its Biota. Paleontological Society Papers 11, Paleontological Society, Lawrence, KS, 158 pp.

2. Adrain, J., G. D. Edgecombe, and B. S. Lieberman, editors. 2001. Fossils, Phylogeny, and Form: An Analytical Approach. Plenum Press/Kluwer Academic Publishers, New York.

1. Lieberman, B. S. 2000. Paleobiogeography: Using Fossils to Study Global Change, Plate Tectonics, and Evolution.              Plenum Press/Kluwer Academic Publishers, New York.

  

 

Collaborators: 

Ed Wiley http://biodiversity.ku.edu/edward-wiley