Professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS)
Chair, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
P. David Polly is a Professor in and Chair of the department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University (IU). A vertebrate paleontologist, he studies the ecology and evolution of mammals and other vertebrates in the fossil record, including trait-based studies of community response to environmental change, geometric morphometric analysis of evolution and morphology, phylogenetics, spatial processes, community assembly, and speciation on regional and continental geographic scales.
David is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and recently served as president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2016-18), Director of the IU Center for Biological Research Collections (2013-2018), and Associate Director of the Environmental Resilience Institute at IU (2017-2018), and was an Edward P. Bass Distinguished Visiting Environmental Scholar at the Yale University Institute of Biospheric Studies (2018-19).
James Rohlf Medal for Excellence in Morphometrics, 2025.
Fellow, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022.
McCormick Science Grant with Anne E. Kort, 2022. For faculty/graduate student team whose research is judged most creative, visionary, and innovative. College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University.
James Philip Holland Award for Exemplary Teaching and Service to Students, 2011. Indiana University.
McCormick Science Grant (with A. Michelle Lawing), 2011. For faculty/graduate student team whose research is judged most creative, visionary, and innovative. College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University.
Drapers’ Prize for Excellence in Teaching, 2004. Queen Mary, University of London.
Joseph T. Gregory Award, 2001. For outstanding service to the welfare of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
2025-Present Associate Editor, Evolution
2025-present Member, Romer-Simpson Medal Committee, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
2024-Present Advisory Board Member, Climate Ages (son-profit educational organization).
2023-Present Department Chair (2nd term), Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington
2023-Present Associate Editor, Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society
2023-Present Advisory Board Member, Midwest Center for Biodiversity, Indiana University
2022-Present Advisory Board Member, Institute of Advanced Study, Indiana University
2021-present Chair, Nominating Committee, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
2020-2023 Department Chair (1st term), Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington
2020-Present Advisory Board Member, Indiana Geological and Water Survey (state agency)
2018-2020 Immediate Past President, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
2016-2018 President, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
2017-2018 Associate Director, Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University and Prepared for Environmental Change grand challenge initiative
2014-2016 Vice President, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
2013-2019 Director, Center for Biological Research Collections, Indiana University, Bloomington
The College of Arts