Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

A vertebrate paleontologist, he studies the 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, biogeography, 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).

• Mammalian paleontology
• Quantitative evolution
• Biotic responses to changing earth systems

• Allison K. Bormet, Indiana University, Ph.D.
• Anne E. Kort, Indiana University, Ph.D.
• Ricardo Ely, Indiana University, Ph.D.
• Charles Salcido, Indiana University, Ph.D.
• Allison Nelson, Indiana University, M.S.
• Sierra Lopezalles, Indiana University, Ph.D.
• Henry Fulghum, Indiana University, M.S.

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, University of Indiana

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

2013-Present: Director, College Center for Biological Research Collections, College of Arts and Sciences and Office for the Vice President for Research, Indiana University–Bloomington

2013-Present Chair, Advisory Board, Glenn Black Laboratory for Archaeology. Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Indiana University

2006-Present Research Curator, IU Paleontological Collection, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

2020-Present: Advisory Board Member, Indiana Geological and Water Survey, Indiana University, Bloomington

2019: Witness, US House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee hearing on “Forgotten Voices: The Inadequate Review and Improper Alteration of Our National Monuments”, 13 March 2019.

2017-2018: Associate Director, Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University and Prepared for Environmental Change grand challenges initiative

2017-2018: Chair, Faculty Misconduct Review Committee, Bloomington Faculty Council, Indiana University

2016-2018: President, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

2015-2017: Chair, Faculty Board of Review, Bloomington Faculty Council, Indiana University

2013-2019: Director, College Center for Biological Research Collections, College of Arts and Sciences and Office for the Vice President for Research, Indiana University, Bloomington

2002-2007: Member of Council, Palaeontological Association