The Bristol Dinosaur Team

Website Content and Design Professor Michael Benton, University of Bristol Remmert Schouten, University of Bristol Dr. Adam Yates, University of Witwatersrand Sarda Sahney, University of Bristol

Artists Richard Deasey Arril Johnson Adam Stuart Smith, University College Dublin David M. Waterhouse, University College Dublin

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Professor Michael Benton

For many years , initiator of the Bristol Dinosaur Project has wanted to do further research on Thecodontosaurus material that is in storage at the university. He published a re-evaluation of the original Durdham Down material in 2000. This encompasses most of his research on Thecodontosaurus. In 1999 Mike successfully acquired a Leverhulme Trust research grant, which is now running out, to continue preparation and research on new material found just north of Bristol.

In addition to the Bristol Dinosaur Project, Mike has conducted extensive research and produced numerous publications on subjects such as diversification of life, shapes of phylogenies, mass extinctions, Triassic ecosystem evolution, basal archosaurs and the origin of the dinosaurs. He frequently appears on national television and lectures at universities worldwide.

Website: http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/personnel/benton/Benton.html
Email: Mike.Benton@bristol.ac.uk

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Remmert Schouten

Remmert has been a fossil preparator for many year, gaining expertise by volunteering on fossil excavations in France, the Netherlands and Australia. He has also worked for Creatures & Features, a company that produces exhibits for museums worldwide, learning how to mould, cast and mount fossil skeletons.

Remmert began work on the Bristol Dinosaur Project in 1999. The preparation of Thecodontosaurus is far from straight forward. As the bones are fossilised in an ancient cave complex, they are scattered and disarticulated. The rock in which these bones are preserved is not uniform with some areas being harder than others. Therefore, Remmert uses a variety of techniques to extract the bones including chemical methods like acid preparation and mechanical methods such as pneumatic air pens as well as standard hammers and chisels.

Remmert, been instrumental in the extraction of dozens of bones including several very delicate skull elements. Prior to this no bones of Thecodontosaurus had been extracted in 20 years. His knowledge of moulding combined with his experience with Thecodontosaurus and the particularities of its preparation are a great value to the project.

Website: http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/personnel/Schouten/Schouten.html
Email: R.Schouten@bristol.ac.uk

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Dr. Adam Yates

Dr Adam Yates completed his Ph.D. at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia in 1999 and arrived in Bristol shortly thereafter. At Bristol, he began revising the early dinosaur family tree using the new information uncovered from the new Thecodontosaurus material and he has viewed most other early dinosaurs around the world. Since then Adam has completed a monograph on a different species of Thecodontosaurus found in Wales and prepared a large and comprehensive monograph which for the first time described in full the information currently known about the Bristol Dinosaur.

Adam has recently taken a position as lecturer at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Website: http://www.wits.ac.za/geosciences/Staff_cv/Yates.htm

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Sarda Sahney

Sarda Sahney completed her BSc at the University of Alberta in 1999. Her research at this instiution involved Lower Devonian fishes form Northern Canada. She began her PhD at the University of Bristol in January, 2005. Her interest is the evolution of terrestrial vertebrate communities.

Since arriving in Bristol, she has contributed to many Earth Sciences initiatives. She has designed websites for the Bristol Dinosaur Project, the University of Bristol's Palaeobiology and Biodiversity Research Group and Dinobase (soon to be relaunched). In addition she actively volunteers for outreach events.

Website: http://seis.bris.ac.uk/~glxss
Email: s.sahney@bristol.ac.uk

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David M. Waterhouse

David Waterhouse initially studied for a degree in Biology and Geology at the University of Bristol, subsequently training to be a Biology teacher in 2000 and gaining a Masters in Palaeobiology at Bristol in 2001. He has recently completed a Ph.D. (University College Dublin, Ireland) on the family trees of modern birds (close relatives of the dinosaurs). David has illustrated a number of scientific papers on dinosaurs and other extinct creatures, as well as producing drawings and paintings for museum displays and nature-trail boards around the UK and Ireland.

Budding dinosaur artists might like to download David's cartoon pictures of Theco from the Bristol Dinosaur Project activities page and have a go at colouring them in themselves!

Website: http://www.ucd.ie/~zoology/DYKE/Dave.htm
Email: dmwaterhouse@hotmail.com

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