Outreach experiences
2022
- Science Live: ‘Sampling 290 Myo-specimens from the Bromacker Locality’ (Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha, Germany). 2 days - 250 visitors.
- Official opening event of the exhibit: ‘Bromacker Lab – Discovering Prehistoric Times!’. (Stiftung Schloss Friedenstein Gotha, Germany). 1 day
- Girls in Science event (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA). 1h oral presentation – 10 young girls.
- Adult Nights: Wild Love (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA). 3h ≈ 500 persons
- State of the Sciences: Live! at the Library (NCSU, Hunt Library, Raleigh NC, USA). 3h ≈ 1000 participants.
- Postdoc Pop Talks event (NCSU, Hunt Library, Raleigh NC, USA). Quick, visually immersive research talk.
- Girls in Science event (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA). 1h oral presentation + lab tour – 25 young girls.
- Public lecture at Chapel Hill Bird Club (Chapel Hill NC, USA): Can we determine the sex of dinosaurs by looking into their bones? 1h ≈ 30 persons.
- STEM goes RED (SAS Executive Briefing Center, Cary NC, USA). 1 day ≈ 100 young girls.
- State of the Sciences: Live! at the Library (NCSU, Hunt Library, Raleigh NC, USA). 3h ≈ 1000 participants.
- Adult Nights: Throwback Thursday 90’s (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA). 3h ≈ 100 persons
- Public lecture on the origin and evolution of birds (living dinosaurs – the deep origins of birds) at the West Coast Fossil Park (Langebaan, South Africa). 1h. ≈ 40 persons.
- Public Lecture on the origin and evolution of birds (living dinosaurs – the deep origins of birds) for the Cape Bird Club courses (Cape Town, South Africa). 1h. ≈ 50 persons.
Teaching experiences
2022
- Short Course on bone (Paleo)histology - Principal Instructor (Master's students). 2 days, 15 students
- BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity – Teaching assistant (undergrad students). Summer II
- BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity – Principal Instructor (undergrad students). Spring semester, 169 students
- BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity – Principal Instructor (undergrad students). Fall semester, 220 students
- Archosaurian Anatomy - Guest Lecturer on Bone Tissues (under/postgrad students). 2 days, 10 participants.
- Short Course on (Paleo)histology & Workshop on Petrographic thin-sections (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA). 3 days, 16 participants.
- Lecture on Bone microanatomy, secondary aquatic adaptations, non-destructive techniques to study bone tissues (micro-CT, synchrotron), for the Short Course Paleohistology, Biology and Paleontology. Master’s and PhD international students (Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn, Germany). 4h – 7 students.
- Lecture on Origin and diversification of amniotes / marine reptiles for the Vertebrate Paleontology Module (M60), first year Geology Master’s students (University of Bonn, Germany). 3h – 12 students.
- Lecture on Non-mammalian synapsids (Pelycosauria, Therapsida) for the Vertebrate Paleontology Module (OEP35), first year Organismic Biology, Evolutionary Biology and Paleobiology (OEP) Master’s students (University of Bonn, Germany). 1h – 8 students.
- Lecture on Early amniotes for the Vertebrate Paleontology Module (OEP35), first year OEP Master’s students (University of Bonn, Germany). 2h – 8 students.
- Lecture on Bone microanatomy and paleobiological inferences/ new techniques used in paleohistology (micro-CT, synchrotron) for the short course Fossil Hard Tissue Histology (M63), Biology and Paleontology Master’s students (Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn, Germany). 3h – 12 students.
- Lecture on Early amniotes / marine reptiles for the Vertebrate Paleontology Module (M60), first year Geology Master’s students (University of Bonn, Germany). 3h – 10 students.
- Cell biology practical demonstrator for first-year students (BIO1000F, Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town). 40h – 12 students.
- Organization of the Paleobiology Module for the biological sciences honours students (Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town, South Africa) and contribution to 1 week of lectures – 10 students.
Supervision of students
Professional development:
- Since 2011: Training of students and colleagues on thin-sectioning protocols and bone histological interpretations.
- 2020 – present: Mentoring of Rebekah RHODES, PhD Student of Paleo3 Research Group, NCSU (as part of the joint Paleosciences Peer Mentoring Program, NC State University, USA & Stellenbosch University, South Africa).
- 2021 – 2022: Mentoring of Silvia KOLOMAZNIK, Masters Student (Friedrich Schiller University of Jena) on bone (paleo)histological techniques.
Research projects:
2022 – present
Saskia NIEKE, Masters student (Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany).
Project title: Paleobiological and biomechanical investigations of the first hypothesized arboreal anomodont Suminia getmanovi (Upper Permian of Russia) by means of bone microstructural analysis
2022 – present
Rebecca LELLAU, Masters student (Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany).
In co-supervision with P. FRENZEL, PhD.
Project title: Isotopic and chemical analyses of the bones of different tetrapods recovered from the Early Permian Bromacker Locality of Germany
2015
Kayleigh WIERSMA, Masters student (University of Bonn, Germany).In co-supervision with Prof. Martin SANDER.
Project title: Histology of the sauropod long bones from the Howe-Stephens Quarry (Morrison Formation, Wyoming): testing hypotheses of skeletal unity.
Publication of Wiersma-Weyand et al. 2021
2013
Vidushi DABEE, 4th year Honours student (Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town, South Africa).
In co-supervision with Prof. Anusuya CHINSAMY-TURAN
Project title: Biological interpretations from long bone microstructure of marine birds.
2011
Tobias NASTERLACK, 4th year Honours student (Biological Sciences Department, University of Cape Town, South Africa)
In co-supervision with Prof. Anusuya CHINSAMY-TURAN
Project title: New insights into the biology of the Permian genus Cistecephalus (Therapsida, Dicynodontia).
Publication of Nasterlack et al., 2012
