William David Lambert, PhD

 

The Louisiana School of Mathematics, Science, and the Arts

 715 University Avenue  ~  Natchitoches, Louisiana 71457

dlambert@lsmsa.edu

Office:  318-357-3174, extension 153     Fax:  318-357-3299

 

CAREER  ACCOMPLISHMENTS

 

The Louisiana School of Mathematics, Science, and the Arts

 

·              Successfully established new course, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology, combining two courses usually treated separately.  Allowed form to complement function.

·    Authored three papers accepted for publication while currently having three papers near completion.  (All papers peer reviewed.)

·    Presented independent research findings at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology during 1998, 2001, 2003.

·    Invited to attend international theriological meetings in South Africa (2001) as expert on elephant evolution.

·    Consulted as a proboscidean evolution expert by National Geographic regarding book in production.

·    Assembled collection of models and permanent specimens to support a proper college level course in comparative vertebrate anatomy and to enhance human anatomy and physiology instruction.

·    Applied for and received $1,000 grant from Richard Brown Memorial Fund (2002).

·    Successfully led by example – permanently altered teaching methods through the entire department by successfully incorporating new audiovisual technology into lecture (e.g., document cameras).

·   Applied for and received a grant from the National Park Service to fund a community course on the natural and cultural history of the Cane River Historical Area.

 

Saint Peter’s College

 

·              Received recognition for instructional expertise/effectiveness with listing of name in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

·    Twice nominated for Alan T. Waterman Award (National Science Foundation and the National Science Board, sponsors) by St. Peter’s College for work in the area of Ecosystems.

·    Reviewed book manuscripts for both the Johns Hopkins University Press and the University of Florida Press.

·    Successfully published peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on ecology.

 

PROFESSIONAL  EXPERIENCE

 

The Louisiana School of Mathematics, Science, and the Arts, Natchitoches, Louisiana       1998 – Present

State-supported residential high school for intellectually and artistically gifted students – all courses offered at collegiate level.  400 students; 43 faculty.

 

Professor of Biology

 

·              Current:   Teach Human Anatomy and Physiology lecture and lab over two semesters (three sections, 45 students, on average); Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology over two semesters (one section, average of 10 students); and Research Methodology.  Guide independent research projects for three students.

·    Previous Years:  Taught Human Anatomy and Physiology (Units 1 and 2); Geology and Paleontology of Louisiana; An Introduction to Dinosaurs and Other Exotic Creatures; Vertebrate Zoology; Florida Ecosystems; Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology; Biology (during summer sessions).

·    Authored entry on proboscideans in newest edition of McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology.

·    Provided consultation as expert on proboscidean evolution to National Geographic regarding book in production.

·    Reviewed papers and technical manuscript submitted to the Johns Hopkins University Press.


Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana 2000 - Present

Part of the University of Louisiana system – approximately 10,000 students.

 

Adjunct Instructor

 

     Teach Introduction to Physical Science to non-science majors.

     Teach Historical Geology.

Advance Instructor

     Teach college level biology to gifted high school students (accelerated 3 week course)

 

Saint Peter’s College, Jersey City, New Jersey                                                        1995 – 1998

Jesuit College with student body of 3,700 – co-educational liberal arts college offering 38 Bachelor’s programs, Masters Degree programs, and numerous Associate degree programs.  

 

Professor of Biology

 

·              Taught The Human Environment (introduction to environmental science for non-biology majors) and Science Literacy (science survey course for non-science majors), Functional Vertebrate Anatomy, and The History of Life (earth history for non-science majors), Evolution, and General Biology.

Onward-laboratory Coordinator for Human Anatomy and Physiology.

     Managed adjunct lecturers and laboratory scheduling/preparation as part of nurse training program shared between St. Peter’s College and three Jersey City regional hospitals.

 

Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, Florida                                                 1994 – 1995

Community college ranked in nation’s top 25 community colleges in degree awards.

 

Adjunct Instructor in Human Anatomy and Physiology

 

·              Taught Human Anatomy and Physiology.

 

 

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida                                                               1994 – 1995

Among nation’s five largest universities (46,000+ students) – Major, public, comprehensive land grant university – member of the Association of American Universities (among top 63 public/private institutions in North America).

Post Doctoral Research Associate

 

·              Conducted research on the applications of modern techniques in landscape ecology towards understanding paleoecosystem evolution (Sponsor – Dr. Crawford Holling).

 

 

Additional Experience: 

 

Graduate Student Lab Instructor, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida        1986 – 1994

Lab Instructor – Biology (Pre-professionals and Non-Majors), Vertebrate Paleontology, Mammalogy, Functional Vertebrate Anatomy.

 

Research Assistant, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida        1986 – 1995

Unofficial, unpaid position – vertebrate paleontology.  Collected field specimens and prepared/catalogued specimens. Negotiated donation of valuable specimens, dealt with media representatives (radio, television, and newspaper).  Provided talks/workshops for public groups.  Provided technical advice on exhibit design. 

 

EDUCATION

 

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology, 1994

 

~    Dissertation:  The fauna and paleoecology of the late Miocene Moss Acres Racetrack site, Marion County, Florida

 

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Master of Science in Zoology, 1989

~    Thesis:  The morphology and ecology of feeding in the shovel-tusked gomphotheres (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae, Amebelodontinae)

 

University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Bachelor of Science (Biological Science), with general honors, 1986

 

Grants:

 

~    In conjunction with Karl Rohr, Art Williams, National Park Service, $5,000-2005

~    Richard Brown Memorial Fund grant, $1,000 - 2002 

~    Contributed to a successful application for a NASA Earth Observation Systems and Terrestrial Ecosystems grant (Crawford Holling primary investigator)-1993

~      In conjunction with S. David Webb, McKenna Foundation grant for $10,000 – 1991

~      R. Jerry Britt, Jr. Paleobiology Award, $500 grant – 1989

~      Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Award from the American Museum of Natural History, $600 grant – 1988

~      Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, $500 grant – 1988

 

Affiliations

 

~    Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, Graduate Member (since 1998)

~    The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (since 1987) – Local news editor, University of Florida Chapter (1991 – 1995)

~    The National Association for the Advancement of Science (since 1993)

~    The Paleontological Society (since 1990)

~    Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (since 1989)


 

Publications & Presentations

 

PUBLICATIONS:

 

1990

 

Rediagnosis of the genus Amebelodon (Mammalia, Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) with a new subgenus and species, Amebelodon (Konobelodon) britti. Journal of Paleontology, 64 (6): 1032-1041 (peer-reviewed).

 

Review of The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs.  Florida Paleontological Society, Inc. Newsletter, 7 (4).

 

1991

 

Review of Digging for Dinosaurs. Florida Paleontological Society Newsletter 8 (1).

 

Altriciality and its implications for dinosaur thermoenergetic physiology. Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Palaontologie 182(1): 173-184 (peer-reviewed).

 

1992

 

The feeding habits of the shovel-tusked gomphotheres (Mammalia, Proboscidea,   Gomphotheriidae): Evidence from tusk wear patterns. Paleobiology 18 (2): 132-147 (peer-reviewed).

 

1995

 

With Webb, S. David and Richard C. Hulbert. Climatic implications of large herbivore distributions in the Miocene of North America. In E. S. Vrba, G. H. Denton, T. C. Partridge, and L. H. Burckle (eds.), Paleoclimate and Evolution: With Emphasis on Human origins. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.

 

1996

 

With Holling, C. S., G. Peterson, P. Marples, J. Sendzimir, K. Redford, L. and L. Gunderson.  Self-organization in ecosystems: lumpy geometries, periodicities, and morphologies. In B. H. Walker and W. L. Steffen (eds), Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, U.K.

 

The biogeography of the Gomphotheriidae of North America. In Tassy, P. and J. Shoshani (eds.), The Proboscidea: Trends in Evolution and Paleoecology. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK (peer-reviewed).

 

1997

 

The osteology and paleoecology of the giant otter Enhydritherium terraenovae. The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17 (5): 738-749 (peer-reviewed).

 

1998

 

With Shoshani, J. The Proboscidea. In Janis, C., K. M. Scott, and L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America, Volume 1. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK (peer-reviewed).

 

With C. M. Janis, M. W. Colbert, M. Coombs, B. J. MacFadden, B. J., Mader, D. R. Prothero, R. M. Schoch, J. Shoshani, and W. Wall. Perissodactyla and Proboscidea. In Janis, C., K. M. Scott, and L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America, Volume 1. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.

 

With Holling, C., Causes of ecosystem transformation at the end of the Pleistocene:  Evidence from mammal body mass distributions. Ecosystems 1: 157-175 (peer-reviewed).

 

1999

 

Proboscidea. The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York.

 

2005

 

Do ecosystems ever converge? Evidence from body mass distributions of late Miocene North American mammal faunas. In Ludu, Andrei, N. Hutchings, and D. Fry (eds.), ISIS: Proceedings of the 1st Internmational Symposium on Interdisciplinary Science, NSU, Natchitoches, LA, Oct 6-8, 2004 (peer-reviewed).

 

The microstructure of proboscidean ivory and its implications for subordinal identification of ivory specimens. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 45(4): 521-530 (peer-reviewed) (follow the hyperlink to see a pdf version of the paper).

 

2006

 

Functional convergence of ecosystems: Evidence from body mass distributions of late Miocene North American mammal faunas. Ecosystems 9: 1-28 (peer-reviewed) (follow the hyperlink to see a pdf version of the paper).

 

2007

New tetralophodont gomphothere material from Nebraska and its implications for the status of North American Tetralophodon. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(3): 676-682. (peer-reviewed) (follow the hyperlink to see a pdf version of the paper).

 

PRESENTATIONS: 

 

1989

 

The feeding habits of the shovel-tusked gomphotheres (Mammalia, Proboscidea,   Gomphotheriidae): Evidence from tusk wear patterns. Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Austin, TX (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 9[3] supplement)

 

1990

 

The osteology, phylogeny, and paleoecology of the giant otter Enhydritherium terraenovae (Mammalia, Mustelidae). Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Lawrence, KS. (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 10 [3] supplement).

 

1992

 

The microstructure of ivory within the Proboscidea.  Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Toronto, Canada (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 12 [3] supplement).

 

1993

 

With Holling, C.  Body mass distributions in two Rancholabrean mammal faunas: Implications for late Pleistocene community structure and the Great Megafaunal Extinction Event. Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Albuquerque, NM (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 13[3] supplement).

 

1995

 

With Cordier, D. and R. Chandler. Mammuthus from the late Blancan Santa Fe River 1B locality:  the oldest record of Mammuthus from North America. Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Pittsburgh, PA (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 15[3] supplement).

 

1996

 

The Feeding Behavior of the Shovel-tusked Gomphothere Proboscideans: When Is a Shovel Really a Shovel? Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville.

 

The History of the Tertiary Gomphothere Proboscideans in Central and North America.  Symposium on the Evolutionary History of the Proboscidea, Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, New York, New York (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 16 [3] supplement).

 

1997

 

The taphonomy, palynoflora, and paleoclimate of the middle Hemphillian Moss Acres Racetrack site (Marion County, North Florida).  Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chicago (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17 [3] supplement).

 

1998

 

A new gomphothere from the Bone Valley region of Florida, and its implications for the phylogeny of the amebelodontine gomphotheres (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae).  Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Salt Lake City, Utah (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18 [3] supplement).

 

2001

 

New gomphothere material from the Clarendonian of Nebraska and its implications for the status of Tetralophodon in North America.  Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Bozemann, Montana (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 21 [3] supplement).

 

2003

 

Functional convergence of ecosystems: Evidence from body mass distributions of North American late Miocene mammal faunas.   Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, St. Paul, Minnesota (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23 [3] supplement).

 

2004

 

Functional convergence of ecosystems: Evidence from body mass distributions of North American late Miocene mammal faunas.  International Symposium on Interdisciplinary Science, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA.

 

2007

 

Are the shovel-tusked gomphotheres (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) monophyletic or polyphyletic? Annual Meetings of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Austin, Texas (abstract published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(3) supplement).