Dr. Druckenmiller is a vertebrate paleontologist specializing in the study of Mesozoic marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. While remains of these two extinct groups of vertebrates were first unearthed nearly 200 years ago, fundamental aspects of their life histories and paleobiology remain largely unknown. At one level, Pat’s research seeks to better reveal diversity of these globally distributed organisms through alpha taxonomic work. This work is enhanced through use computed tomographic (CT) data, which is an important non-destructive means to help in understanding cranial anatomy and sensory systems of these organisms. Building on this knowledge, his research seeks to unravel patterns of relationship through phylogenetic analyses, with a special emphasis on the evolutionary history of plesiosaurs. An important component of his work also incorporates the geologic context of these organisms to interpret their paleoenvironmental associations and taphonomic history.
Current projects include collaborative work with the Natural History Museum, University of Oslo documenting a significant new locality of Late Jurassic marine vertebrates in the arctic archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. New marine reptile material from Alberta and Montana is also under study with collaborators from the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta. Within Alaska, Pat is conducting fieldwork to expand the state’s record of vertebrate fossils, including new marine reptile and dinosaur material from the Talkeetna Mountains, the Brooks Range, and the North Slope.
