Image description: Headshot of Dr. Kokesh with an out-of-focus staircase and tree in the background.
Broc Kokesh
USA
November 3, 2026
Beyond Snapshots: Building a Time Series of Subfossil Death Assemblages Through Academic-Agency Collaboration and Undergraduate-Driven Research
Long used by paleontologists to test taphonomic processes and paleoecological interpretations, subfossil death assemblages are increasingly recognized for their applications in modern ecological conservation and environmental management. I highlight ongoing collaborative research with applied biomonitoring agencies along the US Pacific coast, whose long-term perspectives and datasets offer unique opportunities to build time series of live-dead comparative dynamics. I will emphasize how this research now takes place in a small liberal arts college (SLAC) setting, where paleontologists with particular interests in teaching and mentoring of undergraduates might consider careers.
