Derek Briggs
Encyclopedia
Derek Ernest Gilmor Briggs is an Irish
paleontologist and taphonomist
based at Yale University
. Briggs is one of three paleontologists who were key in the reinterpretation of the fossils of the Burgess Shale
.
, Briggs worked on the fossil
s of the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale
of British Columbia
alongside British paleontologists Harry Blackmore Whittington and Simon Conway Morris
on the exceptionally well-preserved
Burgess Shale fauna. The Burgess Shale project subsequently became one of the most celebrated endeavors in the field of paleontology
in the latter half of the 20th century. Briggs is currently Director of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Professor in the Department of Geology
and Geophysics
and Curator in charge of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. In July 2008 he took over as director of the museum. Briggs is a Fellow of the Royal Society
and winner of the 2001 Boyle Medal.
Briggs's research is on the taphonomy, or preservation, and evolutionary significance of the exceptionally preserved fossil biotas known as Konservat-Lagerstätten
- fossil formations that include evidence of faunal soft tissue. His work involves a range of approaches from experiment
al work on the factors controlling decay
and fossilization, through studies of early diagenetic mineralization
and organic preservation, to field work on a range of fossil occurrences.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
paleontologist and taphonomist
Taphonomy
Taphonomy is the study of decaying organisms over time and how they become fossilized . The term taphonomy was introduced to paleontology in 1940 by Russian scientist Ivan Efremov to describe the study of the transition of remains, parts, or products of organisms, from the biosphere, to the...
based at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Briggs is one of three paleontologists who were key in the reinterpretation of the fossils of the Burgess Shale
Burgess Shale
The Burgess Shale Formation, located in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, is one of the world's most celebrated fossil fields, and the best of its kind. It is famous for the exceptional preservation of the soft parts of its fossils...
.
Professional achievements
While at the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Briggs worked on the fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s of the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale
Burgess Shale
The Burgess Shale Formation, located in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, is one of the world's most celebrated fossil fields, and the best of its kind. It is famous for the exceptional preservation of the soft parts of its fossils...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
alongside British paleontologists Harry Blackmore Whittington and Simon Conway Morris
Simon Conway Morris
Simon Conway Morris FRS is an English paleontologist made known by his detailed and careful study of the Burgess Shale fossils, an exploit celebrated in Wonderful Life by Stephen Jay Gould...
on the exceptionally well-preserved
Lagerstätte
A Lagerstätte is a sedimentary deposit that exhibits extraordinary fossil richness or completeness.Palaeontologists distinguish two kinds....
Burgess Shale fauna. The Burgess Shale project subsequently became one of the most celebrated endeavors in the field of paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
in the latter half of the 20th century. Briggs is currently Director of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Professor in the Department of Geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
and Geophysics
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
and Curator in charge of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. In July 2008 he took over as director of the museum. Briggs is a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and winner of the 2001 Boyle Medal.
Briggs's research is on the taphonomy, or preservation, and evolutionary significance of the exceptionally preserved fossil biotas known as Konservat-Lagerstätten
Lagerstätte
A Lagerstätte is a sedimentary deposit that exhibits extraordinary fossil richness or completeness.Palaeontologists distinguish two kinds....
- fossil formations that include evidence of faunal soft tissue. His work involves a range of approaches from experiment
Experiment
An experiment is a methodical procedure carried out with the goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. Experiments vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results...
al work on the factors controlling decay
Decomposition
Decomposition is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death...
and fossilization, through studies of early diagenetic mineralization
Mineralization (biology)
In biology, mineralization refers to the process where an organic substance is converted to an inorganic substance.This may also be a normal biological process which takes place during the life of an organism such as the formation of bone tissue or egg shells, largely with calcium.This term may...
and organic preservation, to field work on a range of fossil occurrences.
Education
| Date | Position |
|---|---|
| 1974–1977 | Research Fellow, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally... |
| 1977–1985 | Department of Geology Geology Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates... , Goldsmiths College, University of London. |
| 1985–2002 | Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is... (Chair 1997–2001) |
| 2001–2002 | Visiting professor, Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago University of Chicago The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890... |
| 2003– | Professor Professor A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank... in the Department of Geology Geology Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates... and Geophysics Geophysics Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and... and Curator Curator A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material... in charge of Invertebrate Invertebrate An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group... Paleontology Paleontology Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments... at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. |
| 2004– | Director of the Yale YALE RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications... Institute for Biospheric Studies |
Distinctions
- 1999 — Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
- 2000 — Premio Capo d'Orlando (ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
prize for paleontology - 2000 — Lyell MedalLyell MedalThe Lyell Medal is a prestigious annual scientific medal given by the Geological Society of London, equal in status to the Murchison Medal, awarded on the basis of research to an Earth Scientist of exceptional quality...
, Geological Society of LondonGeological Society of LondonThe Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"... - 2001 — Boyle Medal, Royal Dublin SocietyRoyal Dublin SocietyThe Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
/Irish Times - 2002–2004 — PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Palaeontological AssociationPalaeontological AssociationThe Palaeontological Association is a charitable organisation based in the UK founded in 1957 for the promotion of the study of palaeontology.-Functions:... - 2003 — Honorary Member of the Royal Irish AcademyRoyal Irish AcademyThe Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
- 2003 — President Elect, Paleontological SocietyPaleontological SocietyThe Paleontological Society, formally the Paleontological Society of America, is an international organisation devoted to the promotion of paleontology. The Society was founded in 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland and was incorporated in April 1968 in the District of Columbia...
Selected works
- Derek E. G. Briggs, D. H. Erwin, and F. J. Collier. The fossils of the Burgess Shale.
- A report on superbly fossilized prehistoric life in the Cambrian period of the early Paleozoic era.
- Derek E. G. Briggs, C. Bartels, and G. Brassel. The fossils of the Hunsrück Slate.
- A report on the marineMarine (ocean)Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
paleoecologyPaleoecologyPaleoecology uses data from fossils and subfossils to reconstruct the ecosystems of the past. It involves the study of fossil organisms and their associated remains, including their life cycle, living interactions, natural environment, and manner of death and burial to reconstruct the...
in the Devonian period of the middle Paleozoic era.
- A report on the marine
- Derek E. G. Briggs and Peter R. Crowther, eds. (2003). Palaeobiology II. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell PublishingBlackwell PublishingWiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons. It was formed by the merger of John Wiley's Global Scientific, Technical, and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing, after Wiley took over Blackwell Publishing in...
. ISBN 0-632-05147-7 and ISBN 0-632-05149-3.- Second edition of their acclaimed textbook regarding fossilFossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s and the evolution of lifeTimeline of evolutionThis timeline of evolution of life outlines the major events in the development of life on planet Earth since it first originated until the present day. In biology, evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations...
.
- Second edition of their acclaimed textbook regarding fossil
- Derek E.G. Briggs, Nicholas H. BartonNick BartonProfessor Nicholas Hamilton Barton FRS FRSE is a British evolutionary biologist.He was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge where he graduated with a first-class degree in Natural Sciences in 1976 and gained his PhD under Godfrey Hewitt at the University of East Anglia in 1979...
, Jonathan A. EisenJonathan EisenJonathan A. Eisen is an American evolutionary biologist, currently working at University of California, Davis. His academic research is in the fields of evolutionary biology, genomics and microbiology and he is the academic editor-in-chief of the open-access journal PLoS Biology.In 2011 Eisen was...
, David B. Goldstein, and Nipam H. Patel. Evolution.- An undergraduate textbook which integrates molecular biology, human genetics, and genomics with traditional evolutionary studies.