黑料导航

Aki Watanabe’s research seeks to answer one of the most enduring questions in biology鈥攚hat drives phenotypic evolution? To this end, his work focuses on three areas: (1) the tempo and mode of morphological evolution, particularly along the dinosaur-bird transition; (2) the complex interplay between anatomical changes along developmental and evolutionary time scales; and (3) the creation of new computational tools to investigate practical and theoretical issues in the collection and analysis of phenotypic data. His research employs a synthesis of modern techniques, including high-resolution 3-D imaging, statistical shape analysis (geometric morphometrics), and programming. Watanabe’s previous projects have elucidated how the highly encephalized brains of birds evolved from their dinosaurian ancestors, while introducing new tools that allow users to evaluate the quality of their own morphological data. Beyond these studies, he regularly engages in paleontological fieldwork, including remote locations in Mongolia and Argentina.

Watanabe received his Ph.D. in Comparative Biology from Richard Gilder Graduate School at the American Museum of Natural History in 2016, an M.Sc. in Biological Science from Florida State University in 2012, and a B.A. in Biological Sciences and Geophysical Sciences, as well as a Minor in Music from University of Chicago in 2009. His non-academic interests include playing the violin, running, and tennis.