Jack Stack
Education
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PhD Geosciences, Virginia Tech
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MS, Geological Sciences, Michigan State University
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BA, Earth Sciences, University of Pennsylvania
Areas of Expertise
Zoology, Paleontology, Paleobiology, Macroevolution, Ichthyology
Biography
I am a researcher, writer, teacher, and historian of Earth history. In short, my goals are to contribute to the field of paleontology by conducting impactful, high quality research, connecting the public to critical scientific insight through outreach, and advocating for equity and justice in STEM by mentoring motivated and diverse students.
As a research scientist, I integrate traditional paleobiology and phylogenetic comparative biology to characterize the historical patterns and evolutionary processes that have driven the extant biodiversity of ray-finned fishes (>32,000 species). My research at Virginia Tech focused on joining systematic paleontology with comparative biology to characterize the early history of extreme species diversity (i.e., hyperdiversity) in ray-finned fishes. I also develop novel techniques in phylogenetic systematics to overcome the inevitable obstacles to integrating data from fossil and living taxa. My day to day research on the morphology, ecology, and evolution of living and fossil fishes and phylogenetics (the study of evolutionary relationships) forms the foundation for broader study of actinopterygian macroevolution. At Bowie State, I am working on CURE projects that bridge science in the lab and classroom with hands-on work in zoology and conservation
Memberships & Affiliations
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Society of Vertebrate Paleontology