James C Lamsdell

Dr. James Lamsdell (he/him) joined the Department of Biology and Marine Biology at UNCW in 2026, having previously served as faculty at West Virginia University and a postdoctoral scholar at the American Museum of Natural History and Yale. Originally hailing from the United Kingdom, he spent his childhood interested in both marine biology and paleontology (thanks largely to nature documentaries, trips to the London Natural History Museum, and a full collection of the Dinosaurs! weekly magazine) and is fortunate to now work at the intersection of both fields. He is first and foremost a naturalist that loves observation and detective work and combines both in his research. Dr. Lamsdell believes science should first and foremost be an expression of joy and creativity as we explore the wonders of the natural world and strives to maintain this ethos at the core of his research program. A first generation college student, Dr. Lamsdell is passionate about providing a safe environment where lab members are capable of achieving their individual full potential and supporting curiosity-driven scientific exploration as a fundamentally human endeavor in which understanding the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the subject are as important as the data itself. His research focuses on studies of the ecology and development of living and extinct animal groups, particularly arthropods, and utilizes phylogenetic, developmental, organismal, and environmental biology to explore fundamental questions regarding the underlying mechanisms of evolution. He has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications and more than 100 scientific presentations.

Education

Lerner-Gray Postdoctoral Fellow in Marine Biology, American Museum of Natural History
Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University
PhD in Geology, University of Kansas
MSc in Palaeobiology, University of Bristol
BSc in Geology with Biology, University of Birmingham

Specialization in Teaching

Dr. Lamsdell currently teaches Senior Seminar (BIO495) at UNCW. He has previously taught classes on a broad variety of topics at West Virginia University, including Earth History, Arthropod Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Macroevolution, Paleontology, Paleoecology, and Graphic Design for Scientists.

Research Interests

Dr. Lamsdell's research focuses on the intersection of macroevolution, ecology, and development through the lens of phylogenetics and paleobiology. He has published extensively on living and fossil horseshoe crabs and the extinct eurypterids and chasmataspidids, as well as a variety of other arthropods, evolutionary theory, and phylogenetic methodology. Dr. Lamsdell is a leading proponent of the developing field of phylogenetic paleoecology and has ongoing research projects focusing on the relationship between heterochronic trends and shifts in ecology in arthropods and echinoderms. Recent and ongoing projects include studies into horseshoe crab historical biogeography, the compilation of a developmental atlas for eurypterids, and exploration of evolutionary mechanisms operating within arthropods and echinoderms over deep time. His research involves a variety of methods including organismal observation and description, high resolution photography, microscopy (including SEM and MicroCT), phylogenetic comparative methods, parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic inference, and fieldwork. He makes extensive use of museum collections, which are a critical and undervalued national resource.

Professional Service

Journal of Paleontology, Associate Editor (2017-Present)
Paleontological Society, President's Award Selection Committee (2024-Present)
Association for Women Geoscientists, Student Award Committee (2025-Present)
Paleontological Society, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting Joint Technical Program Organization Committee (2020-2022)
Geological Society of America, External Awards Committee (2019-2021)
National Science Foundation, Grant Review Panelist
NASA Exobiology, Grant Review Panelist
Referee for over 40 international peer-reviewed journals

Community Engagement

Dr. Lamsdell has appeared on numerous podcasts and television programs, including the Common Descent, Backpackers Guide to Prehistory, Eureka Sound of Science, and Palaeocast podcasts and episodes of the Aqua Kids and National Geographic television shows. He was an advisor for and featured in the Paleontological Research Institute book Silurian Journey and has also served as an advisor to the Royal Ontario Museum, Carnegie Museum, University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, and the Ohio Geological Survey and Department of Natural Resources. He also hosts a regular podcast with colleagues across the country.

Honors & Awards

Dr. Lamsdell was a recipient of an NSF CAREER award in 2020.
A eurypterid species - Hibbertopterus lamsdelli - was named after Dr. Lamsdell in 2022.