John J. Flynn

Dean of the Richard Gilder Graduate School
Paleontology

Education
  • Columbia University, Ph.D., 1983
  • Columbia University, M.Phil., 1980
  • Columbia University, M.A., 1979
  • Yale University, B.S., 1977
E-mail
jflynn@amnh.org
Phone
212.769.5806
Fax
212.769.5842
Downloads
Flynn_CV.pdf
Links
Sackler Institute of Comparative Genomics
Division of Paleontology

Research Interests

Author of 90 scientific publications, Flynn's research focuses on the evolution of mammals and Mesozoic vertebrates, geological dating, plate tectonics, and biogeography. He has led more than three dozen paleontological expeditions, supported by NSF, National Geographic, NASA, etc. Flynn recently received a Guggenheim Fellowship for a year of research in South America and has served as President of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. With a specialty in mammalian paleontology and paleomagnetism, Flynn has spent his career searching for important new fossil mammal localities, as well as developing better ways to read the age of rocks and fossils, leading to more accurate geological time scales. He has contributed to numerous public education projects (university, museum, web, and popular science), is actively pursuing research on mammalian evolution (particularly the anatomy, DNA and evolution of Carnivora and extinct relatives), and has current field programs focusing on the Andes Mountains of Chile, Amazon Basin of Peru, and Mesozoic deposits of Madagascar and India.

Teaching Experience

  • Faculty Appointments
    • Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, City University of New York, pending
    • Adjunct Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, July 2005-present
    • Visiting Professor, Universidad de Chile, July 2001-July 2002
    • Adjunct Professor, Department of Biological Studies (Ecology and Evolution program), 1995-2005
    • Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Rutgers University, September 1982-December 1987
    • Lecturer, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, January-May 1982
  • Courses Taught
    • 21 courses taught since 1982; recent examples include:
      • Directed Readings Course (for J. Finarelli), “Rates of evolution in Mammalia”, University of Chicago, 2003.
      • Workshop and Mini-Course, “Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution”, Universidad de Chile, 29 April- 2 May 2002.
      • "Evolution: Genes to Groups" (BioSci 192 or 264 or 23270; University of Chicago, with Bill Ballard [1999, 2000] or Paul Goldstein [2002], Spring 1999 [majors, core curriculum], Fall 2000, 2002 [majors, elective]).
      • Lecturer/Workshop Leader, Divisional Course on "Scientific Integrity and Ethical Conduct of Research", for all first year graduate students in the Biological Sciences, University of Chicago, Spring 1998-2001, 2003-2004.
      • "Genes, Individuals, Populations, and Groups" (NatSci), University of Chicago, Spring 1998.
      • "Biological Evolution" (NatSci 104), University of Chicago, Fall 1996
      • Seminar on Sedimentary Basins of the Americas" (co-taught with Susan Kidwell), University of Chicago, Spring 1995.
      • "Grants, Ethics, and Professional Issues" (EvBio 401 or 40100; team taught with Jeanne Altmann, Mathew Leibold and/or Joy Bergelson), University of Chicago, Fall 1995-2000, 2002-2003.
      • "Mammalian Evolution" (BioSci 260 or 23260/EvBio 31100, 311 or 411), advanced undergraduate/graduate course with laboratory, University of Chicago, Fall 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003.
      • "Plant and Animal Natural History"/"Diversity of Life Through Time" (BioSci 153 or 157), introductory science core course, taught (with P. Crane [1990], S. Lidgard [1993], G. Mueller [1995]) two sections, University of Chicago, Spring.
  • Graduate Advisees
    • 15 students supervised since 1986; recent students include:
      • Michelle Spaulding, Columbia University
      • Andrés Giallombardo, Columbia University
      • Anjali Goswami, University of Chicago
      • John Finarelli, CEB, University of Chicago
      • Jon Marcot, University of Chicago
  • Graduate Committees
    • Served on15 committees since 1985; recent committees include:
      • Alan Turner, Columbia University
      • Aaron Hogue, Northwestern University
      • Mahesh Gurung, University of Illinois- Chicago
      • Link Olson, University of Chicago
      • Francesca Smith, University of Chicago