Emily Rayfield
Emily Rayfield | |
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| Born | |
| Nationality | British  |
| Alma mater | Oxford University Cambridge University |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Palaeontology |
| Institutions | University of Bristol |
| Doctoral advisor | David B. Norman |
Emily Rayfield is a British palaeontologist, who is a Professor in Palaeobiology in the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol.[1]
Her research focuses on the functional anatomy of extinct vertebrates, especially dinosaurs, using computational methods such as finite element analysis (FEA). In the landmark paper Rayfield et al. (2001),[2] the skull of the theropod dinosaur Allosaurus was analysed using FEA in order to quantitatively assess different feeding hypotheses. This paper was the first use of FEA on a three-dimensional structure in palaeontology (in collaboration with CT scanning), and spurred interest in using CT-scanned skull FEA on feeding biomechanics in zoology and palaeontology.[3]
In addition, she helped elucidate the cranial biomechanics of the noted carnivorous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus using two-dimensional FEA.[4] This study was expanded upon in a comparative finite element analysis of 2D theropod skulls (namely Allosaurus Coelophysis and Tyrannosaurus), in order to quantitatively compare cranial biomechanics.[5]
Prof. Rayfield was President of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology from 2018 to 2020.
Honours and awards
- 2009 Hodson Award from the Palaeontological Association[6]
- 2011 Lyell Fund of the Geological Society of London[7]
- 2018 President's Medal from the Palaeontological Association
- 2019 Bigsby Medal from the Geological Society of London[8]
- 2019 Scientific Medal from the Zoological Society of London[9]
References
- ^ Dr Emily Rayfield: Earth Sciences: University of Bristol
- ^ Rayfield, E. J., Norman, D. B., Horner, C. C., Horner, J. R., Smith, P. M., Thomason, J. J. and Upchurch, P. 2001. Cranial design and function in a large theropod dinosaur. Nature 409: 1033-1037.
- ^ Rayfield, E. J. 2007. Finite element analysis in vertebrate morphology. Annual Reviews in Earth and Planetary Sciences 35: 541–576.
- ^ Rayfield, E. J. 2004. Cranial mechanics and feeding in Tyrannosaurus rex. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences 271: 1451-1459.
- ^ Rayfield, E. J. 2005. Aspects of comparative cranial mechanics in the theropod dinosaurs Coelophysis, Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 144 (3): 309–316.
- ^ "Medal and Award Winners List". Palaeontological Association. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Lyell Fund". Geological Society. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Bigsby Medal". Geological Society. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "ZSL Scientific Medal Winners" (PDF). Retrieved 20 February 2024.
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