Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
@reptiliferous.bsky.social
Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Paleontologist and proud Cajun. Love fossils, phylogenetics, and reptiles. (she/her).
Cooking adventures on instagram @cook_with_kels
Paleontologist and proud Cajun. Love fossils, phylogenetics, and reptiles. (she/her).
Cooking adventures on instagram @cook_with_kels
Pinned
Hi bluesky, I’ve recently migrated over and am hoping this will be the better place to keep in touch with other paleos, current research, and opportunities in academia.
About me, I love a Permian fossil, particular reptiles, sensory evolution, and phylogenetics 🦎🧬👩🏻🔬
#fossils #paleontology
About me, I love a Permian fossil, particular reptiles, sensory evolution, and phylogenetics 🦎🧬👩🏻🔬
#fossils #paleontology
So many new people are here! Let me repeat for them (pt. 1) ❤️
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
I'm recruiting a PhD student to join the lab at @gtsciences.bsky.social in Fall 2026! Broad taxonomic and topical freedom under the umbrella of vertebrate joint form and function. Information here: www.manafzadeh.com – please share 🦴🩻
✨Some news✨: after finishing my postdoc, I’ll be starting my lab as an Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech. Join us in Atlanta to study how joints work and where they come from!
September 2, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I'm recruiting a PhD student to join the lab at @gtsciences.bsky.social in Fall 2026! Broad taxonomic and topical freedom under the umbrella of vertebrate joint form and function. Information here: www.manafzadeh.com – please share 🦴🩻
Post your last photo of DC to show what a hell-hole it is.
That’s one green hell-hole. Taken from the top of the National Cathedral.
That’s one green hell-hole. Taken from the top of the National Cathedral.
August 12, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Post your last photo of DC to show what a hell-hole it is.
That’s one green hell-hole. Taken from the top of the National Cathedral.
That’s one green hell-hole. Taken from the top of the National Cathedral.
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
July 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I am proud and grateful to present a dream project today in @nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Meet #Mirasaura grauvogeli, a #wonderreptilewith skin appendages that rival feathers and hairs, challenging our view of reptile #evolution🪶🦎
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Mesquite 4 beta released! Many new features, esp. phylogenomic. Check out the trailer and longer video on the home page: www.mesquiteproject.org, and use the download link there to get a copy.
Feedback welcome! Ask and discuss on our new Google Group (groups.google.com/g/mesquite-p...).
Feedback welcome! Ask and discuss on our new Google Group (groups.google.com/g/mesquite-p...).
May 23, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Mesquite 4 beta released! Many new features, esp. phylogenomic. Check out the trailer and longer video on the home page: www.mesquiteproject.org, and use the download link there to get a copy.
Feedback welcome! Ask and discuss on our new Google Group (groups.google.com/g/mesquite-p...).
Feedback welcome! Ask and discuss on our new Google Group (groups.google.com/g/mesquite-p...).
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology is having a virtual town hall meeting tomorrow, Thursday, 22 May 2025, to discuss this year's annual meeting as well as to address logistics for future SVP meetings. Please attend if interested!
May 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology is having a virtual town hall meeting tomorrow, Thursday, 22 May 2025, to discuss this year's annual meeting as well as to address logistics for future SVP meetings. Please attend if interested!
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
New paper from the lab: Our teeth arose as sensory organs on the outside of the body of ancient jawless fish.!! Congrats to Yara Haridy and the team!
Background and video: phys.org/news/2025-05...
Open Access Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
News and Views: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Background and video: phys.org/news/2025-05...
Open Access Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
News and Views: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Teeth first evolved as sensory tissue in the armored exoskeletons of ancient fish, fossil scans find
Anyone who has ever squirmed through a dental cleaning can tell you how sensitive teeth can be. This sensitivity gives important feedback about temperature, pressure—and yes, pain—as we bite and chew ...
phys.org
May 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM
New paper from the lab: Our teeth arose as sensory organs on the outside of the body of ancient jawless fish.!! Congrats to Yara Haridy and the team!
Background and video: phys.org/news/2025-05...
Open Access Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
News and Views: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Background and video: phys.org/news/2025-05...
Open Access Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
News and Views: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Our report on employment is out in Paleobiology
(They did let us append that the paper was accepted before the election/changes to NSF and other granting agencies)
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core - www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
(They did let us append that the paper was accepted before the election/changes to NSF and other granting agencies)
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core - www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States
www.cambridge.org
May 14, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Our report on employment is out in Paleobiology
(They did let us append that the paper was accepted before the election/changes to NSF and other granting agencies)
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core - www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
(They did let us append that the paper was accepted before the election/changes to NSF and other granting agencies)
Employment in paleontology: status and trends in the United States | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core - www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
That moment when you're almost done writing the Discussion section, and you realize you need to run more analyses.
May 8, 2025 at 8:16 PM
That moment when you're almost done writing the Discussion section, and you realize you need to run more analyses.
Learning about third eyes at the Smithsonian today!
May 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Learning about third eyes at the Smithsonian today!
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Day 8 of photoshopping @lastweektonight.com's John Oliver with fossils in the hopes that he saves the Paleontological Research Institution
This Yorktown Formation Mercenaria in our collections might make a nice desk for our H. sapiens (if this were to scale)
#molluskmonday #savePRI
This Yorktown Formation Mercenaria in our collections might make a nice desk for our H. sapiens (if this were to scale)
#molluskmonday #savePRI
May 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Day 8 of photoshopping @lastweektonight.com's John Oliver with fossils in the hopes that he saves the Paleontological Research Institution
This Yorktown Formation Mercenaria in our collections might make a nice desk for our H. sapiens (if this were to scale)
#molluskmonday #savePRI
This Yorktown Formation Mercenaria in our collections might make a nice desk for our H. sapiens (if this were to scale)
#molluskmonday #savePRI
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Hey, academics! Have you signed a book contract lately?
You should report your royalty/advance rate anonymously on this spreadsheet.
Are you negotiating, or about to be negotiating, a book contract? You should take a look at the spreadsheet.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
You should report your royalty/advance rate anonymously on this spreadsheet.
Are you negotiating, or about to be negotiating, a book contract? You should take a look at the spreadsheet.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Academic publishing rates sharing
docs.google.com
April 22, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Hey, academics! Have you signed a book contract lately?
You should report your royalty/advance rate anonymously on this spreadsheet.
Are you negotiating, or about to be negotiating, a book contract? You should take a look at the spreadsheet.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
You should report your royalty/advance rate anonymously on this spreadsheet.
Are you negotiating, or about to be negotiating, a book contract? You should take a look at the spreadsheet.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
New pub alert! 🚨 and the final installment of papers from my dissertation!
Really happy to share this work on Triassic cynodonts that reveals surprising growth differences, helping to reshape our understanding of stem mammal evolution #ThinSectionThursday #Paleontology #Cynodonts #Triassic
Really happy to share this work on Triassic cynodonts that reveals surprising growth differences, helping to reshape our understanding of stem mammal evolution #ThinSectionThursday #Paleontology #Cynodonts #Triassic
Disparate life histories in coeval Triassic cynodonts and their implications for the evolution of mammalian life histories | Paleobiology | Cambridge Core
Disparate life histories in coeval Triassic cynodonts and their implications for the evolution of mammalian life histories
www.cambridge.org
March 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
New pub alert! 🚨 and the final installment of papers from my dissertation!
Really happy to share this work on Triassic cynodonts that reveals surprising growth differences, helping to reshape our understanding of stem mammal evolution #ThinSectionThursday #Paleontology #Cynodonts #Triassic
Really happy to share this work on Triassic cynodonts that reveals surprising growth differences, helping to reshape our understanding of stem mammal evolution #ThinSectionThursday #Paleontology #Cynodonts #Triassic
How’s your research going today? Because I’ve been oscillating between these two extremes.
March 4, 2025 at 10:31 PM
How’s your research going today? Because I’ve been oscillating between these two extremes.
I’ve been waiting so long to share the most beautiful dinosaur display I’ve ever seen for #FossilFriday - spotted in downtown DC 😍
February 28, 2025 at 2:14 PM
I’ve been waiting so long to share the most beautiful dinosaur display I’ve ever seen for #FossilFriday - spotted in downtown DC 😍
I was too lost in the scientific sauce to #FossilFriday today, so please enjoy an old pic from the Dr. Seuss gallery in New Orleans. What kind of creature even is this?
February 7, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I was too lost in the scientific sauce to #FossilFriday today, so please enjoy an old pic from the Dr. Seuss gallery in New Orleans. What kind of creature even is this?
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Hey BlueSky! I’ll be defending my PhD dissertation on Monday, Feb 24 from 1–2pm US ET. Message me for Zoom info if you’re interested!
February 4, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Hey BlueSky! I’ll be defending my PhD dissertation on Monday, Feb 24 from 1–2pm US ET. Message me for Zoom info if you’re interested!
Gonna click on all 7000 data points again today. Wish me luck.
I need to commiserate with my fellow 3D data users, because today I individually selected over 7000 mesh faces over the course of 5 hours, only for the analysis to go "No thank you!"
February 5, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Gonna click on all 7000 data points again today. Wish me luck.
I need to commiserate with my fellow 3D data users, because today I individually selected over 7000 mesh faces over the course of 5 hours, only for the analysis to go "No thank you!"
February 4, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I need to commiserate with my fellow 3D data users, because today I individually selected over 7000 mesh faces over the course of 5 hours, only for the analysis to go "No thank you!"
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
NSF PRFB POSTDOCS:
Pull the remainder of this funding cycle’s stipend, all remaining research funds, and all remaining travel funds (if you have them). Do it before 5PM today. Per instructions from multiple NSF POs.
If you’re not already on the PRFB slack, DM me and I’ll send you an invite
Pull the remainder of this funding cycle’s stipend, all remaining research funds, and all remaining travel funds (if you have them). Do it before 5PM today. Per instructions from multiple NSF POs.
If you’re not already on the PRFB slack, DM me and I’ll send you an invite
January 28, 2025 at 5:36 PM
NSF PRFB POSTDOCS:
Pull the remainder of this funding cycle’s stipend, all remaining research funds, and all remaining travel funds (if you have them). Do it before 5PM today. Per instructions from multiple NSF POs.
If you’re not already on the PRFB slack, DM me and I’ll send you an invite
Pull the remainder of this funding cycle’s stipend, all remaining research funds, and all remaining travel funds (if you have them). Do it before 5PM today. Per instructions from multiple NSF POs.
If you’re not already on the PRFB slack, DM me and I’ll send you an invite
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
NSF's Undergraduate Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology program has been abruptly archived. The deadline was tomorrow. People were submitting proposals.
This program is designed to support the American scientific workforce. I cannot see the point of this level of self-sabotage.
This program is designed to support the American scientific workforce. I cannot see the point of this level of self-sabotage.
Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education (RCN-UBE)
new.nsf.gov
January 27, 2025 at 9:20 PM
NSF's Undergraduate Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology program has been abruptly archived. The deadline was tomorrow. People were submitting proposals.
This program is designed to support the American scientific workforce. I cannot see the point of this level of self-sabotage.
This program is designed to support the American scientific workforce. I cannot see the point of this level of self-sabotage.
This week I played among the Carboniferous floras and found these beauties for #FossilFriday 🌱
These aren’t flowering plants, and there wouldn’t be flowers for hundreds of millions more years. But they’re no less stunning imo.
Housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
These aren’t flowering plants, and there wouldn’t be flowers for hundreds of millions more years. But they’re no less stunning imo.
Housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
January 24, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This week I played among the Carboniferous floras and found these beauties for #FossilFriday 🌱
These aren’t flowering plants, and there wouldn’t be flowers for hundreds of millions more years. But they’re no less stunning imo.
Housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
These aren’t flowering plants, and there wouldn’t be flowers for hundreds of millions more years. But they’re no less stunning imo.
Housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
Applications are now open for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Futures Award! See screenshot as well as application link below:
vertpaleo.org/svp-futures-...
vertpaleo.org/svp-futures-...
January 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Applications are now open for the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Futures Award! See screenshot as well as application link below:
vertpaleo.org/svp-futures-...
vertpaleo.org/svp-futures-...
Giving the invertebrates some love today for #FossilFriday
Gorgeous eurypterid from New York, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Gorgeous eurypterid from New York, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
January 17, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Giving the invertebrates some love today for #FossilFriday
Gorgeous eurypterid from New York, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Gorgeous eurypterid from New York, on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Reposted by Kelsey Jenkins, PhD
I am extremely excited to announce that for the first time ever, Skype a Scientist is offering mini-grants to support IRL science communication!!
Communicating science out in our communities is critical. We want to enable others to get their projects off the ground!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Communicating science out in our communities is critical. We want to enable others to get their projects off the ground!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
SCIENCE IRL: Community SciComm mini-grant
Skype a Scientist is offering $300-1,000 mini-grants to support boots-on-the-ground science communication. The Science IRL mini-grants will support projects that put either 1) important science messa...
docs.google.com
January 14, 2025 at 2:34 PM
I am extremely excited to announce that for the first time ever, Skype a Scientist is offering mini-grants to support IRL science communication!!
Communicating science out in our communities is critical. We want to enable others to get their projects off the ground!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Communicating science out in our communities is critical. We want to enable others to get their projects off the ground!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...