Rebecca Cooper
@rebeccasaurus.bsky.social
Postdoctoral researcher at the Naturhistorisk Museum & Centre for Planetary Habitability Oslo🦕
Computational palaeobiology, deep learning and macroevolution 🦣
She/Her
Computational palaeobiology, deep learning and macroevolution 🦣
She/Her
Pinned
Really happy to see chapter 2 of my PhD published today in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social. DeepDiveR is an R package to assist with deep learning inference of biodiversity change through time 🤿🦊 Thanks to @bethanyjallen.bsky.social & Daniele Silvestro for the collaboration
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
I’m recruiting a PhD student to join our lab in the fall of 2027. If you’re excited about phylogenetics, comp bio, paleobiology, stats theory, macroevolution, etc. please get in touch! Folks at #Evol2026, you can talk to @brpetrucci.bsky.social & @sigournie.bsky.social to learn more about our lab
June 23, 2026 at 8:42 PM
I’m recruiting a PhD student to join our lab in the fall of 2027. If you’re excited about phylogenetics, comp bio, paleobiology, stats theory, macroevolution, etc. please get in touch! Folks at #Evol2026, you can talk to @brpetrucci.bsky.social & @sigournie.bsky.social to learn more about our lab
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Looking to contribute to the future of #ScientificResearch?
The SNSF Research Council is recruiting 21 new members for its six committees. The mandates will start in April and October 2027. Interested?
🗓️ Apply by 14 June 2026.
👉 www.snf.ch/en/pk2qftWyV9…
The SNSF Research Council is recruiting 21 new members for its six committees. The mandates will start in April and October 2027. Interested?
🗓️ Apply by 14 June 2026.
👉 www.snf.ch/en/pk2qftWyV9…
April 30, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Looking to contribute to the future of #ScientificResearch?
The SNSF Research Council is recruiting 21 new members for its six committees. The mandates will start in April and October 2027. Interested?
🗓️ Apply by 14 June 2026.
👉 www.snf.ch/en/pk2qftWyV9…
The SNSF Research Council is recruiting 21 new members for its six committees. The mandates will start in April and October 2027. Interested?
🗓️ Apply by 14 June 2026.
👉 www.snf.ch/en/pk2qftWyV9…
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
‼️🚨 Job Alert ‼️ 🚨
Two Post Doc Opportunities:
PDRA in Macroecology / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
PDRA in Extinction & Conservation / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Any questions, please get in touch! Closing date May 1st.
Two Post Doc Opportunities:
PDRA in Macroecology / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
PDRA in Extinction & Conservation / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Any questions, please get in touch! Closing date May 1st.
Job Details
my.corehr.com
March 30, 2026 at 8:18 AM
‼️🚨 Job Alert ‼️ 🚨
Two Post Doc Opportunities:
PDRA in Macroecology / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
PDRA in Extinction & Conservation / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Any questions, please get in touch! Closing date May 1st.
Two Post Doc Opportunities:
PDRA in Macroecology / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
PDRA in Extinction & Conservation / Paleobiology
my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Any questions, please get in touch! Closing date May 1st.
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
I’m looking for a post doc (up to five years) interested in phylogenetics and earth systems - please spread the word!
We are looking for 6 motivated Postdocs interested in various aspects of Earth system sciences. More information here: fau-earth-system-science.github.io
#geochemistry
#geochemistry
Earth System Research and Training at FAU
fau-earth-system-science.github.io
March 13, 2026 at 10:36 AM
I’m looking for a post doc (up to five years) interested in phylogenetics and earth systems - please spread the word!
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Opening for a tenure track position in statistical computing:
wirtschaftsuniversitaet-wien-portal.rexx-systems.com/Assistant-Pr...
As dept chair, R Core member Kurt Hornik invites applications from people who could make substantial contributions to #RStats, including base R.
Deadline Mar 18!
wirtschaftsuniversitaet-wien-portal.rexx-systems.com/Assistant-Pr...
As dept chair, R Core member Kurt Hornik invites applications from people who could make substantial contributions to #RStats, including base R.
Deadline Mar 18!
Job opportunity Assistant Professor, tenure track, qualification agreement at Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien Jobportal
others in Wien
wirtschaftsuniversitaet-wien-portal.rexx-systems.com
March 9, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Opening for a tenure track position in statistical computing:
wirtschaftsuniversitaet-wien-portal.rexx-systems.com/Assistant-Pr...
As dept chair, R Core member Kurt Hornik invites applications from people who could make substantial contributions to #RStats, including base R.
Deadline Mar 18!
wirtschaftsuniversitaet-wien-portal.rexx-systems.com/Assistant-Pr...
As dept chair, R Core member Kurt Hornik invites applications from people who could make substantial contributions to #RStats, including base R.
Deadline Mar 18!
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Apply for PhD Fellowships at the Centre for Planetary Habitability in Oslo! There are projects for geologists, paleontologists, paleobiologists, astrobiologists, stats-y folks, geoscientists and planetary folks! www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
PhD Research Fellows in geosciences, planetary or exoplanetary sciences – up to three positions (294610) | University of Oslo
Job title: PhD Research Fellows in geosciences, planetary or exoplanetary sciences – up to three positions (294610), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2026
www.jobbnorge.no
February 11, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Apply for PhD Fellowships at the Centre for Planetary Habitability in Oslo! There are projects for geologists, paleontologists, paleobiologists, astrobiologists, stats-y folks, geoscientists and planetary folks! www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Really happy to be starting my first research grant based at the Natural History Museum and Centre for Planetary Habitability in Oslo, stay tuned for new things! 🦕
I want to officially (on bluesky) welcome @rebeccasaurus.bsky.social to Oslo! We are so excited and happy to have Rebecca at the Natural History Museum @uio.no and at the Centre for Planetary Habitability for 2 years! Exciting times for fossil diversity, deep-learning and macroevolutionary biology!
Really happy to see chapter 2 of my PhD published today in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social. DeepDiveR is an R package to assist with deep learning inference of biodiversity change through time 🤿🦊 Thanks to @bethanyjallen.bsky.social & Daniele Silvestro for the collaboration
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
January 22, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Really happy to be starting my first research grant based at the Natural History Museum and Centre for Planetary Habitability in Oslo, stay tuned for new things! 🦕
Ever wondered how the biodiversity of sharks and rays has changed over the last 145 Ma? 🦈🤿 New paper out today, led by @alwaysamandag.bsky.social and @pimientogroup.bsky.social. We find some differences when spatial sampling biases are accounted for 🔍
Our new paper is online! We found that 1) today's shark & ray diversity was already reached ~100Ma; 2) that the K/Pg extinction was not catastrophic; 3) that the max diversity was reached ~50Ma; and 4) that today's diversity is depleted compared to the past.
www.cell.com/current-biol...
www.cell.com/current-biol...
Revealing the hidden patterns of shark and ray diversity over the past 145 million years
Gardiner et al. reconstruct the diversity of sharks and rays across the past 145 million
years using deep learning and an extensive dataset. Their results unveil previously
hidden patterns, including ...
www.cell.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Ever wondered how the biodiversity of sharks and rays has changed over the last 145 Ma? 🦈🤿 New paper out today, led by @alwaysamandag.bsky.social and @pimientogroup.bsky.social. We find some differences when spatial sampling biases are accounted for 🔍
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Our job adverts are now live! 🤩
We are hiring a Research Software Engineer and a Community Engagement Coordinator to support @palaeoverse.bsky.social over the next two years, based at UCL.
Apply by January 18th 2026, ideally to start in March 2026 🗓️
More info and links below 👇
We are hiring a Research Software Engineer and a Community Engagement Coordinator to support @palaeoverse.bsky.social over the next two years, based at UCL.
Apply by January 18th 2026, ideally to start in March 2026 🗓️
More info and links below 👇
January 9, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Our job adverts are now live! 🤩
We are hiring a Research Software Engineer and a Community Engagement Coordinator to support @palaeoverse.bsky.social over the next two years, based at UCL.
Apply by January 18th 2026, ideally to start in March 2026 🗓️
More info and links below 👇
We are hiring a Research Software Engineer and a Community Engagement Coordinator to support @palaeoverse.bsky.social over the next two years, based at UCL.
Apply by January 18th 2026, ideally to start in March 2026 🗓️
More info and links below 👇
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
New paper alert!
We reconstructed the diversification trajectory of sharks & rays over the past 145 myrs to answer:
When did they experience major extinction events?
Does age play a role in extinction selectivity?
If so, does it change with extinction intensity?
👉 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
We reconstructed the diversification trajectory of sharks & rays over the past 145 myrs to answer:
When did they experience major extinction events?
Does age play a role in extinction selectivity?
If so, does it change with extinction intensity?
👉 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
December 17, 2025 at 12:50 PM
New paper alert!
We reconstructed the diversification trajectory of sharks & rays over the past 145 myrs to answer:
When did they experience major extinction events?
Does age play a role in extinction selectivity?
If so, does it change with extinction intensity?
👉 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
We reconstructed the diversification trajectory of sharks & rays over the past 145 myrs to answer:
When did they experience major extinction events?
Does age play a role in extinction selectivity?
If so, does it change with extinction intensity?
👉 doi.org/10.1098/rspb...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Interested in Historical Ecology and Conservation Palaeobiology? 🪸🦀
Steve Pates and I are offering a PhD project on Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines @es-ucl.bsky.social
@uclcber.bsky.social
🗓️ Apply by 19th January 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Steve Pates and I are offering a PhD project on Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines @es-ucl.bsky.social
@uclcber.bsky.social
🗓️ Apply by 19th January 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines through AI at University of Reading on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines through AI at University of Reading, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
December 4, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Interested in Historical Ecology and Conservation Palaeobiology? 🪸🦀
Steve Pates and I are offering a PhD project on Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines @es-ucl.bsky.social
@uclcber.bsky.social
🗓️ Apply by 19th January 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Steve Pates and I are offering a PhD project on Unlocking Palaeo-Historical Biodiversity Data to Inform Ecological Baselines @es-ucl.bsky.social
@uclcber.bsky.social
🗓️ Apply by 19th January 2026
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
A preprint of my first PhD chapter is out 👩🏽💻
Using an extensive fossil dataset with #deeplearning #DeepDive 🤿
& time-series analysis 📈📉 we model the dynamics of SA mammalian diversity over the Cenozoic, accounting for spatial & temporal biases inherent to the #fossil record
🧵1/2
Using an extensive fossil dataset with #deeplearning #DeepDive 🤿
& time-series analysis 📈📉 we model the dynamics of SA mammalian diversity over the Cenozoic, accounting for spatial & temporal biases inherent to the #fossil record
🧵1/2
Splendid isolation with migration: Diversity dynamics of South American mammals https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.28.691169v1
December 2, 2025 at 12:39 AM
A preprint of my first PhD chapter is out 👩🏽💻
Using an extensive fossil dataset with #deeplearning #DeepDive 🤿
& time-series analysis 📈📉 we model the dynamics of SA mammalian diversity over the Cenozoic, accounting for spatial & temporal biases inherent to the #fossil record
🧵1/2
Using an extensive fossil dataset with #deeplearning #DeepDive 🤿
& time-series analysis 📈📉 we model the dynamics of SA mammalian diversity over the Cenozoic, accounting for spatial & temporal biases inherent to the #fossil record
🧵1/2
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Splendid isolation with migration: Diversity dynamics of South American mammals https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.28.691169v1
November 30, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Splendid isolation with migration: Diversity dynamics of South American mammals https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.28.691169v1
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Rare as hen's teeth: an Assistant Curator job, with our fantastic team at National Museums Scotland! Closing date 24th August #museums #museumjobs
careers.nms.ac.uk/job/748553
careers.nms.ac.uk/job/748553
Assistant Curator (Vertebrates)
careers.nms.ac.uk
August 14, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Rare as hen's teeth: an Assistant Curator job, with our fantastic team at National Museums Scotland! Closing date 24th August #museums #museumjobs
careers.nms.ac.uk/job/748553
careers.nms.ac.uk/job/748553
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Check out our perceptive on the Emerging uses of artificial intelligence in deep time biodiversity research www.nature.com/articles/s44...
#AI #paleontology
#AI #paleontology
Emerging uses of artificial intelligence in deep time biodiversity research - Nature Reviews Biodiversity
This Perspective explores the existing and potential applications of artificial intelligence in deep time biodiversity research as well as offer guidelines on equitable and ethical use of artificial i...
www.nature.com
August 11, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Check out our perceptive on the Emerging uses of artificial intelligence in deep time biodiversity research www.nature.com/articles/s44...
#AI #paleontology
#AI #paleontology
Really happy to see chapter 2 of my PhD published today in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social. DeepDiveR is an R package to assist with deep learning inference of biodiversity change through time 🤿🦊 Thanks to @bethanyjallen.bsky.social & Daniele Silvestro for the collaboration
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
August 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Really happy to see chapter 2 of my PhD published today in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social. DeepDiveR is an R package to assist with deep learning inference of biodiversity change through time 🤿🦊 Thanks to @bethanyjallen.bsky.social & Daniele Silvestro for the collaboration
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
doi.org/10.1111/2041...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
The CPEG & CPB meeting is officially underway! 🎉
We kicked things off with two fantastic workshop sessions:
📊 R-based open data science in palaeobiology and ecology
🧠 Deep learning for macroevolutionary analyses
Big thanks to all our speakers and participants - spot yourself below!
#CPEGCPB25
We kicked things off with two fantastic workshop sessions:
📊 R-based open data science in palaeobiology and ecology
🧠 Deep learning for macroevolutionary analyses
Big thanks to all our speakers and participants - spot yourself below!
#CPEGCPB25
July 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
The CPEG & CPB meeting is officially underway! 🎉
We kicked things off with two fantastic workshop sessions:
📊 R-based open data science in palaeobiology and ecology
🧠 Deep learning for macroevolutionary analyses
Big thanks to all our speakers and participants - spot yourself below!
#CPEGCPB25
We kicked things off with two fantastic workshop sessions:
📊 R-based open data science in palaeobiology and ecology
🧠 Deep learning for macroevolutionary analyses
Big thanks to all our speakers and participants - spot yourself below!
#CPEGCPB25
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
[1/n] New paper co-lead by @emmadnn.bsky.social @macroecoevoale.bsky.social and I: we combined fossil occurrences, biogeography and climate modelling to investigate the origins and early evolution of pterosaurs 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 18, 2025 at 9:56 AM
[1/n] New paper co-lead by @emmadnn.bsky.social @macroecoevoale.bsky.social and I: we combined fossil occurrences, biogeography and climate modelling to investigate the origins and early evolution of pterosaurs 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
🚨 We are thrilled to announce that the preliminary program for the upcoming CPEG & CPB Conference is officially LIVE! 🎉
Check out the full list of talks, lightning talks, and poster sessions happening in just over a month!
👉 www.cpeg-cpb25.uzh.ch/en/abstract....
#CPEGCPB25
Check out the full list of talks, lightning talks, and poster sessions happening in just over a month!
👉 www.cpeg-cpb25.uzh.ch/en/abstract....
#CPEGCPB25
Program & Abstracts
www.cpeg-cpb25.uzh.ch
June 17, 2025 at 3:02 PM
🚨 We are thrilled to announce that the preliminary program for the upcoming CPEG & CPB Conference is officially LIVE! 🎉
Check out the full list of talks, lightning talks, and poster sessions happening in just over a month!
👉 www.cpeg-cpb25.uzh.ch/en/abstract....
#CPEGCPB25
Check out the full list of talks, lightning talks, and poster sessions happening in just over a month!
👉 www.cpeg-cpb25.uzh.ch/en/abstract....
#CPEGCPB25
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Pleased to say that the final chapter of my PhD is out today in Nature Ecology and Evolution: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My favourite bit of science that I've done to date. If you enjoy biogeography, weird reptiles, and the TARDIS, then have a read!
My favourite bit of science that I've done to date. If you enjoy biogeography, weird reptiles, and the TARDIS, then have a read!
Landscape-explicit phylogeography illuminates the ecographic radiation of early archosauromorph reptiles - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Using a newly developed spatiotemporal phylogeographic path analysis method combined with phylogenetic niche modelling, the authors estimate clade-wide dispersal maps spanning the early Permian to end...
www.nature.com
June 11, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Pleased to say that the final chapter of my PhD is out today in Nature Ecology and Evolution: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
My favourite bit of science that I've done to date. If you enjoy biogeography, weird reptiles, and the TARDIS, then have a read!
My favourite bit of science that I've done to date. If you enjoy biogeography, weird reptiles, and the TARDIS, then have a read!
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
Have you developed a computational method or tool which would be useful to palaeobiologists? 🧰 If you might be interested in presenting in our Lecture Series later in the year, please get in touch with us! 🗓️ #FossilFriday
🚨Palaeoverse Lecture Series🚨
It’s time to announce our Summer 2025 talk schedule 👀
Looking forward to hearing from @spissatella.bsky.social, @sauropodlets.bsky.social, @nmkphylo.bsky.social and @russellgarwood.co.uk!
Sign up here: bit.ly/palaeoverse-lecture-series-2025
It’s time to announce our Summer 2025 talk schedule 👀
Looking forward to hearing from @spissatella.bsky.social, @sauropodlets.bsky.social, @nmkphylo.bsky.social and @russellgarwood.co.uk!
Sign up here: bit.ly/palaeoverse-lecture-series-2025
June 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Have you developed a computational method or tool which would be useful to palaeobiologists? 🧰 If you might be interested in presenting in our Lecture Series later in the year, please get in touch with us! 🗓️ #FossilFriday
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
🦏🦣🦌 LARGE paper alert!!! We tracked 60 million years of large herbivore evolution—over 3,000 fossil species—to uncover how ecosystems have changed and reorganized through time. What we found might help us understand the next big tipping point 🧵👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Two major ecological shifts shaped 60 million years of ungulate faunal evolution - Nature Communications
Here, the authors analyze a fossil dataset spanning 60 million years to investigate ecological stability. Their network analysis identifies prolonged stability interrupted by two major functional tran...
www.nature.com
June 5, 2025 at 9:10 AM
🦏🦣🦌 LARGE paper alert!!! We tracked 60 million years of large herbivore evolution—over 3,000 fossil species—to uncover how ecosystems have changed and reorganized through time. What we found might help us understand the next big tipping point 🧵👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
If you are interested in biodiversity in deep time, check out my new preprint with @rachelwarnock.bsky.social and @dralexdunhill.bsky.social! We review methods of quantifying diversity and diversification, using the fossil record and phylogenies with extinct tips 🐚🦕📊
doi.org/10.32942/X2D...
doi.org/10.32942/X2D...
“A history of the world imperfectly kept”: Will we ever know how biodiversity has changed over deep time?
doi.org
May 6, 2025 at 1:51 PM
If you are interested in biodiversity in deep time, check out my new preprint with @rachelwarnock.bsky.social and @dralexdunhill.bsky.social! We review methods of quantifying diversity and diversification, using the fossil record and phylogenies with extinct tips 🐚🦕📊
doi.org/10.32942/X2D...
doi.org/10.32942/X2D...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
When @mauritiantales.bsky.social and I began leading this study, we never thought it would get 10 citations let alone the 200 it reached his week!
But what started almost 5 years ago as a lockdown data project has taken us on an unimaginable rollercoaster... (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
But what started almost 5 years ago as a lockdown data project has taken us on an unimaginable rollercoaster... (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Colonial history and global economics distort our understanding of deep-time biodiversity - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Analysing the global distribution, source and authorship of fossil research over the past 30 years, the authors find that researchers in high- or upper-middle-income countries hold a monopoly over pal...
www.nature.com
April 7, 2025 at 9:37 AM
When @mauritiantales.bsky.social and I began leading this study, we never thought it would get 10 citations let alone the 200 it reached his week!
But what started almost 5 years ago as a lockdown data project has taken us on an unimaginable rollercoaster... (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
But what started almost 5 years ago as a lockdown data project has taken us on an unimaginable rollercoaster... (1/n)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Rebecca Cooper
🚨 I'm super happy to announce that our new paper is finally out today in @currentbiology.bsky.social! 🚨
We used the ecological approach of occupancy modelling to investigate the structure of the dinosaur fossil record prior to the K/Pg mass extinction!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
We used the ecological approach of occupancy modelling to investigate the structure of the dinosaur fossil record prior to the K/Pg mass extinction!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
The structure of the end-Cretaceous dinosaur fossil record in North America
Dean et al. examine the fossil record of North American dinosaurs prior to the end-Cretaceous
mass extinction. Estimates of detection probability from occupancy models decrease
prior to the extinction...
www.cell.com
April 8, 2025 at 3:34 PM
🚨 I'm super happy to announce that our new paper is finally out today in @currentbiology.bsky.social! 🚨
We used the ecological approach of occupancy modelling to investigate the structure of the dinosaur fossil record prior to the K/Pg mass extinction!
www.cell.com/current-biol...
We used the ecological approach of occupancy modelling to investigate the structure of the dinosaur fossil record prior to the K/Pg mass extinction!
www.cell.com/current-biol...