Elizabeth Laura (Betsy) Nicholls

Transcription

1 Elizabeth Laura (Betsy) Nicholls A collective appreciation of a singular woman Tony Russell Don Brinkman Andy Neuman Jim McCabe Becky Kowalchuk Pat Druckenmiller

2 Elizabeth Laura (Betsy) Nicholls A collective appreciation of a singular woman Singular Exceptionally good or great; remarkable Unique Strange or eccentric in some respect

3 Elizabeth Laura (Betsy) Nicholls An appreciation of her vision, dedication, perseverance, drive, guts and enterprise.

4 Elizabeth Laura (Betsy) Nicholls Became recognized as one of the world s authorities on Mesozoic marine reptiles.

5 How it all started. Her father took her (at about the age of 9) to visit Sam Welles at the University of California in Berkeley. Sam Welles, University of California at Berkeley. (Circa 1950) PhD 1940 Cretaceous plesiosaurs. I am going to be a palaeontologist. Family moved to Australia when she was 10.

6 Following up seeking advice about developing her career. 1959, Melbourne, Australia. Ruyton Girls Grammar School. Wrote to Roy Chapman Andrews (formerly AMNH) in early 1959.

7 48 Stawell Street, Kew, Melbourne, Australia.

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9 July 6, 1959 Dear Betsy: I was delighted with your letter. Thank goodness you are a girl! There are too many paleontologists and other ologists already and what the world needs is more girls with the charm of ideas such as you have.

10 July 6, 1959 Dear Betsy: I was delighted with your letter. Thank goodness you are a girl! There are too many paleontologists and other ologists already and what the world needs is more girls with the charm of ideas such as you have. Since you have a pretty good knowledge of my books already, I can only say that if you read Beyond Adventure you ll get my life story. About the (?horses)! Why they disappeared is an unsolved mystery. They just did. No one knows why or can even give a good guess.

11 July 6, 1959 Dear Betsy: I was delighted with your letter. Thank goodness you are a girl! There are too many paleontologists and other ologists already and what the world needs is more girls with the charm of ideas such as you have. Since you have a pretty good knowledge of my books already, I can only say that if you read Beyond Adventure you ll get my life story. About the (?horses)! Why they disappeared is an unsolved mystery. They just did. No one knows why or can even give a good guess. I migrated from N. J. and Conn. to Calif. It is wonderful here. When are you coming home? Yours Roy.

12 Academic Training Part 1 High school completed in Australia. Returned to USA at University of California at Berkeley BA Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley. Undergraduate dissertation, supervised by Sam Welles. Marine reptiles. Met Jim in 1966 while an undergraduate at Berkeley. Married in Came to Calgary in Enrolled in an MSc program.

13 1972 MSc, University of Calgary Fossil turtles from the Campanian stage of Western North America Results of thesis never published, but Betsy s knowledge of, and contributions to, the palaeobiology of turtles extensive (although underappreciated). Six (~20%) of her 32 peer-reviewed publications deal with turtle palaeobiology. Boremys

14 Raising a family and keeping the dream alive. Jen, 1973; Kathy, Collected, prepared and mounted a Jurassic plesiosaur from the Fernie Group, Alberta, about 48 km north of Coleman, Alberta. Excavated summer 1974 oldest plesiosaur discovered in North America. Evidence of her enterprise and dedication. Finding ways to get things done.

15 1976. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 13: A prelude to Morden.

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17 Drive, enterprise and commitment Sessional Instructor, Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary Assistant Curator, Museum of Zoology, University of Calgary Field Assistant and Faunal Analyst, Arctic Institute of North America Collected and prepared partial skull of Daspletosaurus torosus from Judith River Formation, Alberta Lab Instructor, Mount Royal College Preparation of marine (and other) reptile specimens for displays in forthcoming Tyrell Museum Sessional Instructor, Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary.

18 Collected, prepared and mounted Struthiomimus altus specimen from Judith River Formation, Alberta. Display, Biological Sciences, University of Calgary.

19 Betsy s legacy to the department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary. A constant reminder of her industry and inspiration.

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21 Academic Training Part The Morden Years. PhD studies -- rise to prominence as a world expert on marine fossil reptiles Field Assistant and Research Associate, Morden and District Museum Teaching assistant, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary. Nicholls, E.L Marine vertebrates of the Pembina member of the Pierre Shale (Campanian, Upper Cretaceous) of Manitoba and their significance to the biogeography of the Western Interior Seaway. PhD thesis. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary.

22 1988

23 PhD thesis epigraph.

24 Putting Morden on the palaeontological map. Anderson River NWT Sharon Springs SD Niobrara KS Pembina Mooreville AL MS Fig 2 p7 THESIS Fig 5 p25 THESIS

25 Quarry # Mosasaurs Plesiosaurs Turtles Birds Bony fishes Sharks /0.9% /8.7% /3.1% /1.2% /5.2% /14.3% /6.6% /3.5% /0.9% /0.2% /0.7% /1.4% /1.6% /10.1% /3.3% /11.8% /13.6% /12.9% /0.0% Total 212/49.8% % Total 76/17.8% 11/2.6% 73/17.1% 51/12.0% 3/0.7% 426/100% Table 1 pp THESIS

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27 Nicholls, E.L. and Russell, A.P Paleobiogeography of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America: the vertebrate evidence. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 79: Two faunal provinces. Northern mild temperate to cool temperate. Dominated by plesiosaurs, hesperornithifoms and Platecarpus (mosasaur). Turtles and sharks rare. Southern warm temperate to tropical. High diversity. Dominated by turtles, sharks and Clidastes (mosasaur). Dominant bird Ichthyornis.

28 Nicholls, E.L. and Isaak, H Stratigraphic and taxonomic significance of Tusoteuthis longa Logan (Coleoidea, Teuthida) from the Pembina Member, Pierre Shale (Campanian), of Manitoba. Journal of Paleontology 61: Nicholls, E.L Fossil vertebrates from the Early Campanian Pembina Member of the Pierre Shale, southern Manitoba. Field Guide, Field Trip #2, Manitoba Escarpment, GAC-MAC Annual Meetings, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, May 25-27, Nicholls, E.L The first record of the mosasaur Hainosaurus (Reptilia: Lacertilia) from North America. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 25: Nicholls, E.L., Tokaryk, T.T. and Hills, L.V Cretaceous turtles from the Western Interior Seaway of Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 27:

29 The post-phd years: The consummate professional Field assistant, Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta. Collecting Triassic marine reptiles from the Sulphur mountain Formation, Wapiti Lake, BC NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary. Elizabeth Nicholls Royal Tyrrell Museum Museum Technician II 01/04/83-15/10/90 HRO 15/10/90-01/06/02 Scientific 2 01/06/

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31 The compleat palaeontologist Betsy Nicholls as the ideal archetype for her eponymous award. Setting the bar high. Betsy s research provides a wonderful model for the unbiased investigation of marine reptiles or of any other group of organisms. Robert Carroll, Paludicola 5 (4), page Her modus operandi an inspiration for all aspiring palaeontologists

32 Go out in the field and collect all the fossils that can be found, no matter how difficult the terrain or the excavation of specimens. NE BC

33 [Betsy] had this energetic, determined attitude. She really was a field scientist, always ready to go to the remotest places to push science forward. Makoto Manabe Sikkani Chief River

34 Sikkani Chief River

35 Prepare, describe and illustrate with great attention to the details and significance of anatomical features.

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37 Compare with other specimens of the same and related taxa.

38 Evaluate the nature of their adaptation, and their evolutionary history.

39 Cooperate with colleagues, wherever they may be or whatever groups they may be particularly attached to Academic Press

40 Have fun, and spread the joy throughout your discipline.

41 While at the Tyrrell, Betsy discovered and described important Early-Middle Triassic marine reptile faunas from the Canadian Rockies, including some of the most primitive ichthyosaurs ever found

42 Nicholls, E.L. and Brinkman, D.B New thalattosaurs (Reptilia: Diapsida) from the Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation of Wapiti Lake, British Columbia. Journal of Paleontology 67: Nicholls, E.L. and Brinkman, D.B A new specimen of Utatsusaurus (Reptilia: Ichthyopterygia) from the Lower Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation of British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 30: Nicholls, E.L. and Brinkman, D.B A new ichthyosaur from the Triassic Sulphur Mountain Formation of British Columbia. pp In Sarjeant, W.A.S. (ed.) Vertebrate Fossils and the Evolution of Scientific Concepts. Gordon and Breach, Amsterdam. Nicholls, E.L., Brinkmann, D.B. and Callaway, J.M New Material of Phalarodon (Reptilia: Ichthyosauria) from the Triassic of British Columbia and its bearing on the interrelationships of mixosaurs. Palaeontographica Abteilung A, Band A252 Lieferung 1-3 (1999) p Nicholls, E.L. and Manabe, M A new genus of ichthyosaur from the Late Triassic Pardonet Formation of British Columbia: bridging the Triassic-Jurassic gap. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 38: Nicholls, E.L. and Manabe, M Giant ichthyosaurs from the Triassic a new species of Shonisaurus from the Pardonet Formation (Norian: Late Triassic) of British Columbia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24:

43 Recognition of her brilliance and resolve. Her unique combination of talents and human qualities brought her notoriety. Since 1976 Rolex has honoured extraordinary individuals who possess the courage and conviction to take on major challenges. Rolex Awards for Enterprise projects that deserve support for their capacity to protect the world s natural and cultural heritage. Received for her work on the marine reptiles from Wapiti Lake. Described nearly a dozen new taxa from the Lower and Middle Triassic of this area.

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45 Betsy oversaw the excavation and description of the largest ichthyosaur (and likely marine reptile) ever found, which she named in her last publication Shonisaurus sikanniensis. That paper was completed very shortly before she passed away.

46 January 31, 1946 October 18, 2004

47 Career Milestones The first work on marine turtles of western Canada. Discovery of the earliest plesiosaur in North America. Comprehensive study of the marine reptiles of Manitoba and refinement of our understanding of the Western Interior Seaway. Identification and description of the first Triassic thecodont from western Canada, which is also the first description of a marine thecodont. Discovery of a giant ichthyosaur in BC.

48 Leading by being the first among equals. A no-nonsense approach to work. Step by step, don t waste time, just move ahead and get the job done.

49 A slender woman with a core of steel, a heart of gold and a radiant smile. Fueled by thick steaks, coffee, the occasional scotch and an incessant drive to discover the world that was. Inspired by those who had gone before; opera; the classics; and Shakespeare. Those chosen as the recipients of her eponymous award will be truly honoured by this association.

50 Elizabeth Laura (Betsy)Nicholls A collective appreciation of a singular woman. Those honoured by this award will have attained great heights.