Susan Kidwell

Susan Kidwell is an American paleontologist and taphonomist recognized for her foundational work in understanding how biological remains become fossilized. As a professor at the University of Chicago, she revolutionized the field by demonstrating that marine shell accumulations accurately record ecological data.

In Kidwell's research, a marine death assemblage refers to the accumulated shells and bones found on the ocean floor. She studies these accumulations of dead organisms to determine how accurately they represent the living communities above them.

Kidwell is currently a professor at the University of Chicago. Her field research often takes her to the Gulf of California and the continental shelves of North America, where she studies the ecological history of coastal marine environments.

Kidwell's research has proven that studying death assemblages provides crucial baseline data for modern conservation efforts. By analyzing these shells, scientists can determine what marine ecosystems looked like before industrial human impact, helping set accurate restoration targets.