Penn PhD Dissertation Defense Today for Josh Smith

["Patricia Kane-Vanni" <pkv1@erols.com>]

Fellow Dino listers:

    Just returned from Josh Smith's doctoral dissertation defense entitled
"Dental Morphology & Variation in Theropod Dinosaurs: Implications for the
Idea of Isolated Teeth".  It was held at the University of Pennsylvania and
although because of the timing most practitioners are in the field or
traveling, there were many familiar faces in attendance.  Of course Josh's
advisor and ceratopsian expert , Dr. Peter Dodson, as well as other Penn
Earth & Environmental Sciences Faculty, Dr. Gomaah Omar and Dr. Herman
Pfefferkorn.  Also in attendance were Dr. Bob Giegengack (aka Gieg) and
several other members of the 2000 Egyptian/Bahariya excavation team: Dr.
Dodson, newly-minted Dr. Jen Smith, Dr. Ken Lacavora, Matt Lamanna and
myself (aka Patti Kane-Vanni), as well as some of Peter's other vert paleo
grad students: Jerry Harris and Barbara Grandstaff and Paleo-artists Bob
Walters and Tess Kissinger.  Unfortunately other committee members were not
available for the presentation, but it was well-received as far I could
tell.  The morphological data was wonderfully expanded from his initial
numbers from last year's presentation so I look forward an important paper
from this work. (Please excuse me if I inadvertently left anyone out.)

    So join me in congratulations First, to soon-to-be Dr. Josh on his
doctoral completion, Second, to his new position at Washington Univ., and
Third, we look forward to the October 7th 2002 U.S. release of "The Lost
Dinosaurs of Egypt"! (I'm the one in the back!)

    Best of luck in the future Josh!
    Patti

Patricia Kane-Vanni, Esq.
pkv1@erols.com  or  pkvanni@sas.upenn.edu
http://groups.msn.com/DinosaurandFossilDigs