Re: Penn PhD Dissertation Defense Today for Josh Smith

[Josh Smith <smithjb@sas.upenn.edu>]

Quoting 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
> 
Sigh....well, there is no making a move without the dinosaur list
knowing about it....   Yes, it is true...I defended my 620 page tome 
yesterday and indeed PASSED.  All revisions that I have received on the 
document have been completed.  Penn is processing paperwork.  You may 
all start addressing me as Doctor Josh or Professor...your choice  (I'm 
kidding...don't you dare!).  I will present a shorter but probably no 
more interesting version of the defense at SVP in Norman if I manage to 
get there...I suggest you all find a mammal talk to go to.  The take 
home message: everything you think you know about _T. rex_ dentition is 
probably not true when variation is taken into account...  The 
manuscripts should be submitted soon. Thanks to all who sent kind words 
and abuse regarding my last day in graduate school.  Now if they had 
only taught me how to decipher the ancient Latin text of my diploma...

Anyway, on to Washington University.  

BTW, the documentary in coming out on October 8th, not the 7th...it got 
changed again.

Later on. I am going to go get some sleep.
-J

----
Josh Smith
Assistant Professor of Geology
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
Washington University
Campus Box 1169
1 Brookings Drive
108 Wilson Hall
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
Office: 321 McDonnell Hall
Phone: 314-935-4258  FAX: 314-935-7361
smithjb@levee.wustl.edu
http://epsc.wustl.edu
Director, Bahariya Dinosaur Project http://egyptdinos.org