Paleontologist & T. rex Specialist
DR DAVID BURNHAM
ABOUT DR DAVID BURNHAM
Dr. David A. Burnham is an internationally recognized academic paleontologist and leading authority on T. rex dinosaurs.
Appointed Kansas State Paleontologist (1998-present), Dr. Burnham served with distinction at the University of Kansas, an institution distinguished as the #1 Public School for Paleontology in the USA, for 27 years until his retirement in 2025.
Dr. Burnham’s career is marked by significant contributions to the discovery, preparation, conservation, and scientific analysis of some of the most notable T. rex specimens in global collections. His work includes involvement with:
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Sue (Field Museum, Chicago)
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Stan (Abu Dhabi Museum of Natural History)
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Woody (Museum of the Rockies)
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Laurel and Lucy (Natural History Museum, University of Kansas)
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Jane (Burpee Museum of Natural History, Illinois)
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Thomas (Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History)
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Lee (Tate Geological Museum, Casper, Wyoming)
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Wankel (Smithsonian Institution)
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AMNH 5027 (American Museum of Natural History)
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Big Mike (Museum of the Rockies)
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Mud Butte (South Dakota School of Mines)
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Tyson (National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan)
Dr. Burnham’s scholarly contributions have established him as a preeminent academic expert in T. rex paleontology. His meticulous scientific methodology and rigorous research scholarship have made him a Tyrannosaurus rex authority sought by leading museum institutions for the authentication, documentation, and analysis of their fossil collections.
Dr. Burnham’s contributions extend far beyond the academic sphere of lecture halls and laboratories. As a field researcher, he has directed numerous expeditions over the course of three decades for the University of Kansas. These fieldwork endeavors have yielded significant discoveries of significant, new Tyrannosaurus rex fossils, further supporting his stature as a leading figure in T. rex paleontology.
CAREER HISTORY
Appointed as Kansas State Paleontologist, September 1998 to present.
Founder and Director of Kansas University’s state-of-the-art paleontology laboratory, specializing in advanced preparatory and research techniques. The laboratory has flourished under Dr Burnham’s direction with continual upgrades and maintenance to discover and exhibit exquisitely conserved fossil specimens of mammals and dinosaurs. Preparation supports both scientific research and the KU Museum of Natural History public outreach.
Specialist in theropod dinosaurs and fossil birds; published extensively on both groups describing new species, osteology, and functional morphology. This work has been published in international journals such as Nature and PNAS. It has also attracted extensive attention from the media including CBS, Nova, and BBC. Currently, his research focus is on the life history of T. rex dinosaurs using paleopathological and histological research.
Trained undergraduate and graduate students in the paleontology laboratory and in the field digging dinosaurs. Led KU’s fieldwork endeavors, making Kansas University one of the only universities where students can learn these highly specialized techniques. Mentored numerous Doctoral and Masters level students, particularly those studying T. rex dinosaur specimens.
Conducted a robust Mesozoic field program for over a decade that brings researchers, students, and volunteers into field. Dr Burnham’s program has extensively discovered and collected fossils in the Hell Creek formation of Montana, finding several important specimens including rare juvenile dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops, fossil birds and an articulated crocodile skeleton.
Supported worldwide paleontological research by answering academic inquiries regarding the interpretation of the Kansas University Vertebrate Paleontology collection of over 150,000 specimens, as well as requests for casts and models, including in relation to Lucy the T. rex, a rare female T. rex specimen held in KU’s permanent collection.
Direction and interpretation of research from the world-renown Tanis site which contains fossils of animals killed at the moment of the end Cretaceous asteroid impact. NASA is now collaborating on this research.
EDUCATION
2007 PhD Geology, Vertebrate Paleontology dissertation (maniraptoran dinosaurs and the origin of flight)
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
1991 MS Geology, Vertebrate Paleontology thesis (a new mosasaur described)
University of New Orleans, LA
1987 BS Geology, Vertebrate Paleontology senior thesis (musculature of varanids and mosasaurs)
University of New Orleans, LA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Doctor of Paleontology, Fieldwork Leader, KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, T. rex Specialist
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. 1998 to 2025
State Paleontologist for Kansas
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. 1998 to present
Adjunct Curator
Florida Institute of Paleontology, Dania Beach, FL
AWARDS
2019 KU Research Achievement Award
2006 Kansas Academy of Science, 2nd place Ph.D. oral presentation
2005 Kansas Academy of Science, 2nd Place Ph.D. oral presentation
2001 Best of Class, Bambiraptor.com Web Site, South Dakota Addy Awards
1998 The New York Festivals - Finalist Award for Tyrannosaurus rex research, Omni Intermedia Award for T.rex Authentication, Aurora - Platinum Best of Show Bambiraptor and Triceratops segments on New Dominion Pictures: Dinosaurs Inside & Out. “Killer Elite”
SKILLS
CT, X-ray, Laser and UV fluorescent examination and analysis of T. rex fossilized bones
Fieldwork (including the discovery, preservation, conservation and scientific study of an academically-important juvenile T. rex specimen)
Formal research and publishing papers to advance the science of dinosaur paleontology
T. rex Authentication for international museums
T. rex Scientific Research (including analysis of Tyrannosaurus rex Paleobiology & Pathology)
T. rex preparation, conservation, scanning, macro and microscopic fossil preparation
Molding and Casting
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Zheng, X., Martin, L.D., Zhou, Z., Burnham, D.A., Zhang, F., and Miao, D. 2011. Fossil evidence of avian crops from the Early Cretaceous of China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 108 (38) 15904-15907.
DePalma, R.A., Oleinik, A.A., Gurche, L.P., Burnham, D.A. 2021. Seasonal calibration of the end-cretaceous Chicxulub impact event. Scientific Reports 11, 23704.
Rothschild, B. M., DePalma, R.A., Burnham, D.A. Martin, L. 2020. Anatomy of a dinosaur— Clarification of T. rex vertebrae in vertebrate anatomy. Anatomy, Histology, Embryology; 49: 571– 574.
Maltese, A. Tschopp, E., Holwerda, F. Burnham, D.A. 2018. The real Bigfoot: a pes from Wyoming, USA is the largest sauropod pes ever reported and the northern-most occurrence of brachiosaurids in the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation. PeerJ. DOI 10.7717/peerj.5250.
D.J. Field, M. Hanson, D.A. Burnham, D.A. et al. 2018. Complete Ichthyornis skull illuminates mosaic assembly of the avian head. Nature, 557, pp. 96-100.
Falk AR, Kaye TG, Zhou Z, Burnham D.A. 2016. Laser Fluorescence Illuminates the Soft Tissue and Life Habits of the Early Cretaceous Bird Confuciusornis. PLoS ONE 11(12): e0167284. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167284
Martin, LD, Rothschild, BM, and Burnham, D.A. 2016. Hesperornis escapes plesiosaur attack, Cretaceous Research 63 (2016) 23-27.
Kaye, T.G., Falk, A.R., Pittman, M., Sereno, P.C., Martin, L.D., Burnham, D.A., Gong, E., Xu, X., Wang, Y. 2015. Laser-stimulated fluorescence in Paleontology. PLOS ONE.0125923.
Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Zachary S. Morris, Elizabeth M. Sefton, Atalay Tok, Masayoshi Tokita, Bumjin Namkoong, Jasmin Camacho, David A. Burnham and Arhat Abzhanov. 2015. A molecular mechanism for the origin of a key evolutionary innovation, the bird beak and palate, revealed by an integrative approach to major transitions in vertebrate history. Evolution vol 69:7 1665-1677.
Fedduccia, A., Burnham, D.A., Miao, D. 2013. In Memoriam: Larry Dean Martin, 1943—2013. A lifetime of T.rex scientific study The Auk 130(4) 804-806.
Burnham, D.A., Rothschild, B.M., Babiarz, J.P., and Martin, L.D. 2013. Hemivertebrae as Pathology and as a window to behavior in the fossil record. Pal Arch’s Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 10(5) 1—6.
Gong, E., Martin, L. D., Burnham D. A., Falk A. R. and Hou, L. 2012. A new species of Microraptor from the Jehol Biota of northeastern China. Palaeoworld (21) 2 81 – 91.
Gong, E., Martin, L. D., Burnham D.A., and Falk A. R. 2011. Evidence for a venomous Sinornithosaurus. Paläontologische. Zeitschrift, vol. 85, Issue 1:109-111.
Burnham, D.A.., Feduccia, A., Martin, L., and Falk, A. 2011. Climbing—a fundamental avian adaptation. Journal of Systematic Paleontology, Vol. 9, Issue 1:103.
Alexander, D.E., Gong, E., Martin, L.D., Burnham,D.A., Falk, A.R. 2010. Reply to Brougham and Brusatte: Overall anatomy confirms posture and flight model offers insight into the evolution of bird flight. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 10:1073.
Alexander, D., Martin, L., Burnham, D.A.. and Falk, A. 2010. Model tests of gliding with different hindwing configurations in the four-winged dromaeosaurid Microraptor gui. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 107 (7), pp. 2972-2976.
Enpu Gong, Larry D. Martin, David A. Burnham, and Amanda R. Falk. 2010. The birdlike raptor Sinornithosaurus was venomous. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 107 (2), pp. 766-768.
Burnham, D.A. 2008. A review of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Group of northeastern China and a revision of the origin of flight paradigm. Oryctos 7, p. 27-43.
Burnham, D.A. 2007. Archaeopteryx – a re-evaluation suggesting an arboreal habitat and an intermediate stage in trees down origin of flight. Neus Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, vol. 245/1, p.33- 44.
Burnham, D.A. Derstler, K. Currie, P., Bakker, R., Zhou, Z. and Ostrom, J. 2000. Remarkable New Birdlike Dinosaur (Theropoda: Maniraptora) from the Upper Cretaceous of Montana. The University of Kansas Paleontological Contributions, No. 13, 14 pp.
Lim, Jong-Deock, Martin, L. and Burnham, D. 1999. Collecting Dinosaurs and Preparation Techniques. Proceedings from the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. p 556-559.
Burnham, D.A.., Derstler, K.L., and Linster, Cliff J., 1997. A New Specimen of Velociraptor (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Two Medicine Formation of Montana. Dinofest International Proceedings. Academy of Natural Sciences. Philadelphia. p 73-75.
Garstka, W. and Burnham, D.A.. 1997. Posture and Stance of Triceratops: Evidence of Digitigrade Manus and Cantilever Vertebral Column. T.rex Research International Proceedings. Academy of Natural Sciences. Philadelphia. p 385-391.
BOOKS AND CHAPTERS
Burnham, D.A. 2010. Paleoenvironment, Paleoecology, and Evolution of Maniraptoran “Dinosaurs”. VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, Mauritius.
Burnham, D.A. 2004. Chapter 4: New Information on Bambiraptor feinbergi (Theropoda: Dromaeosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Montana; pp. 67-111; in: P. Currie, E. Koppelhus, M. Shugar and J. Wright. (eds.) Feathered Dragons. Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
Kaesler, R and Burnham, D.A. History of the Earth 2nd Ed.
ABSTRACTS AND SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Burnham, D. 2006. Microraptor versus Bambiraptor and the Transition to Terrestriality. Abstracts of the Second International Palaeontological Congress, Peking University, Beijing.
Burnham, D. 2006. Functional Inference from Taphonomic Evidence on Tyrannosaurus rex fossils. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, vol. 109 (3).
Burnham, D. A., Martin, L.D., Rothschild, B. M. 2012. Plesiosaurs had a Taste for Birds. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 32, no. 3, Suppl.
Burnham, D. A., Rothschild, B. M., Martin, L.D., Babiarz, J. 2012. Hemivertebrae as Pathology and as a Window to Behavior in the Fossil Record. TerQua.
Burnham, D. A., Kohl, M., and O’Meallie. 2012. Lost Valley of Skulls – Retracing the 1895 University of Kansas Expedition. TerQua.
Burnham, D. 2007. Lasting Impressions–Soft-Bodied Molds of Articulated Vertebrate Fossils. GSA Abstracts with Programs. p. 18, vol. 39 (3).
Burnham, D. 2007. The Archaeopteryx-like stage in the Trees Down Origin of Flight Paradigm. Abstracts of the 139th annual meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science, Salina, Kansas, April 13-14. Transactions of the KAS, vol. 110, no. 3/4.
Burnham, D. and Hines, C. 2005. Transfer Preparation of an Ichthyornis Specimen from the Niobrara Formation, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 25, no. 3 (suppl.).
Burnham, D. 2005. Comparison of the Tarsus and Pes in the Dromaeosaurs Bambiraptor and Microraptor. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. Vol. (24), abstracts.
Burnham, D. 2005. The Paleoecology of Archaeopteryx –– a Re-evaluation. Zitteliana 26, Abstracts and Field Guide. Eichstätt, Germany.
Burnham, D. 2004. Pyroclastic Lagerstätten in Mesozoic Sediments of Northeastern China. Sixth International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Quillan, France.
Burnham, D., Martin, L., and Walton, A. 2003. Authentication of a T.rex fossil – an academic construct for paleontological research. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (3): 47A, Suppl.
Burnham, D. 2003. A New Mosasaur from the Interior Seaway. Abstracts, Kansas Academy of Science (22) abstracts.
Burnham, D. and Martin, L. 2002. Why Little Dinosaurs Have Big Brains. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
(3): 46A, Suppl.
Burnham, D. and Green, M. 2002. Old Wounds and a New Name for the Bunker Mosasaur. 2002. Kansas Academy of Science (21) abstracts.
Martin, L., Burnham, D., Swearingen, T., Maltese, A., and Lim, J-D. 2001. How to Mount a T.rex Dinosaur in a Compact Space. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (3): 45A, Suppl.
Burnham, D. 2000. A Comparison of the Carpal Bones Between Theropods and Birds. 5th International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution and the Symposium on Jehol Biota. Abstracts. Vertebrata PalAsiatica vol. 38. suppl.
Derstler, K. and Burnham, D. 2000. Phylogenetic Relationships Between Bambiraptor, Early Birds, and other Theropods. 5th International Meeting of the Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution and the Symposium on Jehol Biota. Abstracts. Vertebrata PalAsiatica vol. 38. suppl.
Burnham, D. and Derstler, D. 2000. Bambiraptor feinbergi (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae). The Florida Symposium on Dinosaur Bird Evolution. Publications in Paleontology No. 2, Graves Museum of Archaeology and Natural History. Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Burnham, D. and Zhou, Z. 1999. Comparing the Furcula in Dinosaurs and Birds. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (3): 43A, Suppl.
Burnham, D. 1996. Dinosaur seeks Museum Position. Fossil News vol. 2 (3), pp.10-11.
Burnham, D 1992. “Sue” and the Protection of Fossil Resources. Nov.-Dec. Geology Today. p. 206-209.
Burnham D. and Derstler, K. 1991. Co-occurrence of Two Species of Plioplatecarpus. (Squamata, Mosasauridae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers. Vol. 11 (3).
Derstler K. and Burnham D. 1991. The Framework of Mosasaurid Phylogeny (Squamata, Mosasauridae) Showing that Tylosaurines Evolved from Mosasaurines. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers. Vol. 11 (3).
Burnham, D. 1990. A New Mosasaur from the Upper Demopolis Formation of Sumter Co., Alabama. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers, Vol. 10 (3).
Burnham, D. and Derstler, K. 1987. The mosasaur Prognathodon from the Upper Demopolis Formation of Alabama. Kansas State Paleontologist, vol. 58.
New Small Hesperornithiformes from the Smoky Hill Member of the Niobrara Formation in Western Kansas.2022. Tomonori Tanaka1, Daniel Brinkman, Cheng-Hsiu Tsai, David Burnham, and Timothy Tokaryk. Abstract from Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Williams, D., Burnham, D., and L. Gurche. 2021. T.rex Paleopathology & T-rex Fossil Conservation, Abstract from Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Zoom.
Williams, D., Burnham, D., and L. Gurche. 2020. Preliminary Report of an Articulated Mammalian Hand from the Hell Creek Formation in Northeastern Montana. Abstract from Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Zoom.
Burnham, David A., Atkins-Weltman, Kyle L., and Jevnikar, E. 2018. A new juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex from the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana provides insights into cranial and dental ontogeny. Abstract from Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 78th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM.
DePalma II, Robert A., Gurche, Loren, Burnham, David A., Christopher, Matthew, Atkins- Weltman, Kyle and Boone, Matthieu. (2018). A New, Parasitoid Insect (Cf. Diptera: Pipunculidae) Occurring with multiple tipulids (Crane-Flies) in a single piece of amber from the Hell Creek Formation (Latest-Maastrichtian). GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN.
DePalma, R. A., Burnham, D. A., Smit, J., Schmerge, J., Manning, P. L., Laron, P. L., Gurche, L., Richards, M., and Alvarez, W. (2017). Life After Impact: A Remarkable Mammal Burrow from The Chicxulub Aftermath In The Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota. GSA
Smit, J., DePalma, R. A., Richards, M., Alvarez, W. Burnham, D., Manning, P.L. (2017). Tanis, A mixed marine- continental event deposit at the KPG Boundary in North Dakota caused by a Seiche triggered by seismic waves of the Chicxulub Impact. GSA>
Bhullar, B-A. S., Hanson, M., Botelho, J., Smith-Paredes, D., Faunes, M., Field, D., Burnham, D., Fabbri, M., Wilson, L. (2017). Developmental and paleontological perspectives on the origin of the avian beak. Abstract from Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 77th Annual Meeting, Calgary, Canada.
Hanson, M., Burnham, D. A., Bhullar, B. S. Reconstructing the skull of Hesperornis regalis: The first three-dimensional model of a Cretaceous stem bird with insights into early avian functional morphology, plesiomorphy, and convergence, SVP 76th Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT.
Schmerge, J. and Burnham, D. 2015. Dire Straits for a Kansas Mammoth. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 34, no. 3, Suppl.
Schmerge, J., Burnham, D., and Rasmussen, D. 2015. Preliminary report of a hadrosaur from the “3-meter gap” near Jordan, Montana. Kansas Academy of Science.
Schmerge, J. and Burnham, D. 2014. Interpretation of Burrowing Behavior from Incisor Morphology of Fossorial Rodents. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 33, no. 3, Suppl.
Falk, A. R., and Burnham, D. A. 2014. New insights on T-rex Authentication and T. rex fossil identification. AOU- COS-SCO Joint Meeting.
Robert A. DePalma, David A. Burnham, Larry D. Martin & Amanda R. Falk. 2013. A new bird from the latest Maastrichtian of North America. European Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists 11th Annual Meeting.
Kaye, T., Martin, L., Burnham, D., and Gong, E. 2010. Multispectral Imaging and Analysis of a Liaoning “Mystery Specimen.” Program and Abstracts of the 70th Anniversary Meeting Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Pittsburg, PA. Oct. 10-13, 2010.
Falk, A. R., Martin, L. D. and Burnham, D. A., 2009. Tracking Cretaceous birds across the world. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology v. 29(3 supp), p. 93A.
Burnham, D., Miao, D., Martin, L., Alexander, D., and Gong, E. 2008. Flight of the Microraptor, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 28, no. 3 (suppl.).
Martin, L. and Burnham, D. 2008. Predatory Behavior in a Four-Winged Dinosaur-like Bird.
Abstracts of the 140th annual meeting of the Kansas Academy of Science, Emporia, Kansas, March 28-29. Transactions of the KAS, vol. 111.
Martin, L., Burnham, D., Lim, J-D. 2002. The New and Improved Sauropod. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
(3): 46A, Suppl.
PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PRESENTATIONS
2022 STEM presentation on T.rex Discoveries at University of St. Mary, KS (invited) 2022 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Colloquium (invited)
2022 KU Museum Fossil Day
2022 Houston Museum talk on advanced techniques in the paleontology laboratory (invited)
2022 Ottawa Public Library (invited)
2022 Dinosaur Days, lecture on T-rex Authentication, Kansas State Paleontologist, Topeka Zoo (invited)
2021 KC Gem and Fossil Show
2020 National Aviary. Invited speaker “How Birds Learned to Fly”. Zoom.
2019 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City “A lifetime career as a T. rex paleontologist”
2018 Olathe Gem and Mineral Society 2018 Union Station Kansas City “Tyrannosaurus rex Paleontology”
2018 KC Plaza Libraries “T-rex Paleontology as an academic specialism”
2018 Audubon Society “Dr David Burnham, State Paleontologist for Kansas”
2018 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City: The official state fossils of Kansas.
2017 Solving a Mystery Piece by Piece: The KU Natural History Museum’s Tyrannosaurus rex, Free State Brewing Co., Sept. 22, 2017.
Vertebrate Paleontology and T.rex Paleopathology”,Led Center, Lawrence, KS, 2017 Olathe Gem and Mineral Club, speaker.
2017 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City: The life and hard times of the Kansas University T. rex
2016 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City: The official state fossils of Kansas.
2015 PBS Podcast & Pod Party— The Scientific Study of Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaurs
2015 Museum at Prairie Fire, Dakotaraptor—The Lost Ghost of the Laramidia Forest 2015 Science on Tap, Sept. 22, T.rex Authentication
2015 Museum at Prairiefire, Science Happy Hour talk on raptors.
2015 Nerd Nite, invited presenter, “The Food of Dinosaurs—a survey of diets found preserved among the Dinosauria” Pachamamas, Lawrence, KS.
2014 Lawrence Rotary Club invited speaker “A new T.rex Specimen Discovery”
2014 Duke TIP, KU Lawrence, KS–invited speaker “Kansas University Dinosaur Research”
2014 Independence Gem & Mineral Society speaker “T.rex Fossil Analysis”
2014 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, Pathologies in T. rex Fossils—Sick bones tell stories.
2014 Kansas and Missouri Paleontological Society 2014 Adventure 360 speaker 2013 Evolutionists speaker “My life as a Tyrannosaurus rex Paleontologist”
2013 Paleotrek speaker “Dr David Burnham, How to become a T.rex expert”
2013 Community of Reason: A three-point landing for the origin of flight: Evolution of flightlessness (Part III); February 10th, UMKC.
2013 Community of Reason: A three-point landing for the origin of flight: The Four-winged wonders from China (Part II). January 13th; UMKC.
2012 Community of Reason: A three-point landing for the origin of flight: The first flier (Part I). October 14th, UMKC.
2013 Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, “T. rex Authentication”
2012 Paleotrek: Remains of the past – the food of dinosaurs.
2012 St. Louis Science Center Learning on Location Symposium: I Can Dig It: Is it Archaeology or Paleontology? Preserving the Past. April 14th, 2012.
2011 St. Louis International Science Festival “Bringing fossils to life”.
2012 51st Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 9th, 10th, & 11th: Barnum Brown’s first Tyrannosaurus rex.
2011 50th Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 12th, 13th, & 14th: Dinosaur-like raptors—recent discoveries and new information.
2010 Science on Tap: Dr Burnham Fieldwork Expert on KU Vertebrate Paleontology preparation techniques.
2010 St. Louis Science Center, OMNIMAX theater presentations, Feb. 19th. Venomous birdlike raptors: Trouble in Paradise.
2010 49th Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 11th, 12th, & 13th: Prehistoric History of Jayhawk Flight.
2009 48th Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 13, 14th, & 15th.
2008 Speaker for Kansas and Missouri Paleontological Society, Park University.
2008 47th Annual Gem and Mineral Show. Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 13, 14th, & 15th.
2007 46th Annual Gem and Mineral Show. Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 9, 10, & 11: The Natural History and Evolution of Flight; The Natural History of Flight.
2007 45th Annual Gem and Mineral Show, Kansas City Association of Earth Science Clubs, Inc. of Greater Kansas City, March 9, 10, & 11: Mesozoic Skies over China.
2004–2007 Created exhibits for Kansas State Fair – “Kansas Citizens for Science”.
2006 44th Annual Gem and Mineral Show: Kansas City Assoc. of Earth Science Clubs: Origins of birds and their flight.
2005 Kansas City Assoc. of Earth Science Clubs: Rock to Raptor.
1998 Tate Geological Museum Conference “Life in the Cretaceous”: Rock to Raptor: An examination of techniques used to prepare a meat-eating Dinosaur not much larger than your Thanksgiving Day turkey.
1997 White River Formation summer field course, Tate Museum, Casper College. 1996 Black Hills Museum Natural History Days: Raptors have Teeth.
1995 Tucson Fossil Show guest speaker: Dinosaurs.
1994 Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Show: Mosasaurs of South Dakota and Tyrannosaurus rex traveling exhibit program.
1993 Tate Museum speaker: Marine Reptiles of Wyoming.
1993 Wyoming State Mineral and Gem Show, Casper July 10th, 1993. Invited as a guest speaker: Mesozoic Marine Reptiles.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Authenticate circa 20% of the world’s Tyrannosaurus rex specimens in major institutions and museums around the world.
Discover, preserve, conserve, study and exhibit Kansas University’s Juvenile T.rex specimen
Paleontological study and scientific analysis of Kansas University’s female T.rex specimen named ‘Lucy’
Construct scientific life and skeletal models using 3-D casts taken from the actual bones. My exemplar was a Microraptor – a four-winged “dinosaur” and production of a model capable of flight. This resulted in a publication for a major journal and was also filmed by NOVA for PBS.
Transfer preparations—Developed techniques to enhance data collected from significant fossils by exposing both sides of the specimens that were embedded in rock. Examples include–Tyrannosaurus rex, Confuciusornis, Ichthyornis, Microraptor, Jeholornis, and Longirostravis.
Supervised preparation and mounting of a Camarasaurus skeleton in the University of Kansas Natural History Museum (see in publications: How to mount a dinosaur in a compact space).
Designed and mounted an exhibit using KU’s Camarasaurs and the Dakota Formation trackway for Dinofest 2000 at Chicago’s Navy Pier
Preparation and description of the holotype Bambiraptor feinbergi plus the keynote speaker at the Florida symposium on Dinosaur-Bird Evolution, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, April 7-8, 2000.
X-radiograph and CT scanning–dinosaur eggs and bones, fossil birds and eggs, Microraptor, Bambiraptor, giant beaver skulls (Rapid City General, FL, K-State, KU, Kansas City Children’s Mercy Hospital, Lawrence Memorial Hospital).
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1990 Undergraduate and Graduate Teaching Assistant (Historical Geology, Paleontology), University of New Orleans.
1998 to 2025: Mentoring undergraduate and graduate students interested in fossil preparation, fieldwork, and research (KUVP).
2007 to 2025: annual lectures in Dinosaur Biology, Lower and Higher Vertebrates, Vertebrate Paleontology – Prof. L. D. Martin, KUVP.
2007 to 2009: The University of Kansas Continuing Education Instructor: History of the Earth course (Geol 105).
2007 Historical Geology – assistant instructor including lectures under Dr. S. Hasiotis, KU Dept. of Geology. 2011 Animal Locomotion lecture for Prof. David Alexander KU Biology class.
2010 to present: Paleotrek field courses for K-12 teachers (St. Louis Science Center).
2012 PaleoTech Seminars: informal lectures on Paleontological laboratory techniques; KU Vertebrate Paleontology Volunteer Program.
2015 Museum at Prairiefire—fossil prep workshop on Green River fish.
2017 University of Kansas Studies for undergraduates and graduate students
RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS
1979 Mexico (Geology Field Camp) Dr Burnham’s first dinosaur discovery was made here
1984–1991 Reconnaissance and excavations of vertebrate fossils in Selma Chalk, Alabama and Pierre Shale Formation, Wyoming.
1991 Summer fieldwork collecting microsites and dinosaur in Big Bend, Texas. 1992 Edmontosaurus bone bed excavation in Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota. 1992 Tyrannosaurus rex (“Stan”) excavation in Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota.
1992–1997 Reconnaissance and excavations of vertebrate fossils in White River Formation Wyoming and Nebraska.
1994–1997 Triceratops horridus and other dinosaur excavations, Hell Creek Formation, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
1999 Reconnoiter Bambiraptor and Maiasaura dinosaur quarry, Two Medicine Formation, Bynum, Montana. 2000 Field trip to Liaoning Province, China to examine Jehol Group outcrops.
2002 & 2008 Excavation of sauropod dinosaur skeletons and microsites in Morrison Formation, Wyoming.
2002 Reconnoiter Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota. 2004 Field trips to Cretaceous outcrops in Southern France.
2005 Field trips to Solnhofen Formation quarries, Germany. 2006 International Paleontological Congress, Beijing, China.
2008 Reconnaissance and excavation of dinosaur sites in Lance Formation, Wyoming.
2008 Reconnoiter Cretaceous bird track sites in Lakota and Lance Formations of South Dakota and Wyoming. 2009 Zhoukoudian Peking Man site, China.
2010 Museum research in Shandong, Shenyang, Beijing, Dalian, China.
2010 Reconnoiter Hell Creek Formation in Montana; White River Formation. 2010 Paleotrek staff scientist; Hell Creek Formation, MT.
2010 Reconnoiter Pierre Shale and White River Formations in northeastern Wyoming. 2011 Pierre Shale and White River collecting in northeastern Wyoming.
2011 Tyrannosaurus rex excavation; Hell Creek, MT.
2010, 2011 reconnoiter Kansas Permian outcrops (near Topeka and Manhattan, KS).
2012 reconnoiter Hell Creek K/T boundaries (MT) and Pierre Shale/White River (WY).
2013 reconnoiter Hell Creek Fm. (MT); Morrison Fm. (WY).
2014 reconnoiter and excavate dinosaurs in Hell Creek Fm. K/T boundaries (MT). 2014 reconnoiter Pleistocene site in MO.
2014 field trip to Solnhofen quarry.
2015 KU T. rex excavation KUVP 155809; prospect Hell Creek Fm.; WY prospecting and collecting Paleocene mammal fossil specimens.
2016 KU juvenile T. rex excavation KUVP 156375; Hell Creek Fm., MT. 2017 Field prospecting and excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT
2017 Field prospecting and collecting in Judith River Fm., MT.
2018 Field prospecting and excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT
2018 Field prospecting and collecting in Judith River Fm., MT.
2019 Field prospecting and excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT & Tanis site, ND
2020 Field prospecting and collecting in Judith River Fm., MT.
2020 Field prospecting and excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT & Tanis site, ND
2021 Field prospecting and collecting in Judith River Fm., MT.
2021 Field prospecting and excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT & Tanis site, ND
2022 Field prospecting and juvenile T. rex and bonebed excavations in Hell Creek Fm., MT
2022 Excavation of juvenile Triceratops skull, Hell Creek, MT.
2022 Fieldwork in Judith River Fm.
MENTORING
2022 Sara Meyers (giant “ostrich dinosaur” project)
2021 Jordan Van Sickler and Joey Tierney (tyrannosaurid tooth wear project)
2020 Kyle Atkins-Weltman (M.S. Anzu)
2019 Evan Jevnikar (juvenile tyrannosaur tooth project)
2018 Peter Maynard (tyrannosaur pathology project, Loren Gurche microsites independent study)
2017 Independent Study—Kyle Atkins-Weltman, Evan Jevnikar, Kris Super, Jordan Van Sickler
2017 PhD Committee—Robert DePalma.
2016 MS Committee—Tabatha Gabay, Co-advisor, Geology, University of Kansas.
2015 PhD Committee – Joshua Schmerge, Co-advisor, Geology, University of Kansas.
2014-2016 MS Committee – Matt Jones, Dept. Geology, University of Kansas
2015-2016 MS Committee – Tabatha Gabay, Co-advisor, Geology, University of Kansas.
2014 PhD Committee – Amanda Falk, Co-advisor, Geology, University of Kansas.
2014 Undergraduate Research Committee, Kate Ruoff, Geology 399, University of Kansas.
2010 MS Committee – Robert DePalma, Geology, University of Kansas
2004 Science City Task Force Committee, University of Kansas: DinoLab—an open preparatory lab exhibits at Union Station KC using KU’s skeleton of Camarasaurus as the working example of a dinosaur being cleaned, molded, and cast for mounting
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
1987 to present – Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP)
2004 to present – Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution (SAPE) 2006 to present Sigma Xi 2006 to present Sigma Gamma Epsilon (SGE)
2006, 7 Kansas Academy of Science (KAS) 2012 Society for Cenozoic Research (TerQua) 2013 to present—Community of Reason
2010 to present–The Evolutionists (KU)
2000 to present Kansas and Missouri Paleontological Society
EDITORIAL ACTIVITIES
2015 to 2021 Member Editorial Board of Scientific Reports, Nature Publishing Group, Ecology and Evolution; PLOS ONE, PeerJ reviewer.
2014 PeerJ; Journal of Systematic Palaeontology; Journal of Herpetology; F1000Research
2014 Journal of Ornithology; Scientific Reports; Archaeopteryx ms, tyrannosaurid ms.
2013 Nature Communications; Naturwissenschaften
2012 The Auk: Editorial review
2011 James & Pourtless manuscript on Archaeopteryx
2011 Yale University Press: Book—Riddle of the Feathered Dragons Chapter review. 2011 Journal of Systematic Palaeontology
2010 to 2011 Member of the Nature Reader Advisory Panel, NPG, Macmillan Publishers 2008 PALAIOS: Book review—Glorified Dinosaurs.
2007 Journal of Zoology 2007 Elsevier: Book Review 2007
2005 University of Kansas, MS Geology Thesis: reviewer for methods section. Kansas Academy of Science Transactions
