About

I am the Senior Curator of Palaeontology at JCU and the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville. I have a special interest in the diversity, evolution and ecology of Mesozoic reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and dinosaurs. Current projects, involving fieldwork throughout Australia, aim to fill significant gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous vertebrate fauna in the southern hemisphere.

Previously I have been involved in pioneering work on Jurassic and Cretaceous marine faunas of the High Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, and in fieldwork in The Netherlands (Triassic) and USA (Cretaceous).

If you are interested in doing either a Bachelor or Masters project in vertebrate palaeontology, please contact me. Currently I have projects in the following topics (although others can be discussed): 

Early Triassic vertebrates from central Queensland

Cretaceous marine reptiles from Queensland

Micro-vertebrate diversity in the Early Cretaceous Toolebuc Formation, Queensland

Triassic trace fossil fauna in central Queensland

Teaching
  • EA3120: The Fossil Record: Dinosaurs and Vertebrates Through Time (Level 3; TSV)
  • EA5120: The Fossil Record: Dinosaurs and Vertebrates Through Time (Level 5; TSV)
  • MB1110: Introductory Marine Science (Level 1; TSV)
Interests
Research
  • Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Palaeontology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs, Marine Reptiles, Arctic, Biogeography, Australia, Biodiversity, Evolution
Experience
  • 2008 to 2012 - PhD, University of Oslo (Norway)
  • 2005 to 2007 - MSc, University of Oslo (Norway)
  • 2002 to 2005 - BSc, University of Oslo (Norway)
Research Disciplines
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 18+ research outputs authored by Dr Espen Knutsen from 2011 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Australian Synchrotron - Australian Synchrotron Access Program

Extinction Recovery Fauna from Triassic Queensland II

Indicative Funding
$2,340
Summary
Ecosystem responses during and after past mass extinctions, give clues to what to expect from future such events. The end-Permian mass extinction, 252 mya, was the largest in earth?s history. The event saw the end of the ?old? ecosystems dominated by amphibians and the ancestors of mammals, and the dawn of the age of reptiles, including dinosaurs. To fill gaps to a clear understanding of the Permian- Triassic extinction recovery story in Australia this ongoing project micro-CT scans recently collected vertebrate material from Queensland.
Investigators
Espen Knutsen (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
Dinosaurs; Recovery; Triassic; Extinction; Permian; Fossil

Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation - Australian Synchrotron Access Program

Extinction Recovery Fauna from Triassic Queensland

Indicative Funding
$1,480
Summary
Ecosystem responses during and after past mass extinctions, give clues to what to expect from future such events. The end-Permian mass extinction, 252 mya, was the largest in earth?s history. The event saw the end of the ?old? ecosystems dominated by amphibians and the ancestors of mammals, and the dawn of the age of reptiles, including dinosaurs. To fill gaps to a clear understanding of the Permian- Triassic extinction recovery story in Australia this project will micro-CT scan recently collected vertebrate material from Queensland.
Investigators
Espen Knutsen (College of Science & Engineering)
Keywords
Dinosaurs; Recovery; Triassic; Extinction; Permian; Fossil
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • Palaeoenvironment and palaeovalley gold provenance of the Lefroy Palaeodrainage System, Western Australia and its implications for future placer gold exploration. (PhD , Primary Advisor)
  • Tectono-sedimentary and Taphonomic investigation of the Triassic System, Northern Bowen Basin, Australia (PhD , Primary Advisor)
  • Vertebrate Palaeontology of the Early-Late Triassic Succession in Central Queensland (PhD , Primary Advisor)
  • Improving efficacy of Clastic Reservoir charaterisation by Quantitative Hierarchical analysis of Geochemical metrics (PhD , Primary Advisor)
Completed
Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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