Rate My Professor Lars Schmitz

Schmitz's research specializes in functional morphology, evolutionary paleobiology, and sensory evolution, particularly vision and orbit morphology in dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and early vertebrates. Key publications include 'Nocturnality in dinosaurs inferred from scleral ring and orbit morphology' (Science, 2011), 'Early giant reveals faster evolution of large size in ichthyosaurs than in cetaceans' (Science, 2021), 'Evolution of vision and hearing modalities in theropod dinosaurs and specialized nocturnality in a long-lived lineage' (Science, 2021), 'Massive increase in visual range preceded the origin of terrestrial vertebrates' (PNAS, 2017), and 'A macropredatory ichthyosaur from the Middle Triassic and the origin of modern trophic networks' (PNAS, 2013). He has received the Faculty Scholarship Award from Claremont McKenna College (2023), National Geographic Research and Exploration Grants (2008, 2010, 2014), NSF MRI grant as co-PI (2014), DFG Research Fellowship (2009-2011), and DAAD Doctoral Stipend (2005-2007). His contributions advance understanding of sensory adaptations and macroevolutionary patterns in vertebrates.