Peter Makovicky's research focuses on the systematics and evolutionary history of dinosaurs, with an emphasis on the maniraptoran and ceratopsian clades. Much of his work is revisionary, and includes description of new taxa or poorly known fossils, as well as detailed systematic analyses at finer scale than has been the norm in dinosaur systematics so far. Together with a number of colleagues at sister institutions, he is collaborating on a four year project in the NSF’s “Assembling the Tree of Life” program to study archosaur phylogeny with an emphasis on theropods. This large-scale project aims to generate a fine scale analysis of dinosaurian systematics by sampling taxa at the generic level and using a comprehensive suite of molecular and morphological characters. A principal goal of this project is a “supermatrix” of character information, which will be web-accessible and will collate a variety of both text and graphic data at the specimen level. His current research directions on ceratopsians include description and phylogenetic placement of several new basal forms, and studies into the possible relationship between character evolution and life history in ceratopsian dinosaurs. More broadly, he is interested in issues relating to Mesozoic biogeography and faunal change, and the interplay between phylogeny and the fossil record. He firmly believes that field work is integral to developing an active research program, and lead a field program in the US, as well as collaborative field programs in Asia and South America. Other Geology Department Research: Fossil Amphibians and Reptiles | Fossil Fishes | Fossil Invertebrates | Fossil Mammals | Fossil Plants | Meteorites | Paleontology