PhD. Edwin Cadena
Geologist-Vertebrate paleontologist
edwin.cadena@urosario.edu.co
Current positions
Full professor, Director Earth System Science Program
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
https://www.urosario.edu.co/facultad-ciencias-naturales/Inicio/
Research Associate
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Education & previous positions
Associate Professor. Universidad del Rosario. Colombia 2018-2021
Assistant Professor. Yachay Tech University. Ecuador 2015-2018
Postdoctoral Fellow. Alexander von Humboldt Foundation-Senckenberg Museum, Germany 2012-2015
PhD in Geology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. 2012
MSc in Geology. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. 2009
BSc in Geology. Universidad Industrial de Santander - Bucaramanga, Colombia. 2001
Research interests
Understanding the evolution of vertebrates in the tropical region of South America, establishing the events involved in their current diversity and geographical distribution. Additionally, I am interested in the exploration of soft-tissue and biomolecules preservation in the fossil record, using turtles as case of study. Topics of my research include systematics, phylogeny (morphology and molecular), paleobiogeography, paleoecology, bone histology, and molecular paleontology. The combination of traditional paleontology with molecular paleontology, including paleogenomics and paleoproteomics allows to approach biological and evolutionary events and questions from a broader perspective, a field that is just starting.
Current projects
New fossil turtles of Colombia. This is long term project with funding from the Banco de la República of Colombia and the Universidad del Rosario. Describing and understanding the phylogenetic and evolutionary implications of different new Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossil turtles of Colombia, including the largest freshwater turtle ever Stupendemys geographica, the oldest Protostegidae turtle, and new turtles from the famous La Venta Fauna.
Paleontological tourism at the Tatacoa Desert, Colombia. This is a project funded by MinCiencias Colombia to develop paleontological tourism at the Tatacoa Desert, one of the most important fossiliferous regions in northern South America.
Pleistocene fossils from a new locality at the Sogamoso Canyon, Santander, Colombia. This project involves the description of fossil turtles and mammals from a new Pleistocene deposit and the history that they can reveal on one of the most iconic geological and landscape landmarks in northeastern Colombia.
New fossil turtles of Venezuela. This is project in collaboration with Universität Zürich to work on new fossil turtles from the Socorro Formation, middle Miocene of Venezuela.
Ecuador Amber Project. This is a project in cooperation with Senckenber Museum, Universidad de Barcelona, the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, and the Escuela Politécnica Nacional. Discovering and characterizing the Lower Cretaceous amber deposits of western Ecuador.
Fossil pterosaurs of Colombia. A project in cooperation with University of Michigan colleagues to work on new material of fossil pterosaurs of Colombia
Geologist-Vertebrate paleontologist
edwin.cadena@urosario.edu.co
Current positions
Full professor, Director Earth System Science Program
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
https://www.urosario.edu.co/facultad-ciencias-naturales/Inicio/
Research Associate
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Education & previous positions
Associate Professor. Universidad del Rosario. Colombia 2018-2021
Assistant Professor. Yachay Tech University. Ecuador 2015-2018
Postdoctoral Fellow. Alexander von Humboldt Foundation-Senckenberg Museum, Germany 2012-2015
PhD in Geology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. 2012
MSc in Geology. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. 2009
BSc in Geology. Universidad Industrial de Santander - Bucaramanga, Colombia. 2001
Research interests
Understanding the evolution of vertebrates in the tropical region of South America, establishing the events involved in their current diversity and geographical distribution. Additionally, I am interested in the exploration of soft-tissue and biomolecules preservation in the fossil record, using turtles as case of study. Topics of my research include systematics, phylogeny (morphology and molecular), paleobiogeography, paleoecology, bone histology, and molecular paleontology. The combination of traditional paleontology with molecular paleontology, including paleogenomics and paleoproteomics allows to approach biological and evolutionary events and questions from a broader perspective, a field that is just starting.
Current projects
New fossil turtles of Colombia. This is long term project with funding from the Banco de la República of Colombia and the Universidad del Rosario. Describing and understanding the phylogenetic and evolutionary implications of different new Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossil turtles of Colombia, including the largest freshwater turtle ever Stupendemys geographica, the oldest Protostegidae turtle, and new turtles from the famous La Venta Fauna.
Paleontological tourism at the Tatacoa Desert, Colombia. This is a project funded by MinCiencias Colombia to develop paleontological tourism at the Tatacoa Desert, one of the most important fossiliferous regions in northern South America.
Pleistocene fossils from a new locality at the Sogamoso Canyon, Santander, Colombia. This project involves the description of fossil turtles and mammals from a new Pleistocene deposit and the history that they can reveal on one of the most iconic geological and landscape landmarks in northeastern Colombia.
New fossil turtles of Venezuela. This is project in collaboration with Universität Zürich to work on new fossil turtles from the Socorro Formation, middle Miocene of Venezuela.
Ecuador Amber Project. This is a project in cooperation with Senckenber Museum, Universidad de Barcelona, the Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, and the Escuela Politécnica Nacional. Discovering and characterizing the Lower Cretaceous amber deposits of western Ecuador.
Fossil pterosaurs of Colombia. A project in cooperation with University of Michigan colleagues to work on new material of fossil pterosaurs of Colombia
