Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President

Faculty Spotlight

Gregory S. Herbert

College of Arts and Sciences, Geology Department.

Undergraduate Degree

B.S., Philosophy, Loyola University, New Orleans.

Doctoral Degree

Ph.D., Geology , University of California Davis.

Selected Published Works

Five most recent publications:

• Herbert, G. S., 2006. Protecting life in the sea. American Paleontologist 14:20.
• Herbert, G. S., 2005. Systematics of the genus Eupleura H. & A. Adams, 1853 (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Neogene to Recent of Tropical America. The Veliger 47:294-331
• Eerkens, J. W., G. S. Herbert, J. Rosenthal, and H. J. Spero, 2005. Provenance analysis of Olivella biplicata shell beads from the California and Oregon coasts using oxygen and carbon stable isotopes. Journal of Archaeological Science 32:1501-1514.
• Herbert, G. S., and C. J. Del Rio, 2005. Description of Argenthina emilyae, a new genus and species of ocenebrine muricid from the early Middle Miocene of Argentina. Journal of Paleontology 79:939-943.
• Dietl, G. P., and G. S. Herbert, 2005. Experimental comparison of attack duration for alternative predation behaviours of the shell-drilling snail Chicoreus dilectus (Gastropoda: Muricidae). Journal of Zoology 265:201-206.

Area of Specialization / Research

My research is in the field of paleobiology and covers topics ranging from mass extinction events to predator-prey arms races and biotic responses to past climate change. Mollusks are the model group upon which I base most of my work because they have an extraordinarily detailed fossil record. I also dabble in stable isotope geochemistry and conservation ecology.

Current Course Offerings

I teach two graduate seminars, Macroevolution and Paleoecology, and an undergraduate course called History of Earth and Life.

How and when did you first become interested in your field of study?

I have been fascinated by life in the ocean since I was three or four years old, and I was fortunate enough to grow up near the coast where I could develop that interest. In college, I had a variety of experiences that really cemented those interests into a specific career goal. One of the most important for me was working for a summer in the malacology collections of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and getting to do my own independent research project.

What made you decide to pursue a career in higher education?

I grew up in a family of teachers and professors, and it was sort of natural to consider the career path that was most familiar to me. And I’m really glad I did. I get paid to think, explore remote places on the planet, test ideas, and then share what I’ve learned through writing and teaching. I don’t know how you can beat that.

Why did you choose to be a part of the academic community at USF?

The Department of Geology is growing rapidly and has a strong ‘soft rock’ program with several faculty who do research in paleobiology and paleoclimatology. The research collaborations that have been possible here have been very important for my career development.

What do you enjoy about teaching the students of USF?

I enjoy the diversity of perspectives they bring to my large lecture course and their willingness to engage in open discussion of ideas. I’ve been pleasantly surprised.