Prof Upchurch receives the Linnean Society’s 2024 Medal

Professor Paul Upchurch has made an outstanding contribution to the fields of palaeobiology, systematics and phylogenetics. He is globally renowned for transforming our understanding of the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of sauropod dinosaurs, having been the first to tackle the subject in the early 1990s.

“I first came across the work of Carl Linnaeus when I became fascinated by natural history in general, and taxonomy in particular, as a child. The award of the Linnean Medal, all these years later, is therefore a great honour and means a huge amount to me both professionally and personally.’

He has also made important phylogenetic and taxonomic contributions to other dinosaurian and tetrapod groups, contributing to numerous studies of diversity patterns in the fossil record. As a scientist with a severe visual impairment, Paul (a member of the Royal Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and chair of its disability subcommittee) has brought a strong voice to promoting diversity in science, particularly disabilities.

Links:

• Prof Paul Upchurch's academic profile
• The Linnean Society’s 2024 Medals and Awards