Draft:Brian Curtice

Brian Curtice is a dinosaur paleontologist, educational technologist, Research Associate at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, and Founder and CEO of Fossil Crates. His research focuses on sauropod dinosaur taxonomy, especially within the Morrison Formation sauropod fauna. He synonymized Ultrasauros and Dystylosaurus with Supersaurus and Seismosaurus with Diplodocus, as well as identified Supersaurus as the world's longest dinosaur. His work has been featured in Discover Magazine, Business Insider , and LiveScience. He has conducted fieldwork in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming as well as South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Education
He received his MSc in Geology from Brigham Young University in 1996, specializing in Morrison Formation diplodocid sauropod dinosaur caudal vertebrae. Curtice earned a PhD in Educational Technology at Arizona State University

Paleontology research
Curtice synonymized Seismosaurus with Diplodocus and Ultrasauros, then Dystylosaurus with Supersaurus. Work on three specimens of Supersaurus identified it as the longest dinosaur yet discovered.

Curtice's work on the Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry supergiant sauropod Ultrasauros resulted in the holotype (BYU 9044) being assigned to Supersaurus and all but the scapulocoracoid were assigned to different taxa. He noted the referred material wasn't Brachiosaurus proper, a conclusion supported by Taylor. Later work ascribed two dorsal vertebrae to Brachiosaurus, making them the most proximal dorsal vertebrae yet identified for Brachiosaurus and provided the first directly comparable proximal dorsal vertebrae with the Tendaguru Formation Giraffatitan material.

Curtice synonymized Dystylosaurus (BYU 4503) with Supersaurus basing the reassignment on numerous diplodocid characters. Curtice assigned BYU 4503, along with other large diplodocid elements, to a single individual specimen of Supersaurus. This generic reassignment was supported by Lovelace et al., Taylor et al. Harris, , Mannion et al. 2019 and D'Emic The specimen-level phylogenetic analysis of Tschopp et al. agreed with the genus-level assignment and Curtice's assertion the vertebra likely belonged to the same individual specimen as the other Supersaurus material.

His work on Supersaurus (holotype BYU 9025, a scapulocoracoid) was used by Li et al  in studying the scapula of the sauropod Yongjinglong.

Curtice has published on rare juvenile sauropod dinosaurs from the Morrison Formation. This research was used by Dalla Vecchia, Bonnan and Wedel, and Foster for comparison with juvenile sauropod material from both Morrison Formation, and non-Morrison Formation quarries.

Curtice's work on sauropod caudal vertebrae as genus-level taxonomic identifiers has been acknowledged by Remes, Tidwell et al. Foster et al. and Richmond et al. for genus-level identification. The range of pneumatic character variability within and between species (and individual specimens) is supported by Wedel et al. Wedel et al.

Curtice synonymized Seismosaurus (NMMNH P-3690) with Diplodocus and was the first to publish that the vertebra used to determine the specimen's length actually came not from the Diplodocus carnegii holotype CM 84 but a smaller individual, CM 94. Comparisons with the smaller CM 94 made the sauropod out to be longer than it actually was. His findings were then published by Lucas et al. and further confirmed

Curtice et al 2024. Haplocanthosaurus work has revealed the "Ghost of the Morrison" is actually far more common than anyone thought, being present in 11 quarries and in the Salt Wash and Brushy Basin Members.

Curtice and Wilhite identified a new genus of Morrison Formation brachiosaurid, the work is in review.

Curtice's work on 85 million year old tyrannosaur and dromaeosaur teeth in southern Arizona is filling in the gaps for these two groups.

Educational technology research
His PhD work focused on home schoolers leveraging technology to supplant traditional formalized education. He coined this educational paradigm “ownschooling” as they owned both the responsibility of education and the processes used to learn. Curtice's study is the largest conducted on unschooled communities and its use of tracking software provided insights into the behavior of unschooled children. Curtice's research supports the import of children's free pursuit of specialized interests, such as dinosaurs.

His scicomm pages on Instagram @FossilCrates, Facebook, and YouTube have garnered millions of views.

Business endeavors and public recognition
In 2020 Curtice founded Fossil Crates LLC which sells fossil reproductions, leases traveling exhibits, and provides live interactions with paleontologists via its Paleo Portals offering. Curtice endeavors to democratize paleontology by providing museum-quality specimens wrapped in educational content at affordable prices. He has been featured recognized The Arizona Museum of Natural History partnered with Fossil Crates to run Virtual Summer Camps in 2020.

Curtice's work with the public has been featured in newspapers and online articles and publications. He has presented at the Phoenix Children's Hospital, science happy hours , and museum events. An accomplished photographer, his work has been featured online. .

Partial bibliography

 * Curtice, B. D., 1995, A description of the anterior caudal vertebrae of Supersaurus vivianae: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 15(3), p. 25A.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1995. Additional elements of Supersaurus vivianae, in Bilbey, S. A., ed., Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists Abstracts, Vernal Field House Museum, p. 3.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1995. Supersaurus vivianae, the longest sauropod? in Ritter, S. M., ed., Brigham Young University Research Conference Volume, Provo, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences, p. 26.
 * Rasmussen, J. S. and Curtice, B. D., 1995. Topotype material of Alamosaurus sanjuanensis, in Bilbey, S. A., ed., Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists Abstracts, Vernal Field House Museum, p. 5.
 * Curtice, B. D., and Curtice, L. C., 1996, Death of a Dinosaur: A reevaluation of Ultrasauros macintoshi (Jensen 1985): Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 16(3), p. 26A.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1996. Codex of diplodocid caudal vertebrae. [Master's thesis], Provo, Brigham Young University, 250 p.
 * Curtice, B. D., Stadtman, K. L., and Curtice, L. J., 1996, A reassessment of Ultrasauros macintoshi (Jensen, 1985) in Morales, M., ed., The Continental Jurassic: Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 60, p.87-95.
 * Curtice, B. D., and Wilhite, D. R., 1996, A re-evaluation of the Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry sauropod fauna with a description of juvenile sauropod elements in Huffman, A. C., Jr., Lund W. R., and Godwin, L. H., eds., Geology and Resources of the Paradox Basin: Utah Geological Association Guidebook 25, p. 325–338.
 * Britt, B. B., and Curtice, B. D., 1997, Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry, In P. J. Currie and K. Padian (eds.), Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. Academic Press, San Diego.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1997. So long Ultrasauros: Dinosaur Discoveries #3, Tiger Publications, p. 1–2.
 * Curtice, B. D., Foster, J. R., Wilhite, D. R., 1997, Statistical analysis of sauropod limb elements: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 17(3), p. 27A.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1998. A redescription of Sonorasaurus thompsoni in McCord, R. D. and Boaz, D. eds, Southwest Paleontological Symposium – Proceedings 5, Mesa Southwest Museum and Southwest Paleontological Society, Mesa, Arizona. Pp. 35–39.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1998. Sauropod vertebral variation and its phylogenetic impact: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 18(3), p. 26A.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1998. Sonorasaurus thompsoni a new analysis. Southwest Paleontological Symposium Volume 5, p. 20.
 * Munyikwa, D., Sampson, S. D., Rogers, R. R., Forster, C. A., Curry, K. A., and Curtice, B. D. 1998. Vertebrate paleontology and geology of the Gokwe Formation, Zimbabwe. J. Afr. Earth Sci. 27: 142–143.
 * Wilhite, D. R. and Curtice, B. D., 1998, Sauropod ontogenetic variation: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 18(3), p. 86A.
 * Munyikwa, D., Sampson, S. D., Rogers, R. R., Forster, C. A., Curry, C. and Curtice, B. 1998. Vertebrate paleontology and geology of the Gokwe Formation, Zimbabwe. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 27(1A): 142–143.
 * Curtice, B. D., 1999. First occurrence of Apatosaurus in Arizona in McCord, R. D. and Boaz, D. eds, Southwest Paleontological Symposium – Proceedings 6, Mesa Southwest Museum and Southwest Paleontological Society, Mesa, Arizona. Pp. 43–47.
 * Foster, J. R., Curtice, B. D., and Pagnac, D., 1998, The first occurrence of an Early Cretaceous sauropod in South Dakota: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 18(3), p. 43A
 * Curtice, B. D., 1999. The first occurrence of Apatosaurus in Arizona. Southwest Paleontological Symposium Volume 6, p. 23.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2000. The axial skeleton of Sonorasaurus thompsoni Ratkevich 1998 in McCord, R. D. and Boaz, D. eds, Southwest Paleontological Symposium, Proceedings 7, Mesa Southwest Museum and Southwest Paleontological Society, Mesa, Arizona. Pp. 83–87.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2000. Dystylosaurus edwini no more. Southwest Paleontological Symposium Volume 7, p.32.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2001. Demise of Dystylosaurus edwini and a revision of Supersaurus vivianae In McCord, R. D. and Boaz, D. eds, Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists and Southwest Paleontological Symposium –Proceedings 8, Mesa Southwest Museum and Southwest Paleontological Society, Mesa, Arizona. Pp. 33–40.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2001. Two new South African sauropods. Southwest Paleontological Symposium Volume 8, p. 17.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2002. Two new South African Sauropods In McCord, R. D. and Boaz, D. eds, Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists and Southwest Paleontological Symposium –Proceedings 9. Pp. 42–46.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2003. Vulcanodon karibaensis Western Association of Vertebrate Paleontologists and Southwest Paleontological Symposium –Proceedings 10. Pp. 37–42.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2003. Vulcanodon karibaensis revisited. Southwest Paleontological Symposium Volume 10, p. 26
 * Curtice, B. D., 2005. Cretaceous sauropods of Arizona. Southwest Paleontological Symposium. Volume 12, p. 28-32
 * Curtice, B. D., 2014, A detailed use of technology in Ownschooling families. Free to Be Unschooling Conference Symposium Volume, p. 17.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2014. Ownschooling: The Use of Technology in 10 Unschooling Families. [PhD dissertation], Tempe, Arizona State University, 197 p.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2016 Remembering the Alamosaurus: Jensen relocates Gilmore's Alamosaurus Quarry, USNM 15560, North Horn Formation, Emery County, Utah, and Discovers a second individual Alamosaurus. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 47(1):1-5.
 * Curtice, B. D., 2021 New Dry Mesa Dinosaur Quarry Supersaurus vivianae (Jensen 1985) axial elements provide additional insight into its phylogenetic relationships and size, suggesting an animal that exceeded 39 meters in length. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 81st Annual Meeting, Conference Program, 90.