Fion Waisum Ma - Vertebrate Palaeontology Research

Vertebrate Palaeontology

Investigating how vertebrate animals function and evolve

Dr Fion Waisum Ma 馬慧芯

Palaeontologist 古生物學家
PhD, University of Birmingham 伯明翰大學博士
Research Associate, Beipiao Pterosaur Museum of China 中國北票翼龍博物館客席研究員

Email: fionma12@connect.hku.hk / fionma@bpmc.org.cn
Links: Google Scholar / ORCiD / Twitter / Instagram

I am a vertebrate palaeontologist from Hong Kong researching dinosaurs and their close relatives. I am particularly interested in using digital modelling techniques to study fossils. Some of my past works include projects on theropod dinosaur feeding mechanics, the oviraptorosaur dinosaur embryo "Baby Yingliang", and the darwinopteran pterosaur "Monkeydactyl".

Education
PhD in Earth Sciences (Palaeobiology), University of Birmingham, 2019 - 2022

MScR in Palaeontology & Geobiology, The University of Edinburgh, 2017 - 2018

BSc in Geology & Ecology & Biodiversity, The University of Hong Kong, 2013 - 2017

Positions
Research Associate, Beipiao Pterosaur Museum of China, 2020 - ongoing

Deep Time Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellow, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 2022 - 2024

Professional activities
Editorial Board Member, Scientific Reports, 2024 - ongoing

Journal Reviewer for American Naturalist, Cretaceous Research, Frontiers in Earth Science, Gigabyte, Nature, Nature Ecology & Evolution, PeerJ, Scientific Reports, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

Recognitions
Kunpengopterus antipollicatus (“Monkeydactyl") as the ‘First animal with opposable thumbs’, Guinness World Records, 2023

The Top Ten Dinosaur Discoveries of 2022, Smithsonian Magazine, 2022

6 Surprising Records Science Set in 2021, Science News, 2021