Dr. Jim Kirkland

is the Utah State Paleontologist with the Utah Geological Survey. He issues permits for paleontological research on Utah state lands, keeps tabs on paleontological research and issues across the state, and promotes Utah’s paleontological resources for the public good. An expert on the Mesozoic, he has spent more than forty years excavating fossils across the southwestern US and Mexico authoring and coauthoring more than 75 professional papers.