PD Dr Damien Becker | Jurassica Museum

Director / Head of the auxiliary scientific service in geosciences

JURASSICA Museum
Route de Fontenais 21
2900 Porrentruy
Switzerland
Tel. +41 32 420 9210
damien.becker[at]jurassica.ch

Associated and habilitated researcher

Department of Geosciences
University of Fribourg
Chemin du musée 6
1700 Fribourg
Switzerland

ResearchGate

Research thematics

Evolution of terrestrial paleoecosystems
Evolution, paleobiology and paleobiogeography of mammals
Rhinocerotoids systematics
Terminal Pleistocene large mammals and the extinction of the megafauna
Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and paleogeography of the Molasse Basin and Rhine Graben

Keywords

Mammals, Systematicd, Biostratigraphy, Diversity, Evolution, Paleoecology, Cenozoic, Western Europe

CV ►

Publications

CV

Current position

Since 2017

Director and head of the auxiliary scientific service in geosciences of the JURASSICA Museum, Switzerland

Professional background

2012-2016	Curator of JURASSICA Museum (since April 2012) and head of the auxiliary scientific service in geosciences of JURASSICA (since 2015), Porrentry, Switzerland
2010–2012	Head of the scientific development, Paleojura project, Porrentruy, Switzerland
2001–2012	Leader of the Cenozoic research group, Section d’archéologie et paléontologie, République et Canton du Jura, Porrentruy, Switzerland
1996–1998	Applied geology in the private industry (geological offices in Fribourg, Vaud and Jura cantons)

Academic background

2012	Habilitation, Faculty of sciences, University of Fribourg (Switzerland) Habilitation thesis: Western European mammal diversity and evolution – The contribution of the Swiss record Inaugural lecture (10.12.2012): Paléontologie des vertébrés. Evolution–Diversité–Locomotion
1998–2003	PhD in Paleontology-Sedimentology, Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Switzerland PhD thesis: Paléoécologie et paléoclimats de la Molasse du Jura (Oligo-Miocène) : apport des Rhinocerotoidea et des minéraux argileux
1994–1996	Master in Geology-Paleontology, Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Switzerland Master thesis: Géologie de la région de Cornaux (Jura/NE) et des marnières de Wallenried et de Cornaux (USM)

Funding

2023	SwissCollNet project (2023–2024) [CHF 122'064 / SCN208-JU / PI] From darkness to full light: digitization of an important collection of 19th century herbaria
2021	Financial support of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI; 2021–2024) [CHF 2’200'000 / SERI / PI] Auxiliary Scientific Service in Geosciences (academic unit), Porrentruy, Switzerland
2021	SNF Project (2021–2023) [CHF 349'288 / SNF 200021-192036 / PI] Jurassic Globetrotters. Unlocking palaeobiogeographic analyses of Late Jurassic ichnocoenoses of Europe, North Africa and North America through computational ichnology
2019	SNF project (2019–2020) [CHF 124’414 / SNF 200021-162359-2 / PI] Revision of the European « Grande Coupure »: Compared analysis of the evolutionary and diversity dynamics between small and large herbivorous mammals
2017	Financial support of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI; 2017–2021) [CHF 1’900'000 / SERI / PI] Auxiliary Scientific Service in Geosciences (academic unit), Porrentruy, Switzerland
2015	SNF project (2016–2018) [CHF 377’722 / SNF 200021-162359-1 / PI] Revision of the European « Grande Coupure »: Compared analysis of the evolutionary and diversity dynamics between small and large herbivorous mammals
2015	Financial support of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI; 2015–2016) [CHF 886’300 / SERI / PI] Establishment of an Auxiliary Scientific Service in Geosciences (academic unit) in Porrentruy, Switzerland
2011	SNF project [CHF 201’342 / SNF 138119 / Co-PI / funding cancelled due to the death of Prof. Jean-Pierre Berger (PI)] Terrestrial palaeoecosystems of mammals from Eocene : biodiversity, biogeochemistry and biotic/abiotic events
2009	SNF project (2009–2011) [CHF 125’392 / SNF 200020-126420 / Co-PI / continuation of the project SNF 200021-115995] Terrestrial palaeoecosystems of large mammals from the Early Oligocene to Early Miocene: biodiversity, biogeochemistry and biotic/abiotic events
2007	SNF project (2007–2009) [CHF 93’824 / SNF 200021-115995 / Co-PI] Terrestrial palaeoecosystems of large mammals from the Early Oligocene to Early Miocene: biodiversity, biogeochemistry and biotic/abiotic events

Fieldwork

2013–	Survey for the cantonal paleontology in the Jura
2008–2012	Tavannes (Aquitanian, Miocene), Canton of Bern, Switzerland [scientific collaborator]
2001–2011	Head of the Cenozoic excavations along the Transjurane, Canton of Jura, Switzerland
2010	Wildegg (Pleistocene), Canton of Aargau, Switzerland [scientific collaborator]
2007–2010	Rickenbach (late Oligocene), Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland [scientific collaborator]
2007–2010	Engehalde (Aquitanian, Miocene), Canton of Bern, Switzerland [scientific collaborator]

Services professionnels

Academic editor: Actes de la Société jurassienne d’émulation (2014–) ; Swiss Journal of Geosciences (2013–)
Peer-reviews: Actes de la Société jurassienne d’émulation ; Annales de Paléontologie ; Carnet de Géologie / Notebooks on Geology ; Comptes rendus Palevol ; Office fédéral de topographie swisstopo ; Geobios ; Journal of Archaeological Science ; Palaeovertebrata ; Revue de Paléobiologie ; Swiss Journal of Palaeontology ; Swiss Journal of Geosciences
Associations: Société d’histoire naturelle de Fribourg (2003–) ; Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2004–)
Committees: Société Paléontologique Suisse (2004–) ; Programme doctoral Processus de surface et Paléobiosphère (ESPP) de la Conférence Universitaire de Suisse Occidentale (2012–2016); Commission cantonale des musées (2012–) ; Cercle d’études scientifiques, Société jurassienne d’émulation (2013–) ; Conseil scientifique de la Fondation Jules Thurmann (2013–) ; Conseil scientifique du Parc naturel régional du Doubs (2013–)