Rate My Professor William Ausich

Ausich's research centers on the evolutionary dynamics of Paleozoic crinoid faunas amid major climate and biosphere changes, phylogeny and classification of Paleozoic crinoids, and paleocommunity dynamics through the Phanerozoic. He has produced influential works such as the book Fossil Crinoids (Cambridge University Press, 1999; paperback 2002), Echinoderm Paleobiology (Indiana University Press, 2008), and edited volumes of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology including Part B, Prokaryotes (2023) and Part V, Hemichordata, Second Revision (2023). Key papers include "Tiering in suspension-feeding communities on soft substrata throughout the Phanerozoic" (1982) and "Phanerozoic development of tiering in soft substrata suspension-feeding communities" (1986). His impact is reflected in major awards like the Raymond C. Moore Paleontology Medal from SEPM (2018), Golden Crinoid from the International Echinoderm Conference (2017), Schuchert Award from the Paleontological Society (1990), Ohio State University Distinguished Scholar Award (2013), and Gilbert Harris Award (2011). Ausich was President of the Paleontological Society (2002-2004), Fellow of the Geological Society of America (1997) and Paleontological Society (2005), served as Interim Editor-in-Chief of the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology (2020-2022), and contributed to numerous committees including NSF panels. He has mentored many students and remains active in research post-retirement.