I was born in Wexham (near Slough) in May 1986. I decided at any early age that I wanted to follow palaeontology as a profession, thanks largely to many trips to the natural history museum and a full collection of the Dinosaurs! weekly magazine, and joined first Rockwatch then the Palaeontological Association. I spent my work experience helping out Andy Ross in the arthropod department of the Natural History Museum and In 2004 went to the University of Birmingham to study Geology with Biology, graduating in 2007. I studied for my Master's in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol, and it was there that I first became interested in eurypterids, graduating with a distinction in 2008. Since then I have done odd bits of work (including exam marking for NFER) and continue to work on papers. I received funding from the Palaeontographical Society to travel to Scotland and redescribe the Pentland Hills eurypterids, and have since begun work on a monograph. I have also accepted an offer to study for a PhD at the University of Kansas with Paul Selden, and will be heading over there in August. Beyond palaeontology my interests include travel, ancient and medieval history, fiction writing and reading. I have a love for nature in all its forms, instilled in me from my parents, and take an active interest in conservation and general science. Below is a list of my publications to date. To view an abstract click on the number beside the reference.

Published Meeting Abstracts:
1. Lamsdell, J. C. 2010. Character acquisition and relationships of the basal Eurypterida. Talk Abstract, Programme and abstracts International Palaeontological Congress 3.
2. Lamsdell, J. C. 2010. A new genus of eurypterid from the Lower Silurian Pentland Hills of Scotland and its implications for the phylogeny of the basal Eurypterina. Talk Abstract, Progressive Palaeontology Programme and Abstracts.
3 . Lamsdell, J. C. & Braddy, S. J. 2009. A new phylogeny for Stylonurina and gigantism and competitive replacement among the Eurypterida. Poster Abstract, Palaeontological Association Newsletter.
4. Lamsdell, J. C. 2009. Competing sweep-feeding strategies in stylonurid eurypterids. Poster Abstract, Progressive Palaeontology Programme and Abstracts.
5. Lamsdell, J. C., Braddy, S. J. & Tetlie, O. E. 2008. The Portishead eurypterid Drepanopterus abonensis: implications for stylonurid phylogeny. Poster Abstract, Palaeontological Association Newsletter.

Papers in International Journals:
1. Lamsdell, J. C. & Legg, D. A. (In press) An isolated pterygotid ramus (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) from the Devonian Beartooth Butte Formation, Wyoming. Journal of Paleontology.
2. Lamsdell, J. C., Braddy, S. J., Loeffler, E. J. & Dineley, D. L. (In press) Early Devonian stylonurine eurypterids from Arctic Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences.
3. Lamsdell, J. C., Braddy, S. J. & Tetlie, O. E. 2010. The systematics and phylogeny of the Stylonurina (Arthropoda: Chelicerata: Eurypterida). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8, 49-61.
4. Lamsdell, J. C. & Braddy, S. J. 2010. Cope’s Rule and Romer’s theory: Patterns of diversity and gigantism in eurypterids and Palaeozoic vertebrates. Biology Letters 6, 265-269.
5. Lamsdell, J. C., Braddy, S. J. & Tetlie, O. E. 2009. Redescription of Drepanopterus abonensis (Chelicerata: Eurypterida: Stylonurina) from the Late Devonian of Portishead, UK. Palaeontology 52, 1113-1139.