Kelly Pfeiler

Kelly Pfeiler
  • Doctoral Candidate
  • Self Graduate Fellow
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Contact Info

EEB - Haworth Hall
Lawrence

Biography —

Faculty Mentors: Drs. Kelly Matsunaga and Brian Atkinson

Research Interests: Paleobotany

Hometown: Bishop, CA

Education —

B.S. in Botany, Humboldt State University, 2018
summa cum laude
M.S. in Biology, Humboldt State University, 2020
distinction

Selected Publications —

  • Pfeiler, K.C., Bippus, A.C., Kammet, A., Ortiz, A., Escapa, I.H., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2025. Expanded character sampling inspired by a new Cretaceous conifer seed cone from California: importance of morphology in resolving relationships among the Cupressaceae. Annals of Botany, mcaf099.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Matsunaga, K.K.S., Atkinson, B.A. 2025. Permineralized pollen cone of Classostrobus minutus sp. nov. provide evidence of pollinivory in the extinct conifer family Cheirolepidiaceae during the Late Cretaceous. International Journal of Plant Sciences 168(4): 271–281.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2023. Mosaic assembly of regulatory programs for vascular cambial growth: a view from the Early Devonian. New Phytologist 240: 529–541.
  • Iler, A., CaraDonna, P., Richardson, L, Wu, E., Pfeiler, K., Freymiller, G, Godfrey, K., Gorman, A., Wilson, N., Whitford, M., Edmonds, G., Stratton, C., Jules, E. 2022. Genotype accounts for intraspecific variation in the timing and duration of multiple, sequential life‐cycle events in a willow species. American Journal of Botany.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2020. An Early Devonian actinostelic euphyllophyte with secondary growth from the Emsian of Gaspé (Canada) and the importance of tracheid wall thickening patterns in early euphyllophyte systematics. Papers in Palaeontology: 1 – 15.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2018. An Early Devonian permineralized rhyniopsid from the Battery Point Formation of Gaspé (Canada). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 187: 292 – 302.

Selected Presentations —

  • Pfeiler, K.C., Smith, S., Iglesias, A., Matsunaga, K., Atkinson, B. 2025. Cretaceous calcareous concretion containing callitroid Cupressaceae cone cluster. Botanical Society of America. Palm Springs, CA.
  • Avelar, A., Pfeiler, K.C., Nguyen, A., Matsunaga, K. 2025. Investigating the anatomy of Torreya californica (Taxaceae) seed cones. Botanical Society of America. Palm Springs, CA
  • Pfeiler, K.C. Atkinson, B., Matsunaga, K. 2024. Exploring the phylogenetic relationships of fossil Cupressaceae. Poster presentation. International Organization of Paleobotany Conference. Prague, Czech Republic.
  • Pfeiler, K.C. Atkinson, B., Matsunaga, K. 2024. Exploring the phylogenetic relationships of fossil Cupressaceae. Poster presentation. University of Kansas Networking Reception ft. the Self Graduate Fellowship. Sorbonne University, Campus des Cordeliers. Paris, France.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Menning, R., Atkinson, B., Yamada, T., Matsunaga, K. 2024. Cupressaceous seed cones from the Cretaceous of Hokkaido, Japan. Mid-Continent Paleobotanical Colloquium. Chicago, IL.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Matsunaga, K., Smith, S., Iglesias, A., Atkinson, B. 2023. Seed cones of Callitroideae (Cupressaceae) from the Late Cretaceous of Antarctica. Botanical Society of America. Boise, Idaho.
  • Serbet, R., Andruchow-Colombo, A., Elgorriaga, A., Nguyen, A.T., Nibbelink, M., Pfeiler, K.C., Tang, K., Atkinson, B., Matsunaga, K. 2023. An exclusive look at a diverse coal swamp flora from the Pennsylvanian of Lawrence, Kansas. Botanical Society of America. Boise, Idaho.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Matsunaga, K., Smith, K., Iglesias, A., Atkinson, B. 2023. Seed cones of Callitroideae (Cupressaceae) from the Late Cretaceous of Antarctica. Poster presentation. Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship Public Poster Session. Lawrence, KS.
  • Pfeiler, K.C. Atkinson, B., Matsunaga, K., 2022. Anatomically preserved cheirolepidiaceous pollen cones from the Cretaceous of western North America.Botanical Society of America. Anchorage, AK. (https://botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=141)
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Matsunaga, K., Peterson, A., Atkinson, B., 2021. A new anatomically-preserved cupressaceous seed cone from the Paleogene of Washington State. Botanical Society of America (Virtual). (https://botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=213)
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2021. Early Devonian evidence for modular assembly of the regulatory toolkit for secondary growth. Midcontinent Paleobotanical Colloquium (Virtual).
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2021. Early Devonian euphyllophyte anatomy reveals a mosaic pattern of expression of regulatory modules responsible for secondary growth. Progressive Paleontology (Virtual).
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2019. A new type of Early Devonian wood-producing euphyllophyte from Gaspé (Canada). Botanical Society of America Meeting, Tucson, AZ. (https://2019.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=508)
  • Iler, A., CaraDonna, P., Pfeiler, K.C, Richardson, L., Freymiller, G., Godfrey, K., Gorman, A., Whitford, M., Wilson, N., Wu, E., Jules, E. 2019. Genotype accounts for intraspecific variation in the timing and duration of life cycle events in a dioecious willow species. Ecological Society of America, Louisville, Kentucky.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2018. How many times did wood splinter? Closing in on the origins of secondary growth in euphyllophytes. 10th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Bippus, A., Kammet, A., Ortiz, A., Escapa, I., Tomescu, A. 2018. Fossils and seed cone morphology in the resolution of phylogenetic relationships among basal Cupressaceae s.l. 10th European Palaeobotany and Palynology Conference, Dublin Ireland.
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Ortiz, A., Kammet, A., Bippus, A., Tomescu, A. 2017. Exploring the relationships of an anatomically-preserved cupressaceous seed cone from the Lower Cretaceous of California. Botanical Society of America Meeting, Fort Worth, TX. (http://www.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=177)
  • Pfeiler, K.C., Tomescu, A.M.F. 2016. An anatomically preserved Early Devonian rhyniopsid from the Battery Point Formation (Gaspé, Canada). Botanical Society of America Meeting, Savannah, GA. (http://2016.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&ai…)

Awards & Honors —

  • Mid-Continent Paleobotanical Colloquium: Best Student Presentation Award
  • Botanical Society of America Paleobotany Section: Isabel Cookson Award ($1,000). 2022.
  • Association for Women Geoscientists Osage Chapter Research Scholarship ($1,000). 2021.
  • Humboldt State University: Patricia O. McConkey Outstanding Graduate Student Award. 2020.
  • Humboldt State University. Milton J. Boyd Outstanding Teaching Associate Award. ($1,000). 2019.

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

  • Pfeiler, K.C. Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship. The University of Kansas. 60 mo. 7/20 – 7/25. Funded.
  • Pfeiler, K.C. Chancellor’s Doctoral Fellowship. The University of Kansas. Declined.
  • Pfeiler, K.C. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. 2019. $102,000. 36 mo. 8/20 – 7/23. Funded.