Tasnuva Ming Khan
Tasnuva Ming Khan
Tasnuva Ming Khan
Paleobiologist
Ming Khan is a paleobiologist. She also explores how sampling of the fossil record affects our understanding of extinction.
Ming grew up in Bangladesh. As a middle schooler, photos of volcanoes sparked her interest in geology. She enrolled at Cornell University in 2014 with a major in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.
Ming’s interest in paleontology grew after visiting PRI’s Museum of the Earth. Her academic advisor, PRI director Warren Allmon, encouraged and supported Ming’s growth as a young scientist. She became involved with scientific outreach as a Museum of the Earth volunteer and conducted research in PRI’s fossil collections.
Today, Ming is a graduate student. She studies computational paleobiology at Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen, Germany. Ming has the support of mentors and colleagues who foster equity, diversity, and inclusion. She believes minority identities must be respected and valued, and that diversity improves the practice of science.
What advice would you give to a girl or young woman who wants to be a paleontologist?
“Stay curious and forget the definitions! One does not have to be in university to be a paleontologist – a young girl who collects seashells while on holiday is as much a paleontologist as a tenured professor. The trick is to never stop dreaming – even when there are failures, and there will be plenty. Being able to surround ourselves with mentors, whether they are educators or family and friends who believe in you, will make the journey much easier.”
Update, fall 2021: After the text above was prepared for the 2021 Daring to Dig exhibit at the Museum of the Earth, Ming earned her master’s degree. She is now studying for her Ph.D. at Cambridge University in the U.K.
Daring to Dig Interview
In this interview, Ming talks about her research. She also answers the questions:
What is your favorite thing about being a paleontologist?
Are there any places that you’d like to visit to do research?
What is the hardest thing about being a scientist?
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to be a paleontologist?
This video was recorded in 2021, when Ming was a master’s student at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Ming earned her master’s degree later in 2021. She is now a Ph.D. student at Cambridge University in the U.K.
Selected abstracts by Ming Khan
Khan, T.F.M. 2020. The Effects of Sampling on Extinction Selectivity in Deep Time. Progressive Palaeontology 2020 - Online: Talks and Posters. The Palaeontological Association and University of Leeds. Link
Further Reading
2020. Student Ally Award 2020 Recipient: Tasnuva Ferdous Ming Khan. International Master in Geosciences: Palaeobiology, Student News and Tweets. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Link
Khan, T. F. M. Tasnuva F. Ming Khan: About. Link
Khan, T. F. M. Tasnuva F. Ming Khan: Research. Link