OHIO's November 2025 Newsmakers

Two faculty members were recognized by Ohio University as November 2025 Faculty Newsmakers. Learn more about their media mentions below:

Lawrence Witmer

Chang Ying-Chien Professor of Paleontology, Professor of Anatomy and Ohio University Presidential Research Scholar in the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

In November 2025, Witmer was prominently quoted in several media outlets about a new study he coauthored showing that pterosaurs and birds developed “flight-ready” brains via very different evolutionary paths. He explained that while early birds inherited a brain layout from their dinosaur ancestors, pterosaurs “essentially built their own ‘flight computers’ from scratch.” The study shows that pterosaurs had relatively small, reptile-like brains rather than the large, bird-style brains traditionally thought necessary for flight. Witmer was also quoted in National Geographic commenting on a decades long debate on how fossils previously thought to be juvenile T. rex specimens actually belong to a more slender, distinct species of tyrannosaurus.

News Stories

Jim Strode

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and O’Bleness Professor of Sport Management in the College of Business

In November 2025, Strode was quoted in The Kansas City Star on why ongoing scandals in the sports-betting world hurt everyone, not just gamblers, but also the wider integrity of sports and community trust. The article argues that repeated misconduct around gambling can damage fan confidence, ruin careers and erode the public’s faith in fair play.