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Kevin Padian (born 1951) is an American paleontologist. He is Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, Curator of Paleontology, University of California Museum of Paleontology, and was President of the National Center for Science Education from 2007 to 2008. Padian's area of interest is in vertebrate evolution, especially the origins of flight and the evolution of from Theropoda. He served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial, and his testimony was repeatedly cited in the court's decision.
Padian received a bachelor's degree in Natural Science and a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Colgate University, and a Ph.D. from Yale University, where he focused on the evolution of flight in . He subsequently became interested in paleobiology, especially using paleohistology. He developed this research program in collaboration with Armand de Ricqlès and Jack Horner. In addition to his work at Berkeley, Padian taught science in high school and was principal author of the California Science Framework K–12. Expert Report from Kevin Padian, Paleontologist ( submitted as part of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District) In 2003, he received Wonderfest Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization.
He has cowritten several papers with John R. Horner and Armand de Ricqlès based on histology analysis of fossil bones from the UCMP as well as the Museum of the Rockies.
Padian has authored over 100 scientific articles.
In 2007, Padian was made a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. AAAS - 2007 Fellows
In 2009, Kevin Padian studied the pterosaur Beach prints and suggested an aerial landing with its two "feet" side by side, then, after a jump, its two "hands" were used and the pterosaur began to walk side by side on all fours. For his part, paleontologist David Unwin did not exclude that these could be swimming marks. Padian then replied that the marks would be less clear, less marked. Paleontologist Martin Lockley also analyzed that it was indeed a landing, the other hypotheses were not convincing..
He supervised several doctoral students who developed distinguished careers of their own, including Jacques Gauthier.
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