人物經歷
鄭曉廷，62歲，山東平邑人，國中肄業生，1954年8月出生,中共黨員，全世界最大的恐龍博物館-山東天宇自然博物館館長，在英國《自然》、美國《科學》等世界頂級科學雜誌，發表學術論文十餘篇，2010年受聘成為臨沂大學教授。其研究發現甚至改變了科學界對恐龍和早期鳥類演化的部分認識，被稱為“中國最牛民科 ”。
平邑歸來莊金礦 礦長兼黨委書記、天宇自然博物館館長，榮獲2007山東旅遊十大領軍人物。主持制訂了歸來莊金礦“以金為主，多業並舉”長遠規劃，金礦累計產金15.62噸，實現利稅7.43億元。在發展文化產業、促進文化大發展大繁榮方面，他進行了成功探索並走在前列。投資興建的天宇自然博物館，成為世界上最大的自然地質博物館，先後被命名為“山東省科普教育基地”、中國古生物學會“全國科普教育基地”等稱號。2007年完成了全國黃金礦山惟一的國家級工業旅遊示範點黃金地質公園建設。
所獲榮譽
鄭曉廷現任山東天宇博物館館長，高級經濟師。主持多項科研項目，在英國《自然》、美國《科學》等世界頂級科學雜誌發表學術論文十餘篇、出版科研著作兩部。先後榮獲國家科技進步三等獎一項，省部級科技進步一等獎兩項，二等獎一項。1995年獲“全國自學成才獎”，1997年獲，享受國務院政府特殊津貼；1999年獲得“山東省專業技術拔尖人才”稱號；2000年獲“全國勞動模範”稱號。
2010年8月5日，受聘為臨沂大學教授。
2014年，4臨沂大學更是將“終身教授”的榮譽頒給了鄭曉廷，以獎勵其“輝煌的”科研成果。
科研成就
期刊論文
Xu X, Zheng X, Sullivan C, Wang X, Xing L, Wang Y, Zhang X, O'Connor JK, Zhang F, Pan Y. A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran theropod with preserved evidence of membranous wings. Nature. 2015, 521(7550): 70-73.
Wang M, Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Lloyd GT, Wang X, Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhou Z.The oldest record of ornithuromorpha from the early cretaceous of China. Nat Commun. 2015, 6: 6987.
Chen J., Zhang H., Wang B., Zheng X., Wang X. (2015) High variability in tegminal venation of primitive cercopoids (Insecta, Hemiptera), as implied by the new discovery of fossils from the Middle Jurassic of China. Entomological Science, 18 (2): 147–152.
Chen J., Wang B., Zhang H., Wang X., Zheng X. (2015) New fossil procercopids from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha). European Journal of Entomology, 112(2): 373–380.
O’Connor JK, Wang M, Zheng X-T, Wang X-L, Zhou Z-H. 2014. The histology of two female Early Cretaceous birds. Vertebrata Palasiatica. 52: 112-128
Wang X, O'Connor JK, Zheng X, Wang M, Hu H, Zhou Z (2014) Insights into the evolution of rachis dominated tail feathers from a new basal enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 113, 805–819.
Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Wang X, Wang M, Zhang X, Zhou Z. On the absence of sternal elements in Anchiornis (Paraves) and Sapeornis (Aves) and the complex early evolution of the avian sternum. PNAS, 2014, 111, 13900-13905.
Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Wang X, Zhang X, Wang Y (2014) New information on Hongshanornithidae (Aves: Ornithuromorpha) from a new subadult specimen. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 52, 217-232.
Chen J., Wang B., Engel M. S., Wappler T., Jarzembowski E. A., Zhang H., Wang X., Zheng X., Rust J. (2014) Extreme adaptations for aquatic ectoparasitism in a Jurassic fly larva. eLife, 3: e02844.
Zheng X, O’Connor JK, Huchzermeyer F, Wang X, Wang Y, et al. (2014) New Specimens of Yanornis Indicate a Piscivorous Diet and Modern Alimentary Canal. PLoS ONE 9(4): e95036.
O'Connor K.J, Zheng X., Wang X., Wang Y., Zhou H. (2014) Ovarian follicles shed new light on dinosaur reproduction during the transition towards birds. Natl Sci Rev. 2014, 1 (1): 15-17.
Zheng X, Zhou Z, Wang X, et al. Hind Wings in Basal Birds and the Evolution of Leg Feathers[J]. Science, 2013, 339(6125): 1309-1312.
Zheng X, Bi S, Wang X, et al. A new arboreal haramiyid shows the diversity of crown mammals in the Jurassic period [J]. Nature, 2013, 500: 99-202.
Zheng X, O’Connor J, Huchzermeyer F, et al. Preservation of ovarian follicles reveals early evolution of avian reproductive behaviour[J]. Nature, 2013, 495(7442): 507-511.
Zheng X, Zhou Z, Wang X, et al. Hind Wings in Basal Birds and the Evolution of Leg Feathers[J]. Science, 2013, 339(6125): 1309-1312.
Zheng X, Wang X, O'Connor J, et al. Insight into the early evolution of the avian sternum from juvenile enantiornithines[J]. Nature communications, 2012, 3: 1116-1123.
Rothschild B M, Xiaoting Z, Martin L D. Adaptations for marine habitat and the effect of Triassic and Jurassic predator pressure on development of decompression syndrome in ichthyosaurs[J]. Naturwissenschaften, 2012, 99(6): 443-448.
Rothschild B M, Xiaoting Z, Martin L D. Osteoarthritis in the early avian radiation: Earliest recognition of the disease in birds[J]. Cretaceous Research, 2012, 35: 178-180.
Zheng X, Martin L D, Zhou Z, et al. Fossil evidence of avian crops from the Early Cretaceous of China[J]. PNAS, 2011, 108(38): 15904-15907.
Zheng X, Xu X,, Zhou Z, et al. Comment on “Narrow Primary Feather Rachises in Confuciusornis and Archaeopteryx Suggest Poor Flight Ability”. Science, 2010, 330(6002):320.
Xu X, Zheng X, You H. Exceptional dinosaur fossils show ontogenetic development of early feathers[J]. Nature, 2010, 464(7293): 1338-1341.
Zhang Z, Zheng X, Zheng G, et al. A new Old World vulture (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) from the Miocene of Gansu Province, northwest China[J]. Journal of Ornithology, 2010, 151(2): 401-408.
Zheng X, Xu X, You H, et al. A short-armed dromaeosaurid from the Jehol Group of China with implications for early dromaeosaurid evolution[J]. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2010, 277(1679): 211-217.
Zheng X T, You H L, Xu X, et al. An Early Cretaceous heterodontosaurid dinosaur with filamentous integumentary structures[J]. Nature, 2009, 458(7236): 333-336.
Xu X , You H L. A new feather type in a non-avian theropod and the early evolution of feathers. PNAS, 2009, 106(3):832-834.
Zheng X T, Zhang Z, Hou L. A new enantiornitine bird with four long rectrices from the Early Cretaceous of northern Hebei, China[J]. Acta Geologica Sinica‐English Edition, 2007, 81(5): 703-708.
1.Xu X, Zheng X, Sullivan C, Wang X, Xing L, Wang Y, Zhang X, O'Connor JK, Zhang F, Pan Y. A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran theropod with preserved evidence of membranous wings. Nature. 2015, 521(7550): 70-73.
2.Wang M, Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Lloyd GT, Wang X, Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhou Z.The oldest record of ornithuromorpha from the early cretaceous of China. Nat Commun. 2015, 6: 6987.
3.Chen J., Zhang H., Wang B., Zheng X., Wang X. (2015) High variability in tegminal venation of primitive cercopoids (Insecta, Hemiptera), as implied by the new discovery of fossils from the Middle Jurassic of China. Entomological Science, 18 (2): 147–152.
4.Chen J., Wang B., Zhang H., Wang X., Zheng X. (2015) New fossil procercopids from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha). European Journal of Entomology, 112(2): 373–380.
5.O’Connor JK, Wang M, Zheng X-T, Wang X-L, Zhou Z-H. 2014. The histology of two female Early Cretaceous birds. Vertebrata Palasiatica. 52: 112-128
6.Wang X, O'Connor JK, Zheng X, Wang M, Hu H, Zhou Z (2014) Insights into the evolution of rachis dominated tail feathers from a new basal enantiornithine (Aves: Ornithothoraces). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 113, 805–819.
7.Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Wang X, Wang M, Zhang X, Zhou Z. On the absence of sternal elements in Anchiornis (Paraves) and Sapeornis (Aves) and the complex early evolution of the avian sternum. PNAS, 2014, 111, 13900-13905.
8.Zheng X, O'Connor JK, Wang X, Zhang X, Wang Y (2014) New information on Hongshanornithidae (Aves: Ornithuromorpha) from a new subadult specimen. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 52, 217-232.
9.Chen J., Wang B., Engel M. S., Wappler T., Jarzembowski E. A., Zhang H., Wang X., Zheng X., Rust J. (2014) Extreme adaptations for aquatic ectoparasitism in a Jurassic fly larva. eLife, 3: e02844.
10.Zheng X, O’Connor JK, Huchzermeyer F, Wang X, Wang Y, et al. (2014) New Specimens of Yanornis Indicate a Piscivorous Diet and Modern Alimentary Canal. PLoS ONE 9(4): e95036.
11.O'Connor K.J, Zheng X., Wang X., Wang Y., Zhou H. (2014) Ovarian follicles shed new light on dinosaur reproduction during the transition towards birds. Natl Sci Rev. 2014, 1 (1): 15-17.
12.Zheng X, Zhou Z, Wang X, et al. Hind Wings in Basal Birds and the Evolution of Leg Feathers[J]. Science, 2013, 339(6125): 1309-1312.
13.Zheng X, Bi S, Wang X, et al. A new arboreal haramiyid shows the diversity of crown mammals in the Jurassic period [J]. Nature, 2013, 500: 99-202.
14.Zheng X, O’Connor J, Huchzermeyer F, et al. Preservation of ovarian follicles reveals early evolution of avian reproductive behaviour[J]. Nature, 2013, 495(7442): 507-511.
15.Zheng X, Zhou Z, Wang X, et al. Hind Wings in Basal Birds and the Evolution of Leg Feathers[J]. Science, 2013, 339(6125): 1309-1312.
16.Zheng X, Wang X, O'Connor J, et al. Insight into the early evolution of the avian sternum from juvenile enantiornithines[J]. Nature communications, 2012, 3: 1116-1123.
17.Rothschild B M, Xiaoting Z, Martin L D. Adaptations for marine habitat and the effect of Triassic and Jurassic predator pressure on development of decompression syndrome in ichthyosaurs[J]. Naturwissenschaften, 2012, 99(6): 443-448.
18.Rothschild B M, Xiaoting Z, Martin L D. Osteoarthritis in the early avian radiation: Earliest recognition of the disease in birds[J]. Cretaceous Research, 2012, 35: 178-180.
19.Zheng X, Martin L D, Zhou Z, et al. Fossil evidence of avian crops from the Early Cretaceous of China[J]. PNAS, 2011, 108(38): 15904-15907.
20.Zheng X, Xu X,, Zhou Z, et al. Comment on “Narrow Primary Feather Rachises in Confuciusornis and Archaeopteryx Suggest Poor Flight Ability”. Science, 2010, 330(6002):320.
21.Xu X, Zheng X, You H. Exceptional dinosaur fossils show ontogenetic development of early feathers[J]. Nature, 2010, 464(7293): 1338-1341.
22.Zhang Z, Zheng X, Zheng G, et al. A new Old World vulture (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) from the Miocene of Gansu Province, northwest China[J]. Journal of Ornithology, 2010, 151(2): 401-408.
23.Zheng X, Xu X, You H, et al. A short-armed dromaeosaurid from the Jehol Group of China with implications for early dromaeosaurid evolution[J]. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2010, 277(1679): 211-217.
24.Zheng X T, You H L, Xu X, et al. An Early Cretaceous heterodontosaurid dinosaur with filamentous integumentary structures[J]. Nature, 2009, 458(7236): 333-336.
25.Xu X , You H L. A new feather type in a non-avian theropod and the early evolution of feathers. PNAS, 2009, 106(3):832-834.
26.Zheng X T, Zhang Z, Hou L. A new enantiornitine bird with four long rectrices from the Early Cretaceous of northern Hebei, China[J]. Acta Geologica Sinica‐English Edition, 2007, 81(5): 703-708.
學術專著
鄭曉廷.《鳥類起源》. 山東科學技術出版社. 2009.4
鄭曉廷.《地球生物起源》. 山東科學技術出版社. 2006.7
獲獎
臨沂市第12屆自然科學一等獎，第一位，2012.9
山東省高校優秀成果一等獎，第一位，2014.8
科研項目
國家自然科學基金項目（401172016）“早白堊世熱河生物群鳥類化石綜合研究” 2012.01-2012.12，經費 25萬，主持。
國家自然科學基金項目（41372014）“下白堊統熱河群鳥類化石形態和分類學研究” 2014.01-2017.12，經費 85萬，主持。
1.國家自然科學基金項目（401172016）“早白堊世熱河生物群鳥類化石綜合研究” 2012.01-2012.12，經費 25萬，主持。
2.國家自然科學基金項目（41372014）“下白堊統熱河群鳥類化石形態和分類學研究” 2014.01-2017.12，經費 85萬，主持。
人物評價
在古生物學界，平邑也可稱作是一個“聖地”。世界上最大的收藏恐龍和其他史前動物化石的博物館位於此地。62歲的鄭曉廷國中都沒畢業，已成頗具名氣的古生物學家。先後在在《科學》、《自然》雜誌上發表了6篇學術文章。為了表達對鄭曉廷的敬意，古生物研究者們將一種新發現的恐龍命名為“鄭氏曉廷龍”。相比於當下不靠譜的“民科”，鄭曉廷可謂實至名歸，成為公認的正宗中國民科。
鄭曉廷的成功除了個人天資、愛好與鍥而不捨的鑽研精神，還有諸多的環境因素。從軍夢想的破滅，到鍋爐工，到勞動模範;從基層幹部，到金礦礦長，最終鄭曉廷選擇的不是做個名利雙收的企業家，而是從愛好收藏各種稀有礦石，急轉彎而成為一位民間古生物學的研究者。他的“第一桶金”是獲得含金量極高的國家科技進步獎，從此，古生物研究成了他終身孜孜不倦追求的事業。不難看出，鄭曉廷的成就，得益於天時地利人和。其中的“人和”最為關鍵，中國古生物學界的開放，讓鄭曉廷如魚得水。
人物影響
也許有人說，“中國最牛民科”有他特殊的成功之道，僅是一枝獨秀的個案，國中未畢業就從事高端科研的路徑不可複製。其實不然，“英雄不問出處”。創新的深厚偉力在於民眾之中。今年政府工作報告中提出，1億多受過高等教育和有專業技能的人才，是我們最大的資源和優勢。而有志於科研的民間人士也是這最大資源與優勢中的“臥虎藏龍”。只要政策引導，制度傾斜，像今年兩會莫言提案建議的那樣，科教體制與教育模式進行破冰式改革，科研界都能如中國古生物學界般開放包容，都能摒棄權威至上的歧視，匯聚眾智眾力，開發創新源泉，讓更多真正的民科脫穎而出，是完全有可能的。
