Why Dinosaurs Matter with Professor Ken Lacovara
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GE L GEOLiteracy TOUR Why Dinosaurs Matter With Professor Ken Lacovara 8-15 APRIL 2017 The PESGB’s national public outreach initiative Kenneth Lacovara has calamitous events that unearthed some of the wiped out the dinosaurs Join largest dinosaurs ever and helped shaped to walk our planet, the modern world. As including the super- a community inspired Professor massive Dreadnoughtus, park, Lacovara’s vision which at 65 tons is to create a center weighs more than for citizen science that seven T. rex. In his connects people to Kenneth quest to understand their ancient past and these titanic creatures fosters pathways into that strain the human the STEM disciplines for Lacovara imagination, Lacovara students of all ages and blends exploration backgrounds. in remote locations on tour... across the globe with A popular public the latest imaging and speaker, Lacovara modeling techniques enjoys sharing the from engineering to wonders of science medicine. When he’s and discovery with not excavating fossils audiences around the in far-flung locations, world. He has appeared Lacovara works on in numerous television the cutting edge of documentaries and applying 21st-century his discoveries have technology to the study landed him three times of dinosaurs. By using in Discover magazine’s 3D imaging, 3D printing, 100 Top Science Stories robotics, and medical of the year and in Time’s modeling techniques, his Top Stories of 2014. work is helping to shift Lacovara was named by our perspective of giant Men’s Journal as one of herbivorous dinosaurs the The Next Generation from their historic of Explorers and he is portrayal as hapless an elected fellow of the lumbering prey to that prestigious Explorers of fearsome, hulking, Club in New York. hyper-efficient eating machines that deserve Kenneth Lacovara our awe and respect. earned his Ph.D. in Geology from the Lacovara led the effort University of Delaware. to create the Rowan He is the founding Dean University Fossil Park in of the School of Earth & New Jersey. Within its Environment at Rowan quarry, Lacovara and his University and Director team are using a globally of the Rowan Fossil important cache of 65 Park. million year old fossils to shed light on the TOUR DATES Why Dinosaurs SATURDAY 8 APRIL Kimmeridge Bay & Matter Lulworth Cove Family Field Trip The Etches Collection Museum Why study the ancient past? Because it gives Talk & Reception us perspective and humility. It’s the past that gives our world context. And it’s the past that gives us foresight. SUNDAY 9 APRIL Lecture Dinosaurs were tiny, and huge. They were Lyme Regis Baptist Church skittish and ferocious. Fast and slow. Runners, walkers, climbers, flyers, and sometimes MONDAY 10 APRIL swimmers. They were solitary and gregarious. Lecture Nocturnal and diurnal. Meat-eaters and plant- Natural History Museum, London eaters. Hunters, scavengers, grazers, and browsers. They were drab, colourful, scaled and feathered. But, most of all, they were TUESDAY 11 APRIL astoundingly adaptable. Stoneley Lecture & Reception Cavendish Centre, London Dinosaurs dominated every continent and were thriving the day before their demise. WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL Snuffed out by an asteroid, along with 75% of Keith Palmer Lecture & Reception species on the planet, their sudden extinction University of Birmingham School emphasizes the contingent nature of Earth history. Over geological time, improbable, nearly impossible events do occur. By studying FRIDAY 14 APRIL the ancient past, we begin to see ourselves as Fun family activities throughout the day part of nature, connected across deep time to TED talk screenings & Q&A Aberdeen Science Centre, Aberdeen all other living things. Stoneley Lecture & Reception After 165 million years, the dinosaurs died in Aberdeen Science Centre, Aberdeen the world’s fifth mass extinction, wiped out in a cosmic accident, through no fault of our own. They didn’t see it coming and they didn’t SATURDAY 15 APRIL have a choice. We, on the other hand, do have Lecture a choice and the nature of the fossil record National Museum of Scotland tells us that our place in this world is both Part of the Edinburgh Science Festival precarious and potentially fleeting. Right now, our species is propagating an environmental disaster of geological proportions that is so broad and so severe, that it can rightly be called the sixth extinction. But, unlike the dinosaurs, we can see it coming. And, unlike the dinosaurs, we can do something about it. That choice is ours. DORSET Saturday 8 April, 13.00-17.00 Kimmeridge Bay & Lulworth Cove Field Trip FREE, but booking essential Family-friendly event Kimmeridge Bay & Register for field trip and evening event at: Lulworth Cove eventbrite.co.uk/e/geoliteracy-festival-kim- meridge-bay-and-lulworth-cove-fam- Field Trip ily-field-trip-and-the-etches-collec- Collect your own fossils on this family field trip led by Dr Andrew tion-tickets-29778379936 Racey in the Kimmeridge area of Dorset, famed for both its oil baring Kimmeridge Shale and abundance of sea life fossils. Saturday 8 April, 17.00-19.00 The Etches Collection, Museum of Jurassic Marine Life FREE, but booking essential Family-friendly event Or just register for the evening event at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/geoliteracy-fes- tival-the-etches-collection-muse- um-talk-and-reception-tickets-29819616275 WIN the chance to dine with Ken and Steve at The Castle Inn at 8pm In conversation with ...watch this space Steve Etches It was long thought that the local Kimmeridgian clays had little to yield by way of evidence via well-preserved fossils. A belief that was changed by the amazing discoveries of Steve Etches, local to Kimmeridge, fossil collector and expert who over the last 30 years, has discovered, collected and researched over 2000 incredible late Jurassic Kimmeridgian specimens. An achievement that has resulted in a collection of the most extensive and finest fossil specimens ever found in the Kimmeridgian Clay Formation. The Etches Collection is the result of one man’s passion. Over 30 years of discovery and diligent research, dogged determination not just to find and collect specimens, but also to bring to life the amazing stories of the creatures that existed in the Kimmeridgian age. During the visit inside the new purpose built home of the Etches Collection enjoy some well-earned drinks and nibbles whilst listening to Ken Lacovara and Steve Etches discuss a shared passion in discovering Fossils. Following this ‘in conversation event’ you will be welcome to stay and enjoy the hospitality while chatting to our speakers. ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE For 5 and under: Little Explorer Day Dinosaur Storytelling Session & Activities including dig pits Family show: ‘Giants of the Past’ – this hands-on show will look at the science behind the fossils and how scientists have discovered them Fossil Roadshow DINOSAUR DAY AT THE THE AT DINOSAUR DAY ABERDEEN SCIENCE CENTRE Make your own Fossil Workshop DORSET Sunday 9 April, 14.00-16.00 Why Dinosaurs Pine Hall, Lyme Regis Baptist Church FREE, but booking essential Matter... Public event in Lyme Regis Register at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/geoliteracy-festi- val-lyme-regis-tickets-29779384942 PESGB KEITH PALMER LECTURE BIRMINGHAM Wednesday 12 April, 17.00 Why Dinosaurs University of Birmingham School Matter... FREE, but booking essential Public event in Birmingham Register at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/geoliteracy-lap- worth-museum-of-geology-tick- Hosted by Alice Roberts ets-29788841226 EDINBURGH Saturday 15 April, 15.00 Why Dinosaurs National Museum of Scotland FREE, but booking essential Matter... Public event Registration coming soon... in Edinburgh ABERDEEN TED Talk Screening & Live Q&A Hunting for dinosaurs showed me our place in the universe Friday 14 April, 11.00 & 14.00 Aberdeen Science Centre Venue entry fee: £5.75 adult / £4.50 children / £18.00 family Family-friendly event Registration not required Adventurous geologist who made perilous expeditions in search of oil and enthused his students with his passion for discovery. (The Times, Newspaper, 17 October 2008) Stoneley Lecture Series The PESGB are proud to announce the next lecture and date to continue our Stoneley Lecture Series in memory of Professor Robert Stoneley. “Earth, Exploration & Excitement: travels in modern geology” by Professor Iain Stewart StoneleyTuesday 13 March 2012 Central Hall, Westminster, London LectureDoors open at 6pm, Lecture will start at 6.30pm Iain Stewart is professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth. The Stoneley Lecture The StoneleyHe is also Lecture a television and Series radio presenter, and has worked Series is the PESGB’s is named inon honoura variety of programmesof such as ‘Journeys From the Professor BobCentre ofStoneley the Earth’, ‘Earth: (1929 flagship outreach The Power of the Planet’, ‘Hot – 2008), eminentRocks’, ‘The Climategeologist Wars’ and event which was ‘How Earth Made Us’. and educatorHis moreand recentan work established in 2011 includes; ‘Making Scotland’s Honorary MemberLandscape’, shown of PESGB.on BBC One in late 2010 and; ‘Men with the aim of Of Rock’, a television series about pioneering geologists in raising the profile of Scotland. geology and earth Registration OpenLONDON sciences in the public Book now to reserve your place. consciousness. Tickets cost £15 and Tuesday £5 for students* 11 April, 18.30 *(proof of status will be required Cavendish on the evening) Conference Centre £15, includes drinks reception Professor Lacovara Public event follows a line of Stoneley_lecture_Ad_Feb_12.indd 1 1/12/2012 9:54:56 AM engaging speakers Register at: eventbrite.co.uk/e/pesgb-stoneley-lecture-2017- who are leading tickets-29787885367 figures in the communication of scientific and ABERDEEN technical material, including; Professor Friday 14 April, 18.30 Aberdeen Science Centre Iain Stewart, Hugh £10, includes drinks reception Denis, Dallas Public event Campbell, Sir Tony Register at: Robinson and Lord eventbrite.co.uk/e/pesgb-stoneley-lec- Robert Winston.