Posted on Jan 10 2013 @ 12:54 PM

This January, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science will launch the first ever Dinosaur Discoverers Symposium!  

In conjunction with the exhibit Dinosaur Century: 100 Years of Discovery in New Mexico, the Museum will offer a symposium series by the scientists who made many of New Mexico’s most important dinosaur discoveries. The symposia will cover the entire range of dinosaur science, from the origin of dinosaurs to their extinction.   

Dr. Spencer G. Lucas, Museum curator and chief scientist will kick off the first symposium on January 17, 2013, by presenting a lecture on the history of dinosaur discoveries in New Mexico. The symposia will be once a month through July 2013. Each symposium will be followed by a tour of the Dinosaur Century exhibit, guided by Dr. Lucas.   

Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for museum members/children, and can be purchased at nmnaturalhistory.org or at the door the night of the lecture. A pass for the entire lecture series is $50 for adults / $25 for museum members/children.  
 
Where:  NM Museum of Natural History & Science - Dynatheater
Dates:  Third Thursday of each month, January through July 2013
Time:  7:00 PM – 8:30 PM  

Speakers and topics

January 17 - Dr. Spencer Lucas, Chief Scientist, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science   
Dinosaur Century: 100 years of dinosaur discoveries in NM  
One hundred years yields thousands of fossils. Come hear the pivotal part New Mexico has played in dinosaur paleontology over the last century! 
              
February 21 - Justin Spielmann, Geoscience Collections Manager, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science     
New Mexico’s Triassic Dinosaurs   
The origin of dinosaurs is in our backyard. Learn about our state fossil Coelophysis and its relatives!    

March 21 - George Basabilvaso, Geologist, WIPP Site  
Cretaceous Age Dinosaur Remains from Southwestern New Mexico
A 75 million-year-old lake, a dead duckbill dinosaur on its shore, the swash of the waves--all gave us New Mexico’s only dinosaur mummy!   

April 18 - Dr. Tom Williamson, Curator of Paleontology, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science    
New Mexico Tyrannosaurs: New Mexico’s top predators at the end of the Age of Dinosaurs   
When tyrant lizards ruled the Land of Enchantment!  

May 16 - Dr. Andrew Heckert, Associate Professor, Appalachian State University   
The First Dinosaurs and the Triassic World: A New Mexican perspective on Pangea  
200 million years ago all the continents were one. Find out how New Mexico’s first dinosaurs fit into the Triassic puzzle!    

June 20 - Dr. Robert Sullivan, Research Associate, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science    
100 years of Collecting Dinosaurs in the San Juan Basin: New Mexico Pentaceratops, Parasaurolophus, Tyrannosaurus-Rex  
New Mexico is home to some of the most famous dinosaurs of all time. Learn the history of the paleontologists that brought these great beasts to life.   
      

The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science preserves and interprets the distinctive natural and scientific heritage of our state through extraordinary collections, research, exhibits and programs designed to ignite a passion for lifelong learning.