Phi Beta Kappa presents “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs” at Clemson University

The Clemson University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa will host “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs,” a public talk by Professor Julia Clarke of the University of Texas at Austin.

Clarke is a leading researcher in the field of paleontology as the John A. Wilson Professor in Vertebrate Paleontology and Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Jackson School of Geosciences at UT Austin.

Her lecture is one of a series of lectures presented by the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Clarke to Clemson,” said Katherine Weisensee, president of the Clemson chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. “She models research that is both groundbreaking in her field and accessible to the public. Her talk will be engaging for students, our faculty and members of our community.”

The talk will be held on February 12 at 2:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Watt Family Innovation Center.

About “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs”

In “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs,” Clarke shares the latest scientific discoveries about dinosaurs, including how researchers have started to gain insight into their color and sound. She has made discoveries by looking into the history of dinosaurs from the tips of genealogical branches on which living bird species “perch.” Her research centers on evolutionary innovation — how key traits and behaviors of living organisms are assembled in deep time. While her early research centered on traits related to locomotion, feathers, flight and the co-option of wings for underwater diving, more recently, she has focused on systems related to visual and vocal communication. She profiles contemporary paleontological practice from fieldwork around the world to how to use x-ray computed tomography to see new aspects of dinosaur anatomy.

About Julia Clarke

Clarke has published over 100 papers, including 14 in the journals Nature and Science. She has an international field program in paleontology as well as leading highly interdisciplinary collaborative teams integrating data on living animals to ask new questions of the fossil record. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Humboldt Foundation, The National Geographic Society, Explorers Club, AAAS, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her work has been covered by NPR’s Science Friday,” The New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic Magazine, NOVA, and other outlets. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the American Ornithological Society and The Anatomical Society, and she received her degrees from Brown University and Yale University.

About Phi Beta Kappa

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most prestigious academic honors society in the U.S. Since its inception, Phi Beta Kappa has championed education in the arts and sciences, fostered freedom of thought, and recognized academic excellence. The Clemson University chapter was established in 2007.