Smithsonian Dinosaur Symposium

[MKIRKALDY@aol.com]

Posted for Matt Carrano, who is not currently subscribed.  A "more detailed 
schedule with titles" is forthcoming.

Mary
____

Dinosaurs in the New Millennium
a symposium hosted by the Smithsonian Institution

On December 13-14, 2003, the Smithsonian Institution will host a symposium 
entitled "Dinosaurs in the New Millennium".  This will be the first 
dinosaur-based symposium ever hosted by the museum, and ushers in a new period 
of dinosaur research at the Smithsonian.  Speakers from eleven different 
institutions in England, Canada, and the United States will discuss a wide 
variety of topics in dinosaur science.  Visitors will learn about dinosaur 
growth, diet, and health, as well as the larger world in which they lived.

The first day (9 am to 5 pm) will feature talks from research scientists that 
will be geared for the more scientifically literate audience.  Each 30-minute 
talk will discuss the current state of knowledge about this aspect of dinosaur 
biology, and present a roadmap for new theories and discoveries in the coming 
decades.  Both morning and afternoon sessions will include a 
question-and-answer period for the audience.  Dinosaur Curator Matthew Carrano 
will host the symposium and present one of the talks.  Other speakers include 
Jeffrey Wilson, Joanna Wright, Gregory Erickson, Hans Larsson, Matthew Lamanna, 
Scott Sampson, Stephen Gatesy, Paul Barrett, and Elizabeth Rega.

The second day will begin at noon with a keynote address by dinosaur 
paleontologist Jack Horner, from the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana. 
 Jack has spent much of his 25-year career making important new discoveries and 
presenting dramatic new theories about dinosaur life.  His talk, "Dinosaur 
Science in the New Millennium," will be appropriate for all audiences.

It will be followed by a moderated roundtable discussion.  Jack will be joined 
by selected speakers from the previous day's talks, and these paleontologists 
will spend an hour on-stage discussing critical issues in dinosaur science.  
Audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and witness the ensuing 
discussions and disagreements.

Finally, the second day will conclude with a series of talks on "The World of 
Dinosaurs."  These will cover topics ranging from the origin of flowers, to 
ancient insects, to the climate of dinosaur times, and will be given by three 
of the museum's own curators (Scott Wing, Conrad Labandeira, and Brian Huber).

All of the events will be free, open to the public, and take place in Baird 
Auditorium, at the National Museum of Natural History (10th and Constitution 
Avenues, Washington, DC).