People's University: Class 7: The End of Dinosaurs and Rise of Mammals

September 01, 2022
7:00pm - 8:30pm

Class 1: "The End of Dinosaurs and Rise of Mammals"

Instructor: Dr. A R West 

Mammals originated at the same time as dinosaurs but remained overshadowed until the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct. What led to mammals’ subsequent success? Trace the rise of mammals from humble origins to charismatic megafauna, and discover some of the unique traits that have helped them thrive in changing habitats on land and at sea.

INSTRUCTOR: DR. A R WEST holds a PhD in paleontology from Columbia Univ. and a BA in organismal biology from the Univ. of Cambridge, UK. Dr. West moved to Pittsburgh to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in the Section of Paleontology and the Section of Mammals. They now work in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at the Univ. of Pittsburgh, where they teach classes on molecular genetics, evolution, and science communication. Dr. West has carried out paleontology fieldwork in several different states, the UK, and Antarctica.

People's University: Dinosaurs!

CLASS SCHEDULE:
Class 1: Thursday, July 21 — 7PM - What is a Dinosaur? - Instructor: Lindsay Kastroll
Class 2: Thursday, July 28 — 7PM-The Dinosaur Family Tree - Instructor: Lindsay Kastroll
Class 3: Thursday, Aug. 4 —  7PM - Tectonics & Dinosaur Dispersal - Instructor: Lindsay Kastroll
Class 4: Thursday, Aug. 11 — 7PM - Dinosaur C.S.I. - Instructor: Lindsay Kastroll
Class 5: Thursday, Aug. 18 — 7PM - Dinosaur Species of Jurassic Park - Instructor: Taylor McCoy
Class 6: Thursday, Aug. 25 — 7PM - The Evolution of Flight- Instructor: Taylor McCoy
Class 7: Thursday, Sept. 1 — 7PM - The End of Dinosaurs and Rise of Mammals - Instructor: Dr. A.R. West
Class 8: Thursday, Sept. 8 — 6PM - Finale Field Trip to Carnegie Museum of Natural History - Instructor and Guide: Dr. Matthew Lamanna

Featured Book:

The ideal textbook for non-science majors, this lively and engaging introduction encourages students to ask questions, assess data critically and think like a scientist. Building on the success of previous editions, Dinosaurs has been thoroughly updated to include new discoveries in the field, such as the toothed bird specimens found in China and recent discoveries of dinosaur soft anatomy. Illustrations by leading paleontological illustrator John Sibbick and new, carefully-chosen photographs, clearly show how dinosaurs looked, lived and their role in Earth history. Making science accessible and relevant through clear explanations and extensive illustrations, thetext guides students through the dinosaur groups, emphasizing scientific concepts rather than presenting endless facts. Grounded in the common language of modern evolutionary biology – phylogenetic systematics – students learn to think about dinosaurs the way that professional paleontologists do.

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ABOUT THE OCPL'S PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY SERIES:

In 1951, the Ohio County Public Library's librarian, Virginia Ebeling, referenced British historian Thomas Carlyle, who said, “the public library is a People’s University,” when she initiated a new adult education program with that name. Miss Ebeling charged the library with the responsibility of reaching “as many people in the community as possible.” In keeping with that tradition of public libraries as sanctuaries of free learning for all people, the Ohio County Public Library revived the series in 2010.

The People’s University features courses (taught by experts in each subject) that enable patrons to pursue their goal of lifelong learning in classic subjects such as history, music appreciation, philosophy, and literature. Patrons may attend as many classes as they wish. There are no tests of other requirements and all programs are free and open to the public. For more information about PU: The Cold War, EMAIL US,  visit ohiocountylibrary.org, or call the library at 304-232-0244.