Bozeman Magazine

Dr. Jason Hogan, a recent graduate of MSU’s Earth Science’s doctoral program, will present his dissertation work on Maniraptoran dinosaur nesting physiology. The vast majority of modern birds incubate their eggs by warming them with adult-generated heat. However, their closest living relatives, crocodilians, all bury their eggs. Dinosaurs help us understand the gap between these two groups, and through experimentation and remarkable fossil finds we can get an idea of how modern bird reproductive strategies might have come to be. This unique speaker series explores the newest paleontological findings and current hypotheses featuring leading scientists who lead the charge to better understand how life on Earth has changed. After each lecture, there will be a meet-and-greet with refreshments. Bio: Jason Hogan earned his undergraduate degree at Duke University and a Master’s in Education from Harvard. He then spent time as an educator, teaching everything from chemistry to physics to history of science. Later he pursued his Ph.D. in paleontology at Montana State University. In 2023 he earned the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology’s Romer Prize for his investigations into maniraptoran dinosaur nesting and its relationship to the evolution of modern avian reproductive strategies.