Experts in the Field: Lessons from Dr. Stephen Brusatte – Chancellor’s Fellow in Vertebrate Paleontology

Dr. Stephen Brusatte is Chancellor’s Fellow in Vertebrate Paleontology at the University of Edinburgh. Steve’s research interests focus on the anatomy and genealogy of large carnivorous dinosaurs, the origin and early evolution of dinosaurs in the Triassic Period, the mass extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period, and the evolution of birds from theropods. Only 32 years old, he has discovered multiple new dinosaurs, written six books, and has authored countless scientific publications. Many of Steve’s books bridge the world between academia and the public, bringing science to those young and old. He is an expert at distilling high-level paleontology to children, teenagers, and educated adults. We are incredibly fortunate this week to have Dr. Brusatte for an inclusive interview for The Field Journal!

Taylor Studios (TSI): Hello, Dr. Brusatte – thank you so much for taking the time to complete an interview with us and sharing your expertise and knowledge with our audience! Before we dig into a few questions about museums and scientific interpretation, can you perhaps tell us a little about your background? What interested you in science? Where did you study?

Dr. Stephen Brusatte (SB): I grew up not too far from your studios, among the corn and bean fields of northern Illinois. I wasn’t very interested in science as a kid. It was my least favorite class in elementary school. Not that I was bad at it, but it just didn’t really inspire me. I was much more interested in history and writing, and playing baseball, those sorts of things. But I became enthralled with science, particularly fossils, as a teenager. It took a hold of me in high school. By the time I was a sophomore in high school I knew I wanted to be a paleontologist, and then I went onto study geology in college at the University of Chicago, hopped over to the University of Bristol in England to do a Master’s degree, and then came back to the US for my PhD at Columbia University in New York.

TSI: Growing up, what role did museums, science centers, and nature centers have in building your love of science?

SB: They played a huge role. Nobody has ever found a dinosaur fossil in Illinois. Never. Not a single bone or tooth. I have colleagues who grew up in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming—places where fossils are literally falling out of the rocks. I didn’t have that benefit growing up. But I did have the Field Museum in Chicago, and the Burpee Museum in Rockford. Two amazing natural history museums. I would drag my parents there as often as I could. Every year the Burpee Museum had a weekend paleontology festival with invited speakers from across the country (and sometimes, the world). It was called PaleoFest. I went every year. That was probably the single most important thing in my development as a scientist, getting to meet real scientists, hearing them speaking, being inspired by them but also realizing that they were normal people.

TSI: Science is often seen as “hard to understand,” “hard to teach,” or “only for smart people.” How can scientists – and museums in particular – present paleontology and other sciences in a way that every common visitor can both comprehend and enjoy?

SB: We are lucky with paleontology. It is a very accessible science. People love dinosaurs. Everybody. There was a study that came out last week that found dinosaurs to be basically the only ‘science’ thing that Republicans and Democrats both liked. Think about that—in our politicized world, dinosaurs not only inspire people, but bridge gaps between people. Theoretical physics, organic chemistry, neurobiology. Those fields—as awesome as they are—just don’t have as much pull with the public. Because paleontology is so well suited to public engagement, I always try my best to do whatever outreach I can. Writing books, doing television and radio shows, science festivals, or just going into schools. The big key, I think, is conveying the awesome excitement of dinosaurs, just connecting with people with the raw wonder of discovering new things about the history of our planet. That, and connecting with people generally, making it obvious that scientists are normal people, we’re not all elitists, and that anyone with an inquisitive mind and a hard work ethic can become a scientist.

TSI: Of all the museums that you’ve visited, do any stand out in terms of having outstanding exhibits that truly engage visitors with science?

SB: The Burpee Museum in Rockford is such a special place to me. The exhibits are great, particularly for a small community museum. But more than the exhibits, it was that annual PaleoFest. Every year they did this. They still do. It’s an amazing thing for a museum in a town the size of Rockford. So for me, it’s not just about exhibits, but about events.

TSI: Finally, what is your advice to those who run museums, science centers, and nature centers? How can they best do their jobs?

SB: Well, far from me to tell folks in your field how to do your jobs. You’re professionals in the museum and exhibition world, with your own training and professional experience like that I have with digging up and describing fossils. But the one thing I would say is: engage with us! If you’re doing a science exhibit or programs, get in touch with us. Ask us questions. If you need a factoid checked, ask. We’re usually very keen to help.

TSI: Great advice! Thank you so much, Dr. Brusatte! And thank you for all that you do for the field of paleontology and for science education in general!