A man in an orange snow jacket and blue snow pants stands on a tumble of gray rocks and looks into the distance with snowy and icy scenery behind him. Text banners above and below the image advertise the event.
CNMF, Continuing Education

Naturally Speaking Series – When Rhinos Roamed and Walruses Were Weird: The Story of Life in Ancient SoCal

Photo collage of above) a man kneeling on a sandy cliff with digging instruments around him. He holds up his hand, the palm of which is covered in white plaster; below) a man standing on a deck of a ship against white railing in cold-weather gear made to look like the Star Wars character Han Solo. There is a tall, metal instrument next to him and icy ocean stretching behind. Text to the left advertises the event.

oday, we know Southern California for its sunny days and sprawling cities. But if we travel through the pages of geologic history, the world we know would have looked unrecognizable through the ages. From ancient rainforests 45 million years ago to sunken seagrass meadows 15 million years ago, Southern California has undergone incredible environmental changes and hosted a wonderful assortment of strange, but somewhat familiar creatures. Join paleontologist Gabriel-Philip Santos as we go back to when rhinos roamed and when walruses were weird!

Gabriel-Philip Santos is a paleontologist, educator, and storyteller. He is currently the Director of Visitor Engagement and Education at the Alf Museum of Paleontology. He received his B.Sc. in biology at University of California-Irvine, and his M.Sc. in geology at California State University-Fullerton. His previous research interests focused on the Eocene vertebrate fauna of Southern California and the paleobiology of marine mammals. He now focuses his work on science education and engaging audiences through projects like the Cosplay for Science Initiative. He was named a 2021 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions for his work in science education and is also a host for the popular digital series, PBS Eons, where he gets to share stories about the ancient world.

When: Tuesday, March 18th, 6:00 – 7:00 PM

Where:  Zoom

Cost: Free

RSVP today

Sponsored by the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation

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