779: Finding Fossils of Extinct Species to Explore the Early Evolution of Vertebrates - Dr. Sterling Nesbitt

People Behind the Science Podcast Stories from Scientists about Science, Life, Research, and Science Careers

Dr. Sterling Nesbitt is an Assistant Professor of Geosciences at Virginia Tech, as well as a research associate/affiliate of the American Museum of Natural History, the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at The University of Texas at Austin, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and the National Museum of Natural History. Sterling is a vertebrate paleontologist who leverages his training in biology to understand how animals are related, how they evolved certain features, and how they have diversified over time. He is working to improve our knowledge of how life on earth has evolved over the past hundreds of millions of years. Outside of science, Sterling is passionate about travel. He loves visiting new places to experience other cultures, learn about their traditions, and discover fantastic places off the beaten path. He received his BA in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley and went on to complete his MA, MPhil, and PhD in Geosciences at Columbia University. Afterwards, Sterling conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Washington, and the Field Museum before joining the faculty at Virginia Tech where he is today. Sterling is the recipient of the 2016 Virginia Tech College Award for Outreach Excellence from the College of Science. Sterling is here with us today to speak to us about his life and science.