DinoFest Speaker: Matt Jones, Ph.D.
Sunday, February 1, 2026 | 1 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. | Swaner Forum, NHMU
About Dr. Matt Jones, Ph.D.
Matt Jones, Ph.D. is a vertebrate paleontologist and assistant professor at Arizona State University. His work attempts to understand how mammals evolved and diversified following the K-Pg extinction, and the role that changing environments, tectonics, and ecosystems played in the mammalian radiation.
About the Lecture
Mysterious Beginnings To Aerial Dominance: The Origin and Evolution of Bats
Living bats are among the most diverse mammals, represented by 1,500 species and a variety of ecologies. Despite their present diversity, very little is known about the earliest phases of their evolution. This talk will explore what the fossil record can tell us about how bats got their start and the origins of the features that make them such a successful group today.