Among the many sayings of Oklahoma-born humorist Will Rogers, perhaps his most famous is, “I never met a man I didn’t like.”
For noted paleontologist and RSU Professor Dr. Chris Shelton however, one of his own more well-known quotes would be “I never found a fossil I didn’t like.”
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will be hosting an evening with Dr. Shelton, during which he will share his thoughts, experiences and reflections about his time in South Africa, where a young Will Rogers also traveled.
“Living and Working in South Africa: A Scientist’s Journey of Discovery” will take place Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum.
“Very early in his life, Will (Rogers) spent time in South Africa, and the (Will Rogers) Museum invited me to speak about the country as I’ve also spent a considerable amount of time there, myself,” Shelton said. “During the evening, I’ll talk mostly about paleontology, and my experiences living and working there. I’ve given similar lectures before – in fact, I gave one on this recently in Oklahoma City, but this one is going to be a little less technical, more general. In addition to talking about my research there, I’ll be talking about the country, the culture and the people.”
Shelton, who said he’s always been fascinated with the discovery of fossils and the history of extinct creatures, was in South Africa for his post-doctoral research project. It was also in South Africa where he discovered a fossil vertebrae – that of a mosasurus – while on an expedition through KwaZulu-Natal. The discovery was only the second such discovery in the country’s history, the first being more than a century prior in 1901 – the year before Rogers’s time in the country.
Rogers’s time in South Africa was slightly less paleontological.
Rogers left high school in 1889 and became a cowboy in the Texas panhandle. After this, he made his way to Argentina and turned up in South Africa a few years later as a member of Texas Jack’s Wild West Circus. He made his first appearance on the stage in 1905 in New York City.
Dr. Shelton said the evening will also include a slide show and, if time allows, a question-and-answer session. Light refreshments will be provided.
“Living and Working in South Africa: A Scientist’s Journey of Discovery” will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 in the Will Rogers Memorial Museum Auditorium.
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is located at 1720 W. Will Rogers Boulevard in Claremore.
Shelton’s courses at RSU explore prehistoric life and its evolution through geological time. The combination of geology and biology, known as paleohistology, unlocks evolutionary knowledge by investigating bone microstructures. His travels and research in numerous countries around the world have allowed him to gain unique perspectives based on his real-world experiences which exceed the information contained in traditional textbooks.
For more information about RSU’s Department of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, visit www.rsu.edu/mps.