Whitey Hagadorn, Ph.D., is a paleontologist interested in understanding the nature of the earliest marine animal communities. He learns about these paleocommunities by looking at sedimentary rocks exposed in mountain ranges created about 500-550 million years ago throughout the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico. In these rocks, he examines sedimentary structures and fossils that provide clues about the nature of ancient seafloor environments, as well as the animals that lived there.

In 1991, Hagadorn received a B.S. in Geology and Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and in 1995, a M.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (USC). In 1998 he received his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from USC.

Hagadorn is currently a post-doctoral scholar in the Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences at Caltech, and will be starting a tenure-track position in the Department of Geology at Amherst College in the Fall of 2002.

How did you choose your present profession?

Had an inspiring lecturer in geology in college. Became a geology major. Then, while at field camp (between summer of junior and senior year), a professor suggested I think about going to grad school. To see what grad school was like, I took a class at Scripps that summer and worked in a professors' lab. I loved it and decided to go to grad school. I was broadly interested in sedimentary geology and marine geology, so I went to USC. Once there, I gravitated toward paleontology, because I was interested in finding clues to help us decipher the nature of earth history.

What would you recommend for students wanting to pursue a similar career?

Study in high school. Take as much science and math as you can. Study in college. Based on your experiences, follow your interests. And have fun.

What do you like best about your profession?

The interesting interactions between bright, highly-motivated colleagues from all over the world. The opportunity to continue learning throughout your career. The ability to travel to strange, remote places and collect clues which will help augment our understanding of our natural history.

What web sites and references would you recommend for viewers interested in your work that was featured inThe Shape of Life series?

For references, go to my web page. For more information on paleontology, one of the best starting places is the University of California Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley. You might also look at the Natural History Museum in London.

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