Dr. Paul Sereno stands as a preeminent figure in paleontological research whose expeditions have revolutionized our understanding of prehistoric life across five continents. He currently serves as Professor of Paleontology at the University of Chicago and previously held the distinguished position of National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. Born October 11, 1957 in Aurora, Illinois and raised in Naperville, Sereno pursued his academic journey after initially studying art, earning his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Northern Illinois University in 1979. He completed advanced degrees at Columbia University, including an M.A. and M. Phil. in Vertebrate Paleontology and Geological Sciences in 1981, culminating in his Ph.D. in Geological Sciences in 1987.
Sereno's groundbreaking fieldwork has yielded transformative discoveries that have reshaped paleontological understanding of dinosaur evolution and ancient ecosystems. His expeditions in the late 1980s to Argentina's Andean foothills revealed Eoraptor, among the earliest known dinosaurs dating to approximately 230 million years ago. Subsequent explorations across Africa's Sahara Desert unearthed numerous previously unknown species including the distinctive Nigersaurus, the carnivorous Afrovenator, and the massive 40-foot-long SuperCroc formally known as Sarcosuchus imperator. In 2008, his team made a significant anthropological discovery with a Stone Age cemetery in Niger dating from 10,000 to 5,000 years ago, revealing invaluable insights into ancient human civilizations that predate the Egyptian pyramids.
Beyond his paleontological discoveries, Sereno has profoundly influenced science education and public engagement through innovative outreach initiatives that inspire future generations of scientists. In 1999, he co-founded Project Exploration, a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging urban youth to pursue scientific careers, which later earned him the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Obama. His work has been featured extensively in National Geographic documentaries and publications, bringing paleontological research to global audiences. Continuing his legacy of discovery and education, Paul Sereno founded Scitopia in 2016 as a major engagement organization and later established Scitopia Chicago, a teen learning hub and destination on Chicago’s Southside and NigerHeritage in 2016 to further scientific engagement and cultural preservation while maintaining an active research program through his Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago.
