Biography
Known for his long facial beard, pony tail, and western sun hat, Dr. Robert T. Bakker is considered one of the most energetic and outspoken of the 1970s generation of American paleontologists who ushered in a new era of dinosaur theories. His particular contribution, along with a select cadre of colleagues with contrarian views, was that of the dynamic, endothermic dinosaur model. Previously, paleontologists had steadfastly maintained that the giant creatures had been slow behemoths that needed to regulate their temperature by exposure to the sun reptilian style. The idea that many species of dinosaur were warm-blooded and led active and energetic lives caught on quickly though his theories have drawn strong criticism among his peers. He also theorized that the great dinosaur extinction may have been caused by communicable diseases and strongly supported the notion that birds evolved from dinosaurs. Due to his forceful character and personality and willingness to publicly explain his viewpoints, Bakker has become a much sought after speaker and dinosaur consultant. His most visible consultancy was for Steven Spielberg's "Jurassic Park" series in which Spielberg introduced, and later killed off, Dr. Robert Burke, a character who was obviously similar to, and complimentary of, Dr. Bakker.
Born March 24th, 1945 in New Jersey, he attended Yale University, and later attained his PhD from Harvard. Most of his field work has been accomplished in Wyoming at Como Bluff and in many other parts of North America and selected sites around the world. His early work was that of scientific illustrator, a skill he incorporated into perhaps his best known work, "The Dinosaur Heresies," published in 1986. Bakker has associated himself as a curator and teacher at many museums and universities during his career, including the University of Colorado, The Tate Museum, The Colorado Museum of Natural History, The Houston Museum of Natural Science, and many others. He has been especially keen on uniting a series of museums located in Colorado and Wyoming to provide better interpretation and study of ancient environments.
Bakker has been married four times at last count, and has been called a preacher, teacher, rebel, artist, and general pain in the side of standard scientific attitudes toward his favorite subject. Besides being a gifted scientist, Bakker is also a Pentecostal Preacher with a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament. His ability to incite scientific controversy is legend, especially since many of his theories have been proven to be correct over time. He has appeared in countless dinosaur documentaries, and continues to push the limits of the paleontological scientific community.
