Spend an evening with Oregon Natural Desert Association as we continue the High Desert Speaker Series by uncovering the fossilized world of eastern Oregon. Dr. Samantha Hopkins, University of Oregon Professor and Earth Sciences Department Head, will take us on a journey through time as she reveals what Oregon’s high desert fossils tell us about the past, present and future. We’ll explore a few fossilized mammals of eastern Oregon and discover what these creatures tell us about the desert ecosystem 30 million years ago. Samantha will also explain how fossils reveal changes in ecosystems and communities over time and what those shifts can tell us about our future in a changing climate.

This is a free, virtual event. Make a donation when registering to begin or renew your ONDA membership.

Raffle

The 2025 High Desert Speaker Series features a raffle with an incredible prize package full of gear and gift certificates from Patagonia, Osprey, Andina Restaurant, Willamette Valley Vineyards, MiiR, Kleen Kanteen, and Portland Leather Company. This entire one-of-a-kind bundle could be yours! One lucky winner will be drawn at the end of the Series and notified on March 21. Raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10, and they can be purchased at registration. 100% of proceeds support high desert conservation.

100% of proceeds support high desert conservation!

Sponsors

Thank you to Killian Pacific, our presenting sponsor for the High Desert Speaker Series.

The High Desert Speaker Series is also generously sponsored by:

About the Presenter

Samantha Hopkins studies the evolution of ecology in fossil mammals over the last 30 million years using a variety of tools, from evolutionary biology to field paleontology and sedimentology. She is particularly interested in the role of environmental change in shaping the evolution of small mammal communities, and she has studied Cenozoic terrestrial ecosystems in the western U.S. and Kyrgyzstan to understand how factors like climate and vegetation change and landscape evolution have driven evolution both within individual mammalian lineages and across whole communities of animals.

If you have questions or feedback about the accessibility of this event, please click here.

Event Photo: Peter Nicholas