Sidewalk Film Center Birmingham, AL
Dr. Jason Heaton
Assistant Professor of Anatomy, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Interstellar— Engaging with space
Program Description
UAB Professor of Anatomy Dr. Jason Heaton will join us after the film for a post-screening discussion and Q&A. Throughout his career, Jason has taught a diverse range of courses in biology and anthropology and has enjoyed engaging with students and learners at all levels!
Presented At
Sidewalk Film Center Birmingham, AL
Film Synopsis
A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.
In Earth's future, a global crop blight and second Dust Bowl are slowly rendering the planet uninhabitable. Professor Brand (Michael Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist, is working on plans to save mankind by transporting Earth's population to a new home via a wormhole. But first, Brand must send former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) and a team of researchers through the wormhole and across the galaxy to find out which of three planets could be mankind's new home.
Photo courtesy of PHOTOFEST
About the Speaker
As an Alabama native and a first-generation college student, I know firsthand how life-changing a good education can be. I worked before attending college and took classes at night to become an Emergency Medical Tech (EMT). After discovering my passion for comparative anatomy and anthropology at the University of South Alabama, I was inspired to pursue graduate studies in paleoanthropology (i.e., human evolution).
At Indiana University, my PhD focused on the taxonomy of fossil cercopithecoids (Old World monkeys) from South Africa. These primates lived alongside our ancestors and provided critical insights into the evolutionary pressures that shape species. Since my first trip in 2000, South Africa has remained central to my research and has become a place I deeply cherish and consider a second home. I am researching with collaborators in France, Germany, South Africa, the U.K., and the U.S.
My recent research focuses on the fossil Australopithecus skeleton, 'Little Foot'. This remarkable fossil is nearly three times more complete than the famous Australopithecus fossil 'Lucy'. Due to its completeness, 'Little Foot' will provide a template for testing hypotheses about our fossil relatives. If you ever visit the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, look for the permanent display of a 'Little Foot' cast in the Hall of Human Origins
Throughout my career, I've taught a diverse range of courses in biology and anthropology and enjoyed engaging with students at all levels. I am excited to continue my research and teaching at UAB after spending 16 years at Birmingham-Southern College.