Scott Hocknull, Young Australian of the Year 2002 and palaeontologist at the Queensland Museum, will speak on “Dinosaurs to Doomsday: how the past is the key to the future”.

Scott’s story is one of boyhood passions and dreams of studying dinosaurs and palaeontology coming true when he was appointed as Assistant Curator of Palaeontology and Geology at the Queensland Museum at the age of 22 years, making him the youngest curator of any Australian museum. In 2006 Scott rose to Curator of Geosciences. In addition to his curatorial position, Scott is a part-time PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, focussing on the evolution of Australia’s fauna, flora and climate over the last 4.5 million years in Queensland. He also researches, excavates and promotes Australia’s dinosaur fossil record. In 2002, Scott was awarded the Young Australian of the Year.