Amy Atwater
Amy Atwater is a paleontologist, science communicator, and lifelong fossil enthusiast whose path into prehistory began among the colourful badlands of Oregon’s John Day Fossil Beds. Drawn early to the stories preserved in ancient landscapes, Amy has spent her career helping uncover and interpret life from worlds long vanished, including fossils never before seen by human eyes.
With degrees in geology and anthropology from the University of Oregon and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Amy’s work bridges rigorous science with a gift for storytelling. Her research has explored mammal evolution across deep stretches of prehistory, from early primates to the formidable “bone-crushing dogs” of the past. Along the way, she has named three new species of early primates.
Amy has also worked as a seasonal ranger in some of the United States’ most iconic national parks and served as Paleontology Collections Manager at the Museum of the Rockies, overseeing the largest collection of Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops fossils in the world. Today, she is a director at Dinosaur Ridge, home to one of the most remarkable dinosaur tracksites in North America.
Beyond her scientific work, Amy is passionate about bringing overlooked stories in paleontology to light, particularly those of women whose contributions have too often gone unrecognized. Inspired by the life of Mary Anning, she co-founded the Mary Anning’s Revenge blog and the Weird & Dead podcast with her friend Meaghan, blending science, history, and curiosity with a sense of wonder and discovery.
When she’s not immersed in fossils or fieldwork, Amy can often be found hiking and camping with her family in the landscapes of Colorado, continuing her lifelong connection to the ancient stories written into the land.
