Dr Michael Pittman

Michael Pittman is a multi-disciplinary vertebrate palaeontologist from HK. He earned a BSc in geology from University College London in 2006 before progressing to an MSc in Geoscience (Palaeobiology) in 2007. He pursued a PhD on “The Evolution and Biomechanics of Dinosaurian Tails” with Prof. Paul Upchurch and Prof. John R Hutchinson, completing it in 2012.
 
His primary research interests are the evolution of dinosaurs, particularly the origins of birds and flight, as well as fossil imaging techniques and the evolutionary biomechanics of vertebrates. His work involves excavating and studying fossils from around the world including mainland China and further afield in the US and Argentina.
 
He leads HKU’s Vertebrate Palaeontology Laboratory in the Department of Earth Sciences, where they conduct cutting-edge research and train the next generation of world-class palaeontologists. He produces and instructs the award-winning free HKU online course Dinosaur Ecosystems.

He has had a lifelong interest in classical music. From Mozart to Mendelssohn to Mussorgsky, he is constantly amazed by its power to conjure strong imagery and emotions. Helping to prepare this programme has been a very special experience for him, as some of his earliest exposure to classical music involved the HK Phil -- a visit by principal cellist Richard Bamping to his local secondary school. He hopes today’s concert can help to encourage younger listeners to discover the wonders of classical music, just as his experiences did for him.