‘Monster Fish’ subject of Nevada State Museum lecture

When Zeb Hogan spreads his arms as wide as they’ll go and declares, “I caught a fish this big,” he isn’t telling you a whopper.

He’s showing you his resume.

Hogan, the University of Nevada Reno professor and star of the National Geographic television program “Monster Fish,” has spent the past 20 years studying the world’s freshwater ecosystems and leading an effort to document more than 30 species of giant freshwater fish.

Through the project, Hogan travels to the most endangered of these environments, striving to understand and save threatened fish and identify ways to sustain the livelihoods of people who share their habitats.

Hogan will share stories of his experiences — the ones he caught and the ones that got away — as the guest lecturer at the Nevada State Museum’s monthly Frances Humphrey Lecture Series. The event is Thursday, July 26 at 6:30 p.m., in the museum’s South Gallery.

Hogan will bring photos of some of the monster fish he’s encountered and will sign copies of them for attendees.

The cost for the lecture is $8 for adults; free for museum members and children 17 and younger. Seating is limited. Those wishing to attend should reserve a seat by visiting: www.nvculture.org/nevadastatemuseumcarsoncity/events and click on the “register here” link on the lecture description page.

Hogan is a research assistant professor at UNR, a National Geographic Society Fellow, United Nations Convention on Migratory Species Scientific Councilor for Fish and presenter for the National Geographic television series “Monster Fish.”

His research with the Mekong Fish Conservation Project and other National Geographic-sponsored projects have aided in understanding migratory patterns and population structures of imperiled giant freshwater fish.

Hogan received his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of California, Davis in 2004. His research has been featured in scientific journals including Science, American Scientist and Conservation Biology and popular publications such as Wired, Time, and National Geographic Magazine.

The Frances Humphrey Lecture Series is held the fourth Thursday of each month at the Nevada State Museum.