Jonathan Cooley studied geology and paleontology at the University of Colorado and at Montana State University. He completed his thesis on the world-famous Morrison Formation, in which many of the dinosaur fossils of western Colorado can be found. Working with a team under a National Geographic grant in 1995, Jonathan excavated the dromaeosaur Utahraptor. He has led expeditions to fossil localities in the American West, Alaska, Mongolia, Argentina, and Mexico, as well as for family programs and camps.