Geosciences in Alaska

Overview

Arctic Alaska Dinosaur Project

Team Members

Preparatory Field Trip to Pt. Reyes

Field Research in Alaska

Geoscience Conceptual Framework

Contacts

Trip Log: Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Today we met in the conference room for a retrospective slide show of our adventure. Roland presented the show accompanied by much enthusiastic commentary by his appreciative audience. We were amazed at how much we actually remembered, and how many places we could name. Following the slide show, we met in Roland’s lab and continued to talk about the amazing trip we had just concluded and to learn about fossil curation.

We found there was a lot more to curation of our fossils than we had thought. Before the fossils enter the lab, they must be disinfected by being held at -80 degrees F for 24 to 48 hours. Following disinfection, they can be unpacked from their field wrappings. We were given instructions on curation: making sure that the field numbers matched the fossils in their new boxes, making boxes to fit the fossils, cleaning and gluing as needed. We really enjoyed the curation of the fossils, and particular favorites prompted more comments and stories.

We took a break after lunch to attend a special show—“Northern Inua,” presented by the University of Alaska Museum, showcasing Alaska Native athletic games, dance and stories presented in partnership with the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics.

Then we returned to the lab, for we were all interested to see the end point for our fossil collection. We left that evening hopeful that our efforts would add to the growing body of evidence which could eventually answer the question as to what had happened to “our hadrosaurs.”

Reporters for the day: Phil and Peg

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Project partners and sponsors:
West Contra Costa Unified School District   UC Museum of Paleontology   University of Alaska Museum    National Science Foundation    The Mechanics Bank
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