RESEARCH AND THE PUBLIC, CAN IT WORK?

Paleontology used to be confined to the musty library shelves or touched on in a high school/college level course and largely forgotten except for the chosen few who have dedicated their lives in the service of this science. This is no longer the case given the Dinosaur Renaissance of the last 20 years which has lead to an increased facination with all areas of paleontology. To get a short course in paleontology you need only to sit down with a group of five year old through early high school aged students and listen to the extent of their knowledge and interest, which by default includes their families and friends. With the passing of each year countless specimens are lost to science by well meaning collectors who are not familiar with proper policies and field collecting techniques. Should interested people be allowed to participate in one of the most popular and broad reaching fields of science and learn these techniques, or be kept on the sidelines and out of the way? Can the general public contribute to the science of paleontology? The answer is yes.

As part of a 3 year grant from Lucent Technologies, the Science Museum of Minnesota involves students and other interested persons in various research projects ranging from Paleozoic invertebrates to Paleocene vertebrates. Key to the success of this program is classroom training and liberal hands-on experience in the lab and in the field. Once the time is invested and the experience gained, each person has the knowledge and the confidence to collect specimens in the field or to compile accurate and valuable data for further study. Most importantly, in doing this you create a Paleontological Ambassador within the local community that will forever understand the importance of paleontology and the need for on-going research.