Paleontological Field Methods Course

Looking for a paleontology field course for summer 2018? 

Check out: Paleontology Field Methods & Research (Univ Wash BIOL475A/ESS 449A;  3, 4, or 5 credits). This is the same course that Greg Wilson has taught in the past and is held in the type area of the Hell Creek Formation in northeastern Montana (made famous as the type location for T. rex and the epicenter of the K-Pg extinction debates)

Overview: This is a one-month (June 18 – July 17, 2018) introduction to paleontological field methods and research, in which students develop skills in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting field data and designing research projects by participating in ongoing paleontological research on the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Topics include excavation of fossils, identification and curation of fossils, collection/interpretation of stratigraphic and taphonomic data, and report writing.
Note that this is a University of Washington course BUT it is open to students from other institutions. In the past, approximately half of the students were from universities and colleges other than UW.

Course Details:
Lecture/Lab: 2 weeks (June 18-21, July 12-17) with intro lectures on principles in field paleontology, geology, and taphonomy as well as the scientific context of the research. Lab sessions to introduce the fossil vertebrates, curate collected fossil specimens, analyze data, and present final reports.
Fieldwork: 2.5 weeks (June 22 – July 11) at the Hell Creek State Park in NE Montana learning basic paleontology and geology field techniques, collecting fossils (verts, inverts, plants), gaining context of ongoing research, and engaging in group research projects.
Costs : Lab fee of $120, program fee of $850 to cover transportation, meals, lodging, and equipment for fieldwork, and UW tuition (see www.summer.uw.edu/registration-costs/tuition-fees/)
Entry Code: Students who wish to register for the class should contact instructor Dave Grossnickle (dmgrossn@uw.edu) for an entry code.

A PDF flyer can be found here: http://faculty.washington.edu/gpwilson/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BIOL-475A-flyer-broad2018.pdf