Fossil Lab Internship: Week One!
Kathleen, Jehad, and Bola explore the Fossil Lab with supervisor Sara ElShafie.
Project Exploration Blogger Jehad Broderick here, and this summer I have an internship at Dr. Paul Sereno’s fossil lab at the University of Chicago. From out in the field digging fossils to inside the lab cleaning them, I’m getting the full paleontologist experience with Project Exploration. The most interesting day of my internship this week was my second day of work. During my lunch break the other interns and myself watched Paul’s film, “When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs.” This was my second time viewing the film. I had previously seen it at its premier screening, but watching it for a second time at the very same lab it was filmed in was interesting. I could see the same sculptures created by Tyler Keillor and Erin Fitzgerald in the movie and in the lab at the same time. I saw Tyler and Erin and Paul on screen and then thought, “I had just seen these people the other day, I was just working alongside them.” It was then that a thought dawned on me: one day I could be in a movie like this sharing my knowledge with the world!
After the film was over the other interns and myself had a long discussion with University of Chicago students Sara ElShafie and Aki Watanabe about dinosaur science and paleontology in general. This was the first time in what seemed like ages that I had a discussion that was so in depth about something I was so passionate about. I can’t even remember talking so seriously about science at my own school. This lab internship so far has engaged me, piqued my curiosity and made me eager to learn more about science.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the experience.
Sounds like you are having a wonderful experience. I’m looking forward to reading about the types of fossil preparation that you are doing. Say hello to everyone in the lab for me, Jehad!!!!