Project Exploration Blog

I always complain about never having been chosen to become a Junior Paleontologist, but I believe that I took more away from this Sereno Dinosaur Expedition than any JP trip I could’ve ever been on. The day before I went into the field, my anticipation level was extremely high. Being in Chicago can be so routine, which is why flying to Billings, Montana was something I looked forward to eagerly. And I was especially excited because I had been to Montana and Wyoming before, but this time was different – I wasn’t going to pay Yellowstone a visit;  I wasn’t going to stay in a hotel and wake up the next morning to see a geyser shoot to the sky; this time I was going to Shell, Wyoming to stay at The Kedesh Ranch as a PE Field Assistant alongside Paleontologist Elena Schroeter, Jason Moore, and none other than Dr. Paul Sereno, to dig up dinosaur bones.

I was ready to dig up all these amazing bones that I had been hearing about. Being in the blazing sun for hours at a time didn’t make my heart twinkle but I knew being a paleontologist was nothing fancy. But I was in it for the experience.

This was an experience that I needed. I enjoyed the responsibilities of keeping up with our g

uests, most of whom  had taken up this life-changing experience for the first time. At some points I thought I couldn’t handle it. At times it did get overwhelming and I would second-guess the right things, and explain things as best as I knew how. But my ultimate courage came oozing out when some of the other team members would say “You‘re doing a great job.” And for them to notice my efforts, that gave me the extra nudge I needed.  I also appreciate that the PE staff were very open and honest with me about everything that was going on behind the scenes, and everything it took to run an expedition.

I didn’t know what to expect in the beginning once we got to the field; as soon as Paul showed us some of the dinosaur bones peeking out of the ground, I was amazed. And we

all got started, not sure of what to do exactly. Most went to work on the femur. Others of the adult guests who were teachers mainly dug around in hopes of discovering their own bone to be excavated, giving them something to tell their students about. Even though one day got cut short due to a few rain clouds, the team knew we were getting the real deal. Some of the younger team members would just relax in the evening and play ping-pong, and Elena and I would run a few brain-teasers sessions, although there was just one day left in the field.

Once we got word that Paul wanted the femur to come out of the ground before the end of this expedition, people started to work together and chisel quickly. It was a delightful scene to watch and be a part of.  Everyone was getting dirty and enjoying the hard work of being a paleontologist. And as soon as the femur bone was ready to be flipped and plastered on the other side, no one stopped helping. The excitement was sky-high.

This trip was more then digging up bones, studying astronomy, and taking a few night hikes. This trip was about knowing your limits, meeting new people and having a thirst for hands-on-knowledge