A Paleontologist You Admire Most

[Ludwigia]

There are many paleontologists whose work I admire, but for me Günter Schweigert from the Stuttgart Museum tops the list since he's, among other things, so sociable with and helpful to us amateurs who are interested in his area, invertebrate paleontology.

http://www.naturkundemuseum-bw.de/forschung/palaeontologie/schweigert

[MB]

I'm for Danièle Guinot of MNHN (Paris)

Even if she's not a paleontologist s.s., but biologist, since she was involved in the world of fossil crabs, the paleocarcinology changed.

Also, she's always helpful and nice with the amateurs.

[Xiphactinus]

I'd have to say Mike Everhart. A man who took an avid hobby, became the expert in his field, and parlayed it into a second career.

Also, Frank M. Carpenter. He was the definitive fossil insect guy. I wonder if anyone has more species named after him. I was lucky enough to correspond with him shortly before his death and one of my fossils was one of the last he described.

[32fordboy]

Mike Everhat is another great example. His book, Oceans of Kansas, is what got me hooked on Niobrara. It was such an easily readable book, but not lacking in any of the scientific stuff.

[Auspex]

I'd have to say Mike Everhart. A man who took an avid hobby, became the expert in his field, and parlayed it into a second career...

My admiration of Mike Everhart, and all the effort he has put into his amazing accomplishments, is boundless!

[Raistlin]

Not counting those on the forum because they are here and answer questions and do so in such a great manner (I am just some guy with very limited knowledge). Honestly I also do not know most of those on the forum that do it for a living or have done so for a living. So pretty much all the forum members get a lot of my admiration.

One person I would like to meet though and talk to would be Bob Bakker. I think this is for the most part because he was the first paleontologist I ever seen on a docu show. He played a big part in helping to form my interests in the hobby (though I will admit that girls took front seat later and I pushed it off again until my son showed interest). I by no means think he is the best, I am not sure there even is a best in the way of a single person, but I think he has certainly made some important additions to the field. Again I am not placing anyone above another at least I am not trying to if it seems that way. I guess it is just he was one of the people I looked up to at a young age.

[darthfossil]

The late Dr Donald Baird formally of Princeton; the present Dr Peter Dodson of Univ of Pa; and the agless Dave Parris of the New Jersey State Museum have all been tireless in their aid to collectors and helped to start and support the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society based in Philadelphia, PA.

[siteseer]

Yes, when I was a kid and if you were getting interested in dinosaurs and paleontology, you had at least one book by Roy Chapman Andrews. I had "All About Dinosaurs" and the shorter "kids" version, "In the Days of the Dinosaurs." I thought he and Jacques Cousteau were great people with great jobs so Andrews would have to be the paleontologist I've never met who I admired.

Nice discussion you have going here! My favorite paleontologist would definitely have to be Roy Chapman Andrews. Known for a lot of his work in the Gobi during the early 1900's. He brought back some of the first identified dinosaur eggs! Pretty cool! People say the Indiana Jones character is based off of him. He wrote quite a few books too. My favorite is actually "Whale Hunting With Gun and Camera". Not even a book related to paleontology! He started out working on whaling boats learning about whales and photographing them. Actually brought back some of the first known photographs of whales. But if you would like a good biography of him I suggest reading "Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Asiatic Expeditions" by Charles Gallenkamp. And here is a good site for a quick read on him:

http://roychapmanand...hapman-andrews/

[siteseer]

Thomas,

I agree. The paleontologist I admire and whom I've also met and talked with is also David Ward. He goes to the Tucson show every year. He is not only very knowledgeable about sharks and rays and numerous other topics, he also very patient with the kid who just found his first shark tooth - helpful to collectors of all ages. If you ask him for his ID of a specimen (he gets a lot of that), he will ask you what you think it is. He encourages you to learn more about your collection and he will give you a copy of one of his papers if he has one on him. In five minutes of talking with him, you can learn a lot - stuff that is not in a book or maybe is not fully explained.

I would have to add Gordon Hubbell too. He's not a paleontologist by profession but he has written paleo articles. He has an incredible shark museum in his house and he invites everyone from neighbors, to boy scout troops, to scientists to come over and marvel at the diversity of modern and fossil specimens he has collected and acquired across his life. He's also a nice guy to talk with. He and David Ward hang out at the Tucson show so it's great to talk to them together. If one of them doesn't know the answer to a question, the other one does.

Jess

I have always looked up to Gideon Mantell, William Buckland, Richard Owen and Mary Anning. Looking at more present people in the trade, David Ward is someone I admire. If all goes to plan I will be joining a hunt with him and a lot of others to Abbey Wood in search of London Clay shark teeth later in the year.

Regards,

[smokeriderdon]

Frank Garcia by far. I do not consider Frank to be an "amateur". I have had the pleasure of hunting with him both in Florida and Nebraska on a number of occasions. His knowledge and willingness to share it are astounding. The childrens museum he helps to operate in Florida is an asset to the hobby and simply a neat place. His personality isn't for everyone, but I hardly stop laughing around Frank. And he is an incredible collector. Last trip to Nebraska I helped a bit with uncovering a virtually complete oreodont he found. He found this oreodont when the only thing exposed was a single tail vert! Frank is simply one of the nicest guys in the field.

There are two members here who I have had the priveledge to call friends over the years. Paleoc and PaleoRon. If you know these two, you know two disgustingly good collectors that are as equally disgustingly knowledgeable. They also share their knowledge freely. As paleontologists as well as people, these two are hard to beat.

As for historical folks, I would say Cope and Marsh. Reading about their battles and discoveries was what pushed me into active collecting.

[Missourian]

.... A man who took an avid hobby, became the expert in his field, and parlayed it into a second career.

One always have to admire that.

[Nandomas]

I admire all the paleontologists who likes to work close to the ordinary people. I do not admire who should like to hang amateurs (I have heard those words with my own ears)

[Raistlin]

I admire all the paleontologists who likes to work close to the ordinary people. I do not admire who should like to hang amateurs (I have heard those words with my own ears)

Yeah it is sad some think like that.

I would actually be honored to hang out with many of the members here. I could learn tons and have a pretty good time I think.

[RichW9090]

Wow. Picking one or two out of all those who have gone before seems impossible. Of those who are dead and gone, I have three: Childs Frick, George Gaylord Simpson and Elaine Anderson. Frick spent his fortune amassing the huge Frick collection at the American Museum, the best documented large collection of mammalian fossils in the world. Although I never met Frick, I have had the pleasure of knowing many of the collectors and preparators he employed, and have gotten to know his grandaughter. The history of the Frick lab is fascinating, and I've published some pieces of it, and hope to publish more over the next few years. George Gaylord Simpson was perhaps the greatest vertebrate paleontologist of the 20th century. I attended several of his lectures while I was a student at the University of Arizona. There is almost no topic within vertebrate paleo upon which he did not write. Elaine Anderson, a specialist in fossil carnivores, treated me especially well, almost as an equal, when I was first getting serious about doing paleo research. Plus, she was just a delightful lady! We lost her at far too young an age.

I'm also a great fan of Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

Rich

[Scylla]

When I was a kid I must have seen that National Geographic Special on the Leakey family 100 times, I have to nominate Louis Leakey (my childhood hero), Meauve and Richard (thanks for saving the Elephants) too. Also on the same faculty with Richard is Dave Krause, he gets mention for starting the Ankizy fund. Those Paleontologists that treat us amatures with respect get a thumbs up too.

[PRK]

I've been watching this thread for a while, to see who might turn up. i did observe that people admire the specialist generally directed at their particular interest. I must admit I'm not much different. I GREATLY ADMIRE a "trailblazer" of my special interest. Specifically the pure collecting of fossils. And, in my opinion, the greatest fossil collector of all time, CHARLES STERNBERG! I'm surprised he hasn't been mentioned.

Back in the 1870s, he was the first to collect MANY iconic localities, ie.niobrara chalk, SD badlands, hell creek Montana, and on and on. He even developed many techniques for collecting and transporting fossils still in use today. It was common for his collecting party to take weeks of travel time, by horse and wagon, just to get to a collecting site. all the time dodging chief Yellowhand's fierce indian warriors ON the warpath, far from any roads or assistance. And All before any power equipment. A very dedicated fossil collector. He tells a very nice story interpertation of his wonderful and exiting field notebook

. If you haven't read his exciting book " life of a fossil hunter" I can garuntee it will blow your mind. It starts off slow but quickly increases in intensity as charles grows up. C. Sternberg was a real life Indiana jones

Edited January 9, 2013 by PRK

[DE&i]

This topic is generating a fantastic feel good factor that same one when we all held our first fossil and immediately needed to know. When / Why / and what is this object. Knowing if you have the right questions someone out there will have an answer for you.

[astron]

Frank Garcia by far. I do not consider Frank to be an "amateur". I have had the pleasure of hunting with him both in Florida and Nebraska on a number of occasions. His knowledge and willingness to share it are astounding. The childrens museum he helps to operate in Florida is an asset to the hobby and simply a neat place. His personality isn't for everyone, but I hardly stop laughing around Frank. And he is an incredible collector. Last trip to Nebraska I helped a bit with uncovering a virtually complete oreodont he found. He found this oreodont when the only thing exposed was a single tail vert! Frank is simply one of the nicest guys in the field. .....

........................................

I believe that Nick meant Frank is ''influential to amateurs'' and not that he is an amateur....

Any way, here is Frank on fb with a comment of mine relative to this thread...

https://www.facebook...&type=1

[Xiphactinus]

Good call, PRK. The Sternberg family is a fossil hunting dynasty. Life of a Fossil Hunter is a must read for anyone here on this forum.

[32fordboy]

Regarding Garcia, what I meant was kind of confusing. "Amateur" from a technical standpoint. The guy is in no way amateurish and has accomplished more than most pros. He is proud to be on the "amateur" side. It's just a technicality. Sometimes experience beats a piece of paper from the university.

So, amateur by definition (means "lover of"), professional by experience and action. No doubt about it.

Edited January 8, 2013 by 32fordboy

[piranha]

This thread certainly has a great lineup of paleontologists. Since the list is weighted heavily by vertebrate specialists I decided to sneak in one more trilobitologist. The nod for second place goes to Charles Doolittle Walcott. The list of accomplishments is legendary including Burgess Shale, Walcott-Rust, Smithsonian Secretary and his pioneering work with trilobites appendages to name just a few. It should also be noted that Walcott's signature fedora earns him the distinguished Indiana Jones moniker as well.

LINK   

[Michiganfossilhunter]

Have you read "Under a Lucky Star"? LINK

Under a Lucky Star is a good one to read! I always check to see if they have those type of books at the library. Mostof the time they have them away in storage because not many people read them!

[Paleoworld-101]

My favourites would definitely have to be Robert Bakker, Phil Currie, Paul Sereno, Tim Flannery, Mike Archer, Scott Hocknull. So many great minds in the field of Paleontology!

[Wrangellian]

I admire all the paleontologists who likes to work close to the ordinary people. I do not admire who should like to hang amateurs (I have heard those words with my own ears)

Oh my...

This thread certainly has a great lineup of paleontologists. Since the list is weighted heavily by vertebrate specialists I decided to sneak in one more trilobitologist. The nod for second place goes to Charles Doolittle Walcott. The list of accomplishments is legendary including Burgess Shale, Walcott-Rust, Smithsonian Secretary and his pioneering work with trilobites appendages to name just a few. It should also be noted that Walcott's signature fedora earns him the distinguished Indiana Jones moniker as well.

LINK

Good call Scott, I had forgotten about him - I am probably forgetting a lot of worthy names but I am more often thinking about fossils themselves than the people who study them! I have met a number of good ones, especially knowledgeable and helpful amateurs, but I hate to start trying to list them for fear I will leave somebody out. Can I just say "the Forum, collectively"?

[RichW9090]

Paleoworld, Tim Flannery is a great choice - I sometimes don't think of him, because I'm more familiar with his work on modern mammals, but youare right.