jhemphill Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Hello, I'm very interested in paleontology and the white river badlands oligocene fauna to be more precise. Since I was 12 I have found the badlands and its fauna to be incredibly interesting, I someday hope to work in the field of paleontology and wanted to start to put my foot in the water and get involved. I was researching internship programs and wanted to look for an internship or youth group that I could enjoy dedicated to paleontology. I'm 14 so I might not quite be of age for some opportunities, but I just want to try to be ambitious and get as early a start as I can. Since I can't drive yet, these opportunities (if long term) should preferably be near fairfield CT, but any other ideas will be appreciated as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 My suggestion... run away! JK If you want to be a paleontologist, plan on either living a meager lifestyle or marrying a rich girl. There's not much money in it. That being said, nobody gets into paleo for financial reasons. My participation is as an amateur collector and a contract preparator. Fees collected for preparation usually go back into funding the amateur part. Make friends with the people at your local museum. You can also start volunteering in their prep lab (if they have one). This will get you experience for free. Is there a fossil club in Fairfield or surrounding areas? 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhemphill Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 I tried the Yale Peabody museum but they only accept 16 and older. Does anyone know of any local paleontology museums or fossil prep rooms that I could apprentice at in/near fairfield county? Thanks so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koss1959 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 A lot of paleontologists are pencil pushers. Lots of lab work and paperwork. I thought about doing a paleontology degree but when I did some research, I found that many can't get out in the field often and rely on amateurs to find the fossils they study. I'd prefer to be the guy getting muddy in the field and digging those finds out, rather than writing about them. Etsy shop for Dinosaur Art: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/IzzyBeeCreates?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhemphill Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 so would I Koss1959, but I don't think being an "amateur" is much of a career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Aside from the fossil fuel industry, I foresee employment possibility in following a Paleoecology track. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Micropalaeontology is an option with a higher salary... once you become a specialised expert in your field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 A lot of paleontologists are pencil pushers. Lots of lab work and paperwork. I thought about doing a paleontology degree but when I did some research, I found that many can't get out in the field often and rely on amateurs to find the fossils they study. I'd prefer to be the guy getting muddy in the field and digging those finds out, rather than writing about them. I suspect that's because you're in the UK; most American paleontologists tend to do quite a bit more fieldwork, and some transplanted English colleagues of mine bemoan the fact that so many British paleontologists let amateurs do all the work. It largely depends upon 1) what age rocks you're interested in and 2) how far away they are. I'd say 7/10 paleontologists in the USA do fieldwork on a regular basis. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triceratops Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 What ever path you choose, good luck! -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhemphill Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Thanks guys so much for the positive comments, it means a lot. I'm so passionate about the subject and spend all my free time studying and learning as much as I can it always has and always will be my dream to become involved and hopefully someday contribute to the world of prehistory 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 A lot of great suggestions here. Obviously you are really passionate about this and also very switched on in terms of how you can turn your love of it into a sustainable career. There are many career paths within paleontology, keep chasing your dream, work hard at school, keep your options open and I'm sure you will make it. Being 14 there is plenty of time for you to prepare yourself to be in the best position to be able to make a good go of it. You might want to take the research (academic path) or the industry path. Either one would most likely involve at least a Bachelor's degree at university. I would make sure that you cover a diverse range of subjects at high school to keep your options open. The same is true at Uni. I know I was really interested in paleontology and thought the other subjects were "a pain" and I wanted to focus on paleontology 24/7. But all those other subjects (sedimentology, structural geology, mathematics etc.) are really useful, at least take these at the undergrad level. Given the competitive nature of the job market and research environment a certain degree of flexibility (excuse the pun) is always an advantage. You also have the right idea about practical work. There is so much to learn and getting as much experience as you can over time is always good. Collect fossils, try and visit paleontology/geology departments maybe at first to get things identified. Find out where your nearest paleontology department is. Once you can, start to volunteer in the lab and field. I got started by taking fossils in to be identified at my local geology museum, reading lots, looking at geological maps and planning my own field trips to look for fossils. I didn't have a great resource like the Fossil Forum mid you when I was starting out - we were still loading computer games on a cassette tape when I got started Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCanadian Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Hey. Studying paleontology is actually well worth it. I'm studying paleontology at a university in Ottawa, Canada. Its a great program, its a specialized geology program that requires lots of biology courses as well as some specific paleontology courses. The best part about paleontology in general is learning how to see the whole story of the earth and life, something that cannot be done more clearly in any other field. If you want to do this go for it. Your still in high school, so if you get the chance take any biology classes you can get. Once you get to university, Paleontology is the course to aim for, if not try to get into geology with as many biology courses as possible, doing a minor or double major if possible. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Lover Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Good luck with your future paleontology endeavors "Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you" Job 12:8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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