History Of Paleontology Class

[jpc]

Howdy Y'all...

This is something I have been thinking of doing for some years. My recent trips to Europe have sorta been dry runs.

A colleague and I will be teaching a History of Paleontology Class in May 2014. This is a two week field trip to Europe... Museums and collecting sites. This is a college class through Casper College where we both work, so college credit is available. Here is the blurb I have written for it, as well as what Melissa has written. It is open to the general public and I imagine that most of our students will be non-traditional types. I know a lot of you guys are self organizing, but I also want to extend an invitation for all of you to at least think about (dream about?) joining us for a fun two weeks of paleo across the Pond. (OK, I know some of you are already across the pond, so this is aimed more at USA-ians). PM me if you are interested, or email me jpcavigelli [at thingy] caspercollege [dot] edu. The cost will be around 3500 dollars and includes darn near everything except subways and dinners. The group flight is out of Denver, but separate arrangements can be made.

Here is Melissa's form letter:

GEOL 2490 – 80 Topics: History of Paleontology

Travel Course to Europe

May 17030 2014

Thank you for your interest in this travel course. This course is designed to introduce to the student the locations and fossils that shaped our early understandings of the Earth’s history. We will be traveling to London, Paris, and parts of Germany. A complete trip itinerary will be available shortly.

The course is a 1-4 credit class. If you plan to audit the course, register for only 1 ct. The attached non-degree seeking registration form is attached and can be submitted after Dec. 3^rd. Those taking the course for credit will need to provide various works and oral presentations as outlined in the syllabus. In addition to the costs per credit, an additional course fee will be required. The cost for the class is estimated at $3,500. This will include airfare from Denver, ground transportation between cities and sites, hotel, and admission fees. This will not cover meals, intracity (subways etc.) transportation, insurance, or other expenses. A $500 deposit is due immediately upon registration to reserve your place. The class is limited to 23 students. The first installment of $1500 is due by Feb. 1^st and the final payment is due by April 1^st. Payments are to be made out the Casper College. Checks are preferred but credit cards are acceptable. Please send a memo stating that the funds should be deposited into the Earth Science Dept. acct # 10-110-110403-9149. Please note, if you must cancel your trip, some of these funds are non-refundable as we must send in deposits to hold airline tickets, hotels, etc.

There will be at least 1 pre-trip meeting. Other meetings may be scheduled. These meetings are required. If you are out of town, we can arrange for teleconference, Skype, or other methods to participate.

All participants will be required to possess a valid, up to date, passport. Passports cannot expire in 2014. Travel insurance is also required. This can be obtained through World Wide Travel in Casper Wyoming. Contact Elke Calmes at 307.266.4550 for more information.

We look forward to traveling with you. This is truly a trip of a lifetime. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Connely or JP. Cavigelli. See you soon!

And my own:

Melissa Connely and I are teaching a Casper College class called “History of Paleontology”. This is a travel class that will be in Europe for two weeks. We will start in London, go to Paris and then head into southern Germany. In London we will visit the British Museum of Natural History, Charles Darwin’s House, Crystal Palace Park, attend a symposium and do a day trip to Lyme Regis to look for Jurassic fossils on the beach. The BMNH has many of Mary Anning’s original finds, as well as the original Iguanodon tooth that Gideon Mantell found that lead to the interesting idea that there might once have been really big lizards on this planet. The entryway features a cast of a Diplodocus from Wyoming. Darwin’s House is, well, Darwin’s house. The Crystal Palace Park, is... I’ll let you google that one. On the 21^st of May, the British Museum is putting on a symposium on the life and work of Arthur Smith Woodward, and early fossil fish specialist, who was also involved in the famous Piltdown Man controversy. (See link http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/earth-sciences/fossil-vertebrates/fossil-vertebrate-research/fishes/woodward150/index.html). In Paris we will visit the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, where Cuvier came up with the very idea of extinction as a concept. The Museum is a classic old Victorian style collection of animals and bones crammed into wood and glass displays, many with old hand-written labels from centuries past. We will also visit the catacombs. (Not necessarily paleontological, but yes, there is a connection). In Germany we will start with the Senkenberg Museum in Frankfurt. This is one of the major paleo musuems in the country, and includes an amazing display from Messel, arguably the world’s finest fossil site. We will visit numerous smaller local museums that feature local fossils, including museum in Thallichtenberg, Ingelfingen, Solnhofen, Eichstatt (these latter two have Archaeopteryx specimens), and Holzmaden. Collecting
sites will include the Permian southwest of Frankfurt (fishes and reptiles), Devonian in the same area (pyrtized invertebrates), Solnhofen area (we could theoretically find the next Archaeopteryx specimen), Holzmaden (flat pyritized ammonites and if we have a good day, a rare ichthyosaur bone). Students will be allowed to keep the fossils they find, (unless of course we do find the next Archaeopteryx).

​Yes, this will be fun AND educational. Again feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

jpc

[Ramo]

Wow, Sounds like the trip of a lifetime. I would love to take that class. If I were a college student I'd take you up on this. Looks like I'll be too busy trying to raise a family! Take lots of pictures and keep us posted.

Ramo