Eastern Kentucky University
Archives and Outreach: a Look into Revamping a Fossil Collection
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Applied and Environmental Geosciences
KY House District #
81
KY Senate District #
6
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Dr. Haley Cabaniss
Department
Physics Geosciences and Astronomy
Abstract
A curated fossil collection is an extraordinary resource for a university that may be used to spark interest through outreach, education, and research for students, faculty, and the community at large. In 2019, amateur paleontologist, Richard Puchstein, posthumously donated an impressive collection of vertebrate and invertebrate fossils to Eastern Kentucky University. Unfortunately, the collection was donated in a mostly uncurated state, requiring extensive work in fossil identification, organization and proper fossil preparation to preserve it for continued use. This work describes the process by which this collection is being curated for Eastern Kentucky University and beyond.
Archives and Outreach: a Look into Revamping a Fossil Collection
A curated fossil collection is an extraordinary resource for a university that may be used to spark interest through outreach, education, and research for students, faculty, and the community at large. In 2019, amateur paleontologist, Richard Puchstein, posthumously donated an impressive collection of vertebrate and invertebrate fossils to Eastern Kentucky University. Unfortunately, the collection was donated in a mostly uncurated state, requiring extensive work in fossil identification, organization and proper fossil preparation to preserve it for continued use. This work describes the process by which this collection is being curated for Eastern Kentucky University and beyond.