Paleontology Academy - North Dakota

High school students joining Paleontology Academy North Dakota will immerse themselves in hands-on field paleontology at the Pioneer Trails Regional Museum (PTRM) in Bowman, North Dakota, exploring the fossil record at the KPg Extinction boundary, one of the most significant geologic intervals in Earth history. Under the guidance of PTRM paleontologist Dr. Emily Simpson, participants will prospect for and excavate fossils from the Hell Creek and Fort Union formations, working with material that spans the mass extinction that ended the age of dinosaurs. Students will help excavate a hadrosaur, search for plant, animal, and microfossil remains, and learn professional field techniques including site-mapping, note-taking, and fossil collections care. Collected specimens will become part of the active research and teaching collection at the Pioneer Trails Regional Museum. Students will also complete small comprehensive science communication projects, and sharing their camp discoveries with the local community.