Museum Academy - Missouri

This returning two-week program will get students learning the ins and outs of how to work in a university/museum paleontology research collection! Participants will engage with a curriculum focused on preparing them to succeed as research collection volunteers or paid assistants in college. This is one of the best ways for undergraduates to get their foot in the door working with faculty and graduate students in college, and is pathway many of our former students have successfully taken to find early opportunities to grow from. Skills and knowledge of fossil collections care and managements will also help prepare students for doing data-collection activities for research. Much of paleontological research involves knowing how to communicate with collections managers and conduct oneself in a professional, organized fashion while measuring fossil specimens. Students can expect time working in the fossil collection facilities as well as learning to use collection management software. Digital collection organization tools have become a crucial aspect of modern fossil specimen organization, both in museums and government land management agencies like the BLM and NPS. Participants will work with Univerity of Missouri graduate students and faculty in lessons and hands-on skill-building active learning projects.