The Dinosaur Science Museum at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) contains one of America's largest cretaceous fossil collections, with over 30,000 dinosaur bones excavated in Wyoming throughout the past two decades. A new one-day fossil preparatory course will make hands-on learning more accessible than ever before by enabling dinosaur enthusiasts to interact with these excavated fossils.

“My mission is to make paleontology accessible to everyone,” shares Dr. Jared Wood, associate professor of biology at SWAU and director of the Dinosaur Science Museum.  “Not everyone can travel with us to Wyoming, but anyone can set aside a day for exciting hands-on learning right here in Keene, Texas!”

Wanting to expand dinosaur research education offerings with optimal flexibility, Wood’s team developed a full day fossil preparatory course. The eight-hour course provides training in paleontology, excavation, preparation, preservation and curation. It is a rare opportunity to learn the science and process behind dinosaur excavation and preparation. 

While a person would ordinarily have to attend The Dig in Wyoming to receive this experience, Wood’s team has designed a program to bring The Dig to the participants and to tailor it to their age group. The program will be of interest to children enthusiastic about paleontology, high schoolers considering a career in biology, college students looking to build their resumes or retirees seeking a new hobby. 

“All dinosaur museums are fascinating, but I don’t want our visitors to just stare at displays. I want them to be involved in the research we do daily. Our new paleontology certification course will provide the public with these opportunities,” shares Wood. “This course is for anyone interested in dinosaurs!” 

This unique class experience will be limited to just eight individuals and participants will be grouped by age to ensure everyone receives a personalized and memorable experience during their local dig. Registration for the fall 2021 certification program is now open at swau.edu/dinosaurs/classes.