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  • Jennifer Bauer posted an image in the group Group logo of University of Michigan Museum of PaleontologyUniversity of Michigan Museum of Paleontology from the myFOSSIL app 4 years, 5 months ago

    4 years, 5 months ago
    4 years, 5 months ago

    To start my first #DayOfScience I wanted to start by answering what a collection manager actually… manages. This will vary between institution and position but is generally true. Most facilities have many cabinets of fossils, check out some of my awesome compact-able cabinets! The foundations of a collection manager position are with cataloging, imaging, and properly storing fossil specimens.

    We also share specimens with others, this is often in the form of loans. If a researcher is interested in my fossils but lives pretty far away, I can ship them to that person so they can look at them in their own facility. Loans are commonly for a year long period and then they must be returned. If the interested parties are close they can come visit. Last week I had two researchers interested in using clams to think about seasons in the Pliocene (~5.3-2.58 million years ago). I helped them find formations of interest in our stratigraphic collection and loaned them a few clams to test their ideas.

    I also spend time sharing my knowledge and interacting with the local community. Later today, I’ll have an aspiring paleontologist coming to show me some fossil brachiopods she found near her home. I also attend the local fossil club meetings, which is where you will find experts on the local rocks and fossils of the area. #fossil #event