FOSSIL Project Updates, Spring 2018

By Sadie Mills, FOSSIL Project Coordinator

Coming Soon- myFOSSIL Mobile App

We have begun the design of the myFOSSIL mobile app in partnership with our developer, Atmosphere Apps. The myFOSSIL app will allow users to upload and share photos in the field, as well as connect with groups, research projects, and more. Be on the lookout for the mobile app’s debut this summer.

Learn your Fossil ABCs on Instagram

Check out FOSSIL’s Instagram page to explore paleontology terminology from A to Z! We’re introducing a new fossil-themed term each Tuesday and Friday, and are including some great fossil facts too. Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/thefossilproject/ to join in on this geological and alphabetical social media adventure.

Website

The myFOSSIL.org homepage has a new look! Updates to the page include a scrollable Twitter feed, a focus on new forum posts, a featured fossil, and easy links to our social media pages. Thanks to Atmosphere Apps for putting together the welcoming new design.

Summative Evaluation

This March, we have been requesting feedback from the community as part of our summative evaluation, which we report to the National Science Foundation. Thank you to those who completed our survey, we truly appreciate your time and opinions. Our evaluator will next be contacting community members to get more in-depth feedback via telephone interviews. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kate Haley Goldman at [email protected].

FOSSIL Project Community Survey

FOSSIL at NARST 2018

This March, FOSSIL team members Kent Crippen, Lisa Lundgren, and Rich Bex attended the 2018 NARST International Conference. NARST is an international organization focused on using research to improve science education and learning. Lisa and Kent presented a poster of their research on FOSSIL’s social media, you can read more about their work here.

FOSSIL Team Members attend NSTA

FOSSIL team members Jeanette Pirlo and Victor Perez presented at the National Science Teachers Association 2018 National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Jeanette presented with iDigBio on using Natural History Collections in the classroom, and Victor gave a talk on using 3D-printed fossils to teach about Megalodon’s size. Bruce MacFadden, along with Florida Museum of Natural History graduate students Claudia Grant, Sean Moran, and Michael Ziegler, presented a workshop on using 3D-printed fossils to teach about the Great American Biotic Interchange.

Sean Moran presents about the Great American Biotic Interchange, focused on mammoths and mastodons

YouTube

FOSSIL graduate student assistant, MacKenzie Smith, has started a new series on the FOSSIL You Tube channel. Called “50 States of Fossils,” the series aims to help people get involved with fossil collecting around the United States.

FOSSIL You Tube 50 States series

Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt18MbS9hR6BjGK6yV_aI_A to watch the first episode!

Upcoming Activities

Fossil Equus skeleton on display at FLMNH

Dry Dredgers Talk

On April 27th, 2018, Bruce MacFadden and Jennifer Broo Sunderman will give a FOSSIL-sponsored talk to the Cincinnati Dry Dredgers entitled “Fossils horses, museum exhibits, and 3D learning in schools.”

Aurora Fossil Festival

This May, FOSSIL will travel to Eastern North Carolina to participate in the 2018 Aurora Fossil Festival. We will have a display table in the community center on Saturday the 26th, and plan to have a test version of our mobile app to show to visitors. We are also looking forward to seeing the other exhibitors and activities at the festival!

Research at the Belgrade Mine: Partnership between FOSSIL and SFAFM

FOSSIL, in partnership with the Special Friends of the Aurora Fossil Museum, is planning a research trip to the Belgrade Mine in order to collect rare extinct land mammals. Many thanks to the SFAFM and Martin Marietta for making this research and citizen science opportunity possible!

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