by Rich Bex (@richard-bex)
The 2019 North American Paleontological Convention (NAPC) was a memorable experience. Before joining the FOSSIL Project, I never thought I would have the privilege to attend, let alone present at a conference of that magnitude. During my time with the FOSSIL Project, I have had the opportunity to meet and converse with members of the paleontological committee through many of the events that FOSSIL has hosted or been a part of, as well as through social media as part of the FOSSIL Project social media team. Through NAPC, I had a chance to reconnect with many of our community members as well as meet many members of the paleontological community that I may never have met otherwise.
As many of my colleagues have probably stated, the conference had many high points. There were incredible keynote speeches, informative sessions, and well-run workshops. For me, the most memorable part during my five days at NAPC, was the symposium which focused on the past, present, and future of the FOSSIL Project. I felt very lucky when I was offered the chance to join the project two years ago. For me, it was incredible hearing the discussions of their experiences with the project and what the project meant to them. Hearing their stories, gave me a sense of accomplishment because it made it seem like we had made a real impact on the paleontological community.