Papers by Michael Holland
Geological Curator
In November and December of 2008, the National Museum of Natural History hosted a training course... more In November and December of 2008, the National Museum of Natural History hosted a training course for instruction of paleontological preparation methods in order to build a large pool of volunteers for the FossiLab public exhibition. Through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's Committee, the Department of Paleobiology funded four weeks of intensive, hands-on training for a group of 29 volunteers in moulding, casting and fossil preparation methods. Contracted instructors worked with institutional staff to create a curriculum for training specific tasks, as well as to create general knowledge of preparation methods. Classes consisted of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on components. Instructors monitored the students throughout the instruction period, and concluded the programme with written and practical examinations. The instructors provided written evaluations for each student and presented recommendations for placement with specific tasks within the department. After the co...
In November and December of 2008, the National Museum of Natural History
hosted a training course... more In November and December of 2008, the National Museum of Natural History
hosted a training course for instruction of paleontological preparation methods in
order to build a large pool of volunteers for the FossiLab public exhibition.
Through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's Committee, the Department of
Paleobiology funded four weeks of intensive, hands-on training for a group of 29
volunteers in moulding, casting and fossil preparation methods. Contracted instructors
worked with institutional staff to create a curriculum for training specific tasks,
as well as to create general knowledge of preparation methods. Classes consisted
of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on components. Instructors monitored the students
throughout the instruction period, and concluded the programme with written
and practical examinations. The instructors provided written evaluations for each
student and presented recommendations for placement with specific tasks within
the department. After the conclusion of the programme students retained much of
their instruction and have gone on to successfully keep the preparation laboratory
staffed while preparing fossils for the visiting public.
The Smithsonian Institution, through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's
Committee, implemented ... more The Smithsonian Institution, through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's
Committee, implemented a programme during the fall and winter of 2008 to teach
the basics of mechanical fossil preparation, moulding and casting to individuals
seeking to work as volunteer preparators in the National Museum of Natural
History's exhibit preparation lab, called FossiLab. Four outside preparators were
contracted to conduct the instruction; two instructors taught two five-day sessions
on molding and casting and two other instructors taught two six-day sessions on
preparation. The Department of Paleobiology's (Paleobiology) curatorial staff
instructed the groups in paleobotanical preparation and microfossil processing and
picking. All instruction took place in FossiLab during public hours.
Registration for the programme was conducted via the department's web page where
a detailed description of the work and the lab familiarized prospective students with
the type of work they would be performing. They were also asked a series of selfevaluative
questions in an attempt to filter out those who might not have the innate
motor skills or temperament needed for the job. Those who were confident in their
decision to volunteer were interviewed in FossiLab, and the majority of those then
registered for the programme.
Twenty nine people, some new and some experienced, were trained. FossiLab is
now staffed each day by as many as six volunteer preparators who perform a variety
of tasks for Paleobiology. The number of weekly person-hours has tripled since
the training. Continued, focused training on individual projects is carried on by the
Vertebrate Paleontology Preparation Laboratory staff. Eighteen hours of videotape
was recorded during the training and will be edited and made available via DVD and
the internet.
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Papers by Michael Holland
hosted a training course for instruction of paleontological preparation methods in
order to build a large pool of volunteers for the FossiLab public exhibition.
Through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's Committee, the Department of
Paleobiology funded four weeks of intensive, hands-on training for a group of 29
volunteers in moulding, casting and fossil preparation methods. Contracted instructors
worked with institutional staff to create a curriculum for training specific tasks,
as well as to create general knowledge of preparation methods. Classes consisted
of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on components. Instructors monitored the students
throughout the instruction period, and concluded the programme with written
and practical examinations. The instructors provided written evaluations for each
student and presented recommendations for placement with specific tasks within
the department. After the conclusion of the programme students retained much of
their instruction and have gone on to successfully keep the preparation laboratory
staffed while preparing fossils for the visiting public.
Committee, implemented a programme during the fall and winter of 2008 to teach
the basics of mechanical fossil preparation, moulding and casting to individuals
seeking to work as volunteer preparators in the National Museum of Natural
History's exhibit preparation lab, called FossiLab. Four outside preparators were
contracted to conduct the instruction; two instructors taught two five-day sessions
on molding and casting and two other instructors taught two six-day sessions on
preparation. The Department of Paleobiology's (Paleobiology) curatorial staff
instructed the groups in paleobotanical preparation and microfossil processing and
picking. All instruction took place in FossiLab during public hours.
Registration for the programme was conducted via the department's web page where
a detailed description of the work and the lab familiarized prospective students with
the type of work they would be performing. They were also asked a series of selfevaluative
questions in an attempt to filter out those who might not have the innate
motor skills or temperament needed for the job. Those who were confident in their
decision to volunteer were interviewed in FossiLab, and the majority of those then
registered for the programme.
Twenty nine people, some new and some experienced, were trained. FossiLab is
now staffed each day by as many as six volunteer preparators who perform a variety
of tasks for Paleobiology. The number of weekly person-hours has tripled since
the training. Continued, focused training on individual projects is carried on by the
Vertebrate Paleontology Preparation Laboratory staff. Eighteen hours of videotape
was recorded during the training and will be edited and made available via DVD and
the internet.
hosted a training course for instruction of paleontological preparation methods in
order to build a large pool of volunteers for the FossiLab public exhibition.
Through a grant from the Smithsonian Women's Committee, the Department of
Paleobiology funded four weeks of intensive, hands-on training for a group of 29
volunteers in moulding, casting and fossil preparation methods. Contracted instructors
worked with institutional staff to create a curriculum for training specific tasks,
as well as to create general knowledge of preparation methods. Classes consisted
of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on components. Instructors monitored the students
throughout the instruction period, and concluded the programme with written
and practical examinations. The instructors provided written evaluations for each
student and presented recommendations for placement with specific tasks within
the department. After the conclusion of the programme students retained much of
their instruction and have gone on to successfully keep the preparation laboratory
staffed while preparing fossils for the visiting public.
Committee, implemented a programme during the fall and winter of 2008 to teach
the basics of mechanical fossil preparation, moulding and casting to individuals
seeking to work as volunteer preparators in the National Museum of Natural
History's exhibit preparation lab, called FossiLab. Four outside preparators were
contracted to conduct the instruction; two instructors taught two five-day sessions
on molding and casting and two other instructors taught two six-day sessions on
preparation. The Department of Paleobiology's (Paleobiology) curatorial staff
instructed the groups in paleobotanical preparation and microfossil processing and
picking. All instruction took place in FossiLab during public hours.
Registration for the programme was conducted via the department's web page where
a detailed description of the work and the lab familiarized prospective students with
the type of work they would be performing. They were also asked a series of selfevaluative
questions in an attempt to filter out those who might not have the innate
motor skills or temperament needed for the job. Those who were confident in their
decision to volunteer were interviewed in FossiLab, and the majority of those then
registered for the programme.
Twenty nine people, some new and some experienced, were trained. FossiLab is
now staffed each day by as many as six volunteer preparators who perform a variety
of tasks for Paleobiology. The number of weekly person-hours has tripled since
the training. Continued, focused training on individual projects is carried on by the
Vertebrate Paleontology Preparation Laboratory staff. Eighteen hours of videotape
was recorded during the training and will be edited and made available via DVD and
the internet.