The Paleontology Program at Albion
Paleontology is offerred as a Minor program for students majoring in an field. Most Paleontology minors are Geology or Biology Majors. The minor consists of several courses: GEOL 103: earth History; GEOL 209: Geochronology and Invertebrates Paleontology; GEOL 309: Vertebrate Paleontology; plus electives in biology or geology and independent study and fieldwork.
Contact Dr. Bartels (wbartels@albion.edu)
Dr. Bartels and Matt exhuming Fossil Crocodyllan
Profile: Matt Mahony ’11 collected fossil crocodyllan specimens in the Green River Basin of Wyoming and is doing a comparative morphologic study of different taxa associated with basin-center and basin-margin environments. He is writing a senior thesis and presenting his research at the Geological Society of America meeting in March, 2011. He plans to attend graduate school in geology.
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Other current and past student projects:
John Jacisin ’12,
John will be doing a field-based study on the sedimentary rocks and vertebrate fossils from the Eocene Bridger at Continental Peak in Wyoming. he will be studying the small amphibians, reptiles, and mammals from an interval about 15 million years after the extinction of dinosaurs.
Josh Sams ’12,
Josh is using GIS technology to study the distribution of corals and bryozoans growing on the shells of Devonian brachiopods. His research this summer will be supported by the Albion College Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA).
Allison Neuman excavating fossils at the top of Continental Peak, Wyoming.
Allison Neumann ’10,
Senior Thesis: “Systematics and Taphonomy of Microvertebrate Faunas from the Early Eocene of the Pinnacles, Green River Basin, Wyoming.” Allison is now a graduate student studying paleontology at the University of Calgary.
Melissa Light ’10, Senior Thesis: “Evolution and Systematics of the Eocene Alligator Procaimanoidea.” Melissa is now a graduate student studying paleontology at the University of Miami, Ohio.
There's lots of money in paleontology!
Amanda Millhouse ’07,
Senior thesis: “Morphometric Analysis of Emydid Turtles from the Eocene of South Pass, Wyoming.”