When I was young, My father got me into rock and fossil hunting. I remember when he took me and my younger brother to Big Brook, to hunt for fossils.
When we went it was raining and my father brought my mother’s good colander to sift through the sediments at the bottom of the brook with. When we returned with colds and a dirty colander, my mother was none too pleased.
But we did return with a huge bag of fossils. Besides a lone shark’s tooth, our haul consisted mostly of baculite moulds. Dark amber and pen-shaped, they were created from the fossilized sediments that once filled the shells of these now extinct squid.
When it came time to go to college and think about a career, I decided to explore one in Paleontology. Of course, there were no Bachelor’s of Science (B.S.) degree programs in Paleontology. I had to choose between a B.S. in Geology or Biology and then follow it with either a Master’s or PhD in Paleontology. So, I chose to attend Rutgers University in New Brunswick, working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Geology while taking additional coursework in Biology.
While taking classes, I got a job at the Rutgers Geology Museum (RGM). My boss at RGM, then introduced me to the Curator of Natural History at the New Jersey State Museum (NJSM) in Trenton. Before long, I was volunteering at the NJSM, as well as.
At the NJSM, I manned the museum’s “Working Scientist” exhibit, which involved me preparing the bones of a mosasaur skeleton, in full view of the public. I answered questions from visitors, while I worked on the mosasaur. And I loved every minute.
The next two summers, I did Field Work in South Dakota and New Mexico and after my graduation from Rutgers, I returned to South Dakota to intern at Badlands National Park, in Interior.
Unfortunately, my grades weren’t good enough to get into a Master’s Program. So, I audited some graduate level courses in the hopes of working my way into a program, but the experience was less than encouraging. While I loved the subject area, a life writing papers and begging for grant money wasn’t really what I wanted and the deeper I got into the world of Paleontology, the less I liked it. There was an unfortunate trip to Chicago that made it very clear to me, I was moving in the wrong direction.
I realized that what I really loved was museum work, so I pivoted. I don’t regret the time I spent exploring paleontology. Honestly, I had some amazing experiences, I’ll never forget. And those amazing experiences, looked great on my resume, helping me land an amazing job at the National Air and Museum.
-Jen, aka. “Power Chair Dorothy”
Not in Kansas Anymore 