Congratulations to our 2021 slate of distinguished Paleontology Society Fellows!

As Editor in Chief of the Paleontological Society’s Book/Journal Elements of Paleontology, I wanted to draw your attention to two recently published articles that highlight the breadth of Elements as well as highlight some of the publishing capabilities of the series.  Elements is more than just a series for the Paleontological Society Short Course Notes.  It publishes longer articles on a variety of paleontological topics including education and outreach in paleontology, stratigraphy, taxonomy and paleontological methods and techniques, to name a few.  As always, we are looking for content.  Feel free to contact me concerning ideas for new elements and edited volumes. 

The Stratigraphic Paleobiology of Nonmarine Systems by Steven Holland, University of Georgia; Katharine M. Loughney, University of Michigan 

This paper reviews issues surrounding the interplay of sequence stratigraphy and the fossil record in terrestrial settings 

The Paleontological Society Ethics Committee is pleased to present its second annual report to Society members about its activities and investigations conducted in association with the PS Policy on Non-Discrimination and Member Code of Conduct.

Development of a Reciprocity Agreement with GSA

Please join us for a student-led social hour aimed at connecting the paleontology student community. Furthermore, we hope to create a space that allows open dialog between students and committee members of the Paleontological Society (PS). During this social hour we will have a break-out room, hosted by a PS Student Representative, dedicated to students who wish to meet and chat with other students. Additional break-out rooms will be hosted by a committee member from the Development Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as a program coordinator for PaleoConnect. This social hour is an opportunity to connect, network and seek support from peers. It is also an opportunity to voice ideas, feedback, and concerns with committee members as well as volunteer to help with initiatives that you are passionate about.

The social hour will be on Tuesday April 27th at 2pm PST. If you are interested, please sign up here to receive the zoom link: Sign-up

AWG & Paleontological Society Undergraduate Excellence in Paleontology Award

Given the short time frame for obtaining and sending the documents required to apply for the Paleontological Society and Association for Women Geoscientists Winifred Goldring Award and the AWG Undergraduate Excellence in Paleontology Award, the committee reviewing applications will continue to accept applications until April 30, 2021.

The Association for Women Geoscientists and the Paleontological Society are pleased to announce the AWG Undergraduate Paleontology Award. The award, which consists of a $1000 cash prize and membership in the Paleontological Society and AWG for the tenure of the awardee’s schooling, will be presented to an outstanding female undergraduate student pursuing a career in paleontology.

Mary Anning Rocks Initiative

Please join us for a student-led social hour aimed at connecting the paleontology student community. Furthermore, we hope to create a space that allows open dialog between students and committee members of the Paleontological Society (PS). During this social hour we will have a break-out room, hosted by a PS Student Representative, dedicated to students who wish to meet and chat with other students. Additional break-out rooms will be hosted by a committee member from the Development Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as a program coordinator for PaleoConnect. This social hour is an opportunity to connect, network and seek support from peers. It is also an opportunity to voice ideas, feedback, and concerns with committee members as well as volunteer to help with initiatives that you are passionate about.

The social hour will be on Friday February 26th at 8am PST. If you are interested, please sign up here to receive the zoom link: Sign-up

The Paleontological Society is looking for an interested individual to take on the role of North-Central Section Chair.

Interested graduate students may apply, and we invite you to ask your faculty members and/or post-docs within the North-Central universities and colleges who may be interested in the position for the next three (3) years. Below is the relevant information from the PS Operations Manual:

Level: BS/BA, MS/MA, Ph.D.

The Paleontological Society will support one of its student members to work as an intern with the American Geosciences Institute in summer 2021. The intern will take on substantive work while at AGI with a focus on the intersection of policy and the concerns and impacts on the paleontological community, with topics such as land access, specimen preservation, or any other topics pertinent to the Paleontological Society. The internship will focus on a policy-related project with interns expected to produce policy-maker accessible materials, such as Geoscience Currents, reports, factsheets, and articles for publication in AGI Member Society publications. The specific project topic and scope will be developed cooperatively between AGI staff, Paleontological Society representatives, and the intern.

The Paleontological Society is soliciting nominations for the 2021–2023 Student Representative! The new representative will serve a two year terms that overlaps with our current Student Rep Jeanette Pirlo.

What do the Student Representatives do?
Student Representatives serve as voices for student needs in the Society and play leading roles in student activities including organizing student events at the Geological Society of America Conference. Student Representatives are further encouraged to develop and lead new student initiatives. In this role, students gain knowledge of the inner-workings of an international organization and experience in professional service.

Dear Members of the Paleontological Society:

Greetings to all during this holiday season!  We wish for you a continuation of safe practices during your celebrations, and we join with you in the hope for emergence from this pandemic soon.

One of the most important endeavors members of groups underrepresented in STEM can undertake is finding their community of support. The Paleontological Society recognizes the importance of inclusion and belonging and nurturing scientists throughout their career paths. We now offer conference grants to support our members’ participation in the annual conferences of SACNAS (The National Diversity in STEM Conference) and the National Association of Black Geoscientists.

With this announcement, the Paleontological Society is offering conference grants to help offset the expenses of PS members from underrepresented and/or at-risk groups to participate in the SACNAS 2020 annual conference. Note that the 2020 SACNAS will be held online.