REU Alumni and Accomplishments

   Click for Current Contact Information

   2006 Project Participants     2005 Project Participants    2004 Project Participants


2006 Project results

(submit updates to bodenbender@hope.edu )

Presentations (* denotes undergraduate author)

Anderson*, A. K., A. L. Bylsma*, M. D. Etter*, C. J. Gray*, R. I. Ochoa*, S. D. Pels*, D. J. Riese*, K. P. Stack*, K. A. Walton*, and M. A. Wismer*.  2006.  Taphonomy and paleoenvironmental analysis of the Red Canyon Ranch dinosaur site, Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Shell, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(7): 355.  (Presented at Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, October, 2006.)

Educational outreach

July 20-22, 2006 (MDE, SDP, KPS, MAW, BEB, MDU) – Open access fossil preparation, visited by more than 900 museum patrons, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

July 18, 2006 - (AKA, ALB, MDE, CJG, RIO, DJR, KPS, KAW, BEB, TMD) Brown Bag presentation for 9 REACH high school summer research participants, Hope College.

Knapp, Lisa.  "Students get look at fossils."  Holland Sentinel, 19 July 2006, p. A5. (http://hollandsentinel.com/stories/071906/local_20060719021.shtml - free registration required)

Funding for continued research

Kara Walton - NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, West Virginia University: $1,000

2005 Project results

Presentations (* denotes undergraduate author)

Bodenbender, B. E., T. M. Demko, and M. D. Uhen.  2005.  An REU enables intensive and extensive multidisciplinary field research: the example of an Upper Jurassic dinosaur site in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(7): 491.  (Presented at Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, October 19, 2005.)

Cartwright*, A. M., T. M. Demko, B. E. Bodenbender, and G. F. Peaslee.  2006.  Rare Earth Element comparison of vertebrate assemblages in the Morrison and Cloverly Formations.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(7): 355.  (Presented at Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, October, 2006.)

Cartwright*, A. M., T. P. Cleland*, S. F. Derby*, E. E. Ergas*, H. I. Fay*, K. M. Loughney*, J. A. Riedel*, M.K. Rocheford*, C. L. Scott*, and K. L. Skaggs*.  2005.  Aspects of the paleontology and stratigraphy of the lower Triassic-lower Cretaceous strata of the eastern Bighorn Basin, WY.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(7): 302.   (Presented at Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, October 17, 2005.)

Cartwright*, A. M., T. P. Cleland*, S. F. Derby*, E. E. Ergas*, H. I. Fay*, K. M. Loughney*, J. A. Riedel*, M.K. Rocheford*, C. L. Scott*, and K. L. Skaggs*.  2005.  Aspects of the paleontology and stratigraphy of the lower Triassic-lower Cretaceous strata of the eastern Bighorn Basin, WY.  (Poster presentation at SURSCA: Society for Undergraduate Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities, University of Wisconsin River Falls, November 10, 2005.)

Derby*, S. F.  2006.  An investigation of microvertebrates in the Morrison and Cloverly Formations near Shell, Wyoming.  Hope College 5th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance, Abstracts: 30.  Presented at Holland, Michigan, January 27, 2006.

Derby*, S. F., B. E. Bodenbender, and T. M. Demko.  2006.  An investigation of microvertebrates in the Morrison Formation near Shell, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(4): 67.  (Presented at North-Central Section Meeting, Akron, April 21, 2006.)

Ergas*, E. E., B. E. Bodenbender, and T. M. Demko.  2006.  Taphonomy of a sauropod quarry in the upper Morrison Formation, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(4): 62.  (Presented at North-Central Section Meeting, Akron, April 21, 2006.)

Loughney*, K. M., T. M. Demko, and B. E. Bodenbender.  2006.  Paleoenvironmental and depositional setting of two dinosaur bone-bearing quarries in the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(4): 75.  (Presented at North-Central Section Meeting, Akron, April 21, 2006.)

Rocheford, K.*, C. L. Mathisrud*, T. M. Demko, and G. R. Upchurch, Jr.  2006.  Reconstructing the late Jurassic paleoenvironment through chronostratigraphic correlation of Morrison Formation subsurface well logs, outcrops, and fossil bearing layers in the eastern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 38(7): 356.  (Presented at Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, October, 2006.)

Educational outreach

July 21-23, 2005 (AMC, EEE, JAR, KML, BEB, MDU) – Open-air fossil preparation, visited by more than 150 museum patrons, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Aug. 9, 2005 (BEB) – Lab visit and presentation on dinosaur research for 20 home school students and parents.

Aug. 31, 2005 (TMD, AMC, SJK, EJS) – Open-air fossil preparation at the Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, MN.

Nov. 16, 2005 (AMC) – Presentation on fossils for 20 1st graders, Congdon Park Elementary, Duluth, MN.

Jan. 12, 2006 (AMC) - Presentation on fossils for three classes of 8th graders, Esko High School, Esko, MN

Jan. 12, 2006 (AMC) - Presentation on fossils and college science opportunities for four classes of 10th graders, Esko High School, Esko, MN

Jan. 19, 2006 (BEB) - Lab visit on dinosaur research for 24 senior citizens, Freedom Village, Holland, MI.

Jan. 26, 2006 (BEB) - Lab visit on dinosaur research for 15 8th graders and 1 teacher, Holland Christian Schools, Holland, MI.

Curricular impacts

GES 295: Fossil Identification and Interpretation, Hope College.

GEMS 201: Evolution of Dinosaurs, Hope College.

2 independent research students, Hope College.

2 summer research students, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Funding for continued research

Alyson Cartwright - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota Duluth: $1,700

Alyson Cartwright - Reactor Sharing grant award (sponsored by Department of Energy), The University of Missouri Research Reactor Center: $2,400

Sean Derby - Geological Society of America North-Central Section travel grant: $140

Emmanuel Ergas - Nassau Fund Undergraduate Research Grant, Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, University of Pennsylvania: $750

Emmanuel Ergas - Geological Society of America North-Central Section travel grant: $140

Katie Loughney - Geological Society of America North-Central Section travel grant: $140

Kat Rocheford - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University of Minnesota Duluth: $3,400

Crystal Scott - Undergraduate Research Grant, North Central Section of the Geological Society of America: $300

Crystal Scott Mathisrud - "Dispersed Plant Cuticle of the Jurassic Morrison Formation from the Big Horn Basin, WY," USDA/CAFES Summer Research Experience, University of Wisconsin River Falls: $3,000

2004 Project results

Publication

Bodenbender, B. E., and T. M. Demko.  2005.  Multidisciplinary field investigations: using shared logistics to increase research productivity.  CUR Quarterly 25(4): 156-161.
  

Presentations (* denotes undergraduate author)

Baar, E. E.*, M. Yonovitz*, T. M. Demko, and B. E. Bodenbender.  2005.  Description of paleosols in the Upper Jurassic Morrison and Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formations near a dinosaur site in the Bighorn Basin, WY.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(5): 33.  Presented at North-Central Section meeting, Minneapolis, May 19, 2005.

Demko, T. M., B. E. Bodenbender, E. E. Baar*, C. W. Holbrook*, S. J. Kubarek*, J. Murphy*, E. M. Ramirez*, J. E. Scott*, E. Swor*, M. Yonovitz*, E. C. Clites*, and C. J. Thomason*.  2004.  Paleoenvironmental analysis of a Morrison Formation dinosaur site, Bighorn Basin, WY: conducting an interdisciplinary field study through disciplinary tasks.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 36(5):233.  Presented at Annual Meeting, Denver, November 8, 2004.

Kubarek, S.*, E. Swor*, E. Ramirez*, B. E. Bodenbender, and T. M. Demko.  2005.  Taphonomy, taxonomy, and anatomy of sauropod and theropod dinosaur remains from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation near Shell, WY.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(5): 33.  Presented at North-Central Section meeting, Minneapolis, May 19, 2005.

Murphy, J. C.*, E. C. Clites*, T. M. Demko, and B. E. Bodenbender.  2005.  Fluvial sedimentology and plant taphonomy of a dinosaur site and associated strata, Upper Jurassic Morrison and Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formations, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(5): 32.  Presented at North-Central Section meeting, Minneapolis, May 19, 2005.

Scott, J.*, C. W. Holbrook*, T. M. Demko, and B. E. Bodenbender.  2005.  Development of a stratigraphic column and geologic map of a Morrison Formation dinosaur site, Bighorn Basin, WY.  Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 37(5): 32.  Presented at North-Central Section meeting, Minneapolis, May 19, 2005.

Thomason, C.*  2005.  Microprobe analysis of apatite in dinosaur bone.  Hope College 4th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance, Abstracts: 18.  Presented at Holland, Michigan, January 20, 2005.

Educational outreach

July 29-31, 2004 (EJS, SJK, EMR, BEB, MDU) – Open-air fossil preparation, visited by more than 250 museum patrons, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Sept. 17-19, 2004 (BEB) – Created the exhibit, “Dinosaur Fossils from the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming,” for the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Show, Holland Civic Center, Holland, Michigan.

Sept. 25, 2004 (BEB) Radio interview, WFUR-FM, Holland, Michigan.

Nov. 4, 2004 (BEB) – Hope College Science Day presentation, “Dinosaurs, so what?”, to 40 high school students.

Feb. 15, 2005 (BEB) – Presented on fossils to 25 1st graders, Vanderbilt Charter Academy, Holland, Michigan.

May 11, 2005 (BEB) – Presented on paleontology to 20 1st graders, West Elementary, Coopersville, Michigan.


Curricular impacts

GEMS 201: Evolution of Dinosaurs, Hope College.

1 independent research student, Hope College.

2 independent research students, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Funding for continued research

Sara Kubarek - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Grant, University of Minnesota Duluth: $5,100

Emily Swor - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Grant, University of Minnesota Duluth: $5,100