School of Mines Breaks Ground on Paleontology Research Center -- Released April 7, 2009

Article Body

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology broke ground Tuesday, April 7, on the Paleontology Research Center, a project that will usher in the future for one the world's finest fossil collections.

Paleontology at the School of Mines has been an integral part of the university for more than 100 years. Currently, the Museum of Geology houses about 300,000 fossil specimens, one of the largest collections in the United States and some of the best scientifically documented in the world. The collections support education and research for the university's faculty, students and researchers around the world. The Center will serve as an important academic resource to the School of Mines paleontology master's program, the only one of its kind in the United States.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase the efforts of South Dakota paleontologists who are working with a world-class collection of fossil specimens," Gov. Mike Rounds said.

The 33,000-square-foot Paleontology Research Center will provide a safe, environmentally-controlled location for the Museum of Geology's fossil, geological and archival collections, assuring the protection of this rich heritage. In addition, the Center will house laboratories for the preparation, preservation and geochemical research involving the collections.

"This is not just a regional resource, it is a truly world-class collection, and is totally irreplaceable," Sally Shelton, Museum of Geology collections manager, said. "The new building will allow us a fantastic resource to show the collection in the way that it has always deserved. It will open up avenues that we're not even able to imagine right now."

The Center will provide a state-of-the art educational environment for faculty and students who will use the collections as a resource library to study the past to help answer current questions such as effects of climate change, overpopulation, invasive species and more. A key feature of the Center will be open viewing of the laboratories so the public can see the steps needed to take a fossil from the ground to a museum exhibit.

The School of Mines is dedicated to being a leader in 21st century education, and one way that is achieved is by providing students with the best facilities possible in which to learn," School of Mines President Robert A. Wharton said. "The Paleontology Research Center will be an invaluable resource that will allow both students and researchers to benefit from this world-class collection for many years to come."

#30#

High Resolution Images:

Paleontology Research Center Rendering