Basics of Digital Preparation with Open Source Software*

Level: Basic

Leader: Anne Kort

CT scanning has become increasingly important in paleontology for preparation, research, and digital preservation. However, expensive software and a steep learning curve can prohibit newcomers from taking advantage of this versatile technology. In this workshop, we will teach participants how to process CT data from a beginner level using the free, open-source software package 3D Slicer. The resulting mesh can be used for a variety of methods like geometric morphometrics or finite element analysis, 3D printing, or sharing 3D data. 

Participants will learn:

·  Differences in formats of 3D data and how to choose a format,

·  How to load and resample CT data in Slicer,

·  Tools for segmenting CT data in Slicer, and

·  How to export a 3D mesh from Slicer.

Workshop Type: Hands-on

Maximum number of participants per session: 15

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 1

Centralizing Resources for Conservation-Grade Materials*

Level: Basic

Leaders: Christina Byrd, Amanda Millhouse, Vanessa Rhue

The preservation and conservation of fossil specimens is an important aspect of collections management and it is equally important to use materials that are stable and long lasting. While there are currently some online resources in existence, they are highly variable by type (e.g., publications, presentations, websites), content (e.g., focusing on specific materials), and/or ease of accessibility (e.g., paywalls, individual knowledge). Participants will review the different conservation-grade materials used in paleontology collections, centralize this information for easier reference, and discuss ways in which this information could be disseminated in the future (e.g. an online virtual glossary). 

Materials reviewed will include foam, paper, containers, adhesives, tools, and other supplies. Case studies will also be shared to demonstrate how these materials are used in different contexts. Through a group discussion, participants will help to draft a template for each material group as preparation for creating a visual glossary, including the scope of materials that will be covered, the type of information that should be shared about each material, and the website format. 

Workshop type: Roundtable

Maximum number of participants per session: 15

Duration of session: 1.5 hours

Number of sessions: 2

Conni's Crafting Corner: The Lindoe Technique**

Level: Basic

Leaders: Conni J. O'Connor, Shane Tucker

First described by Clive Coy and Allan Lindoe, the "Lindoe Technique" is a method of creating hyper-realistic replicas of very low-relief or no-relief specimens. A slightly modified technique was used to create and exhibit strikingly accurate replicas of plant and insect fossils from the Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado and the Kilgore Formation in Nebraska. Get your hands dirty and take home your own "fossil". Ideal for display, teaching, and hands-on activities without risking the original specimens.

Workshop Type: Hands-on

Maximum number of participants per session: 25

Duration of session: 1.5 hours

Number of sessions: 2

Forming and Applying Adhesive Films for Gap Fillers in Fossils**

Level: Basic

Leader: Stevie L. Morley 

It is not uncommon for fragments of fossilized remains to have become disassociated or lost during preservation, leaving voids during the reconstruction process. At times, it is advantageous to fill these voids to improve structural integrity, to protect fossils from dust and pests, and even for aesthetic purposes. A variety of methods have been used in paleontological preparation over the years to fill voids in fossil material (e.g. plaster, white glue, glyptal, archival paper). Each of these gap fillers represents the introduction of an additional material, which can be disadvantageous for research investigations. In all of these cases, the gap fillers are applied either directly to the fossil or, in better practice, over a separating layer of a removable archival adhesive. Films made from the same adhesive used during reconstruction and conservation of a specimen eliminates concerns about the introduction of additional materials or chemical signatures. While other gap fillers visually obscure the internal structures of the fossil, adhesive films do not. 

With several different bonding materials available on the market, the properties and stability of adhesives should be considered when selecting an adhesive. Paraloid B-72 is one of the most frequently used acrylic polymers. It is suitable as a consolidant used in murals and oil paintings, as well as a fixative for charcoal and chalk drawings (Whitten et al. 1997). It has a wide range of applications in the conservation of objects, such as glass, plastics, ceramics, wood, metals, fossils, bones and ivory (Koob 1986). Paraloid B-72 is appreciated for its mechanical properties, stability, ease of use, excellent adhesion, fast setting time, and reversibility. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum (LBTPM) Fossil Lab uses Paraloid B-72 in reconstruction and conservation, which led to investigating adhesive films as a gap filler. 

A trial was performed which tested the viability of filling voids for fossil bone reconstruction using adhesive films (Morley 2023). A suitable gap filler for LBTPM needed to address the following criteria: transparency, easy to create and apply, easy to remove, no introduction of additional materials, and to be economically feasible. Acrylic films, developed as described here, are nearly undetectable beyond their ability to reflect light, such that they vanish when photographed. Forming acrylic films is relatively simple after only brief practice, and application requires little time or effort. Strength tests were qualitative assessments of response to gentle pressure but all test films withstood tapping and pressing with a finger from underneath. 

Workshop Type: Hands-on

Maximum number of participants per session: 20

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 1

Storage Networking*

Level: Basic

Leader: Marilyn Fox

Many of us have been involved with housing or rehousing our collections and have therefore had a long-standing interest in materials and techniques for storage. Any number of presentations and websites have discussed materials and techniques for storage. A materials display exists with SVP and partially at AMMP. This display is carried from meeting to meeting, showing better and worse materials for storage of collections. As yet, there are few sites where these techniques are accessible in one place. One is STASHc - https://stashc.wpengine.com.

This roundtable will ask participants to bring a list of the materials and techniques in use in their collections. We will discuss our choices, and why those choices were made. Most often, cost is the greatest barrier in widespread changes in collection housing. Collections support grants or even small, incremental changes can eventually bring great improvements to collections storage.

AMMP has the possibility to become a central repository for Best Practices in specimen housing and training, this roundtable can be the beginning of that growth.

Workshop Type: Roundtable

Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 15

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 2