2024 Workshops and Collection Tours

Workshops and collection tours during the meeting are free with your registration for the Annual Meeting. However, you MUST register for these workshops by following the link you receive in your registration confirmation email. Spaces are limited!

Demonstration workshops, Roundtables, and Working Groups may be offered virtually as part of the hybrid format. Traditional hands-on workshops will only be offered in-person.

***Maximum participant numbers are based on a combination of fire code for the space and workshop/tour leader preferences. There will not be a waitlist. Attendance will be taken and non-registrants will be removed from the workshop/tour.***

After registration opens, this page will be updated daily to indicate which workshops are full.

*Hybrid (live in-person and virtual through Zoom on GatherTown website)

**In-person only

Basic Level Workshops

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

Intermediate Level Workshops

3D Scanning on a Budget: Digitizing Specimens in Three Dimensions Cheaply and Efficiently Using the Scaniverse App**

Level: Intermediate

Leader: Edward Chase Shelburne  

  • Specimen digitization continues to be a major priority for many collections for the purposes of conservation, data accessibility, and education. The value of three-dimensional (3D) digitization cannot be overstated, as it provides a complete visual record of the specimen unattainable through photography alone. However, expenses for the necessary scanning hardware, software, and proper training in their use still lie outside the budget of many smaller and underfunded institutions. Thankfully, as smartphone technology improves and the price of memory storage decreases, the cost of entry into fast and effective 3D digitization continues to drop as well. The purpose of this workshop is to teach participants an efficient 3D digitization workflow that can be performed for little to no cost using only an iPhone and computer.

    Participants will learn:

  • The basics of 3D scanning and modeling (principles, terminology, etc.),
  • How to establish an efficient workspace for 3D scanning,
  • How to set up a specimen safely and in a way that maximizes scanning efficiency,
  • How to use the free iOS application Scaniverse to digitize specimens,
  • How to clean and stitch 3D scans to create a single watertight 3D model using the free software MeshLab,
  • How to photograph specimens and overlay images onto 3D models using MeshLab,
  • How to save and store 3D models, and
  • How to export them to external viewers like Sketchfab.

  • This workshop will take participants from a raw, undigitized specimen to a fully complete 3D model using only free software. Participants will also learn several optional steps of improving images for texture overlay using Adobe Photoshop. Each participant will get hands-on experience digitizing a fossil specimen from scratch! Specimens will be provided, though you are encouraged to bring your own. 

    Participants must download the free iOS application Scaniverse from the App Store prior to beginning the workshop. Participants are REQUIRED to bring any one of the following Apple devices to fully engage in the workshop:

  • iPhone: • iPhone 14 / 14 Plus / 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max • iPhone 13 / 13 Plus / 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max • iPhone 12 / 12 Plus / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max • iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max • iPhone XR / XS / XS Max • iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) 
  •  iPad: • iPad (8th generation or later) • iPad Air (4th generation or later) • iPad Mini (5th generation or later) • iPad Pro 12.9” (3rd generation or later) • iPad Pro 11” (any generation)

If you do not own one of the above listed devices and still wish to participate, recognize that you will not be able to engage fully with the curriculum and can only follow along with the instructor using 3D scans provided to you. Additional Apple devices will not be provided. 

Workshop Type: Hands-on

Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 20

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 1

A Review of Basic Properties of Consolidates and Adhesives, with Hands-On Practical Tips for the Uses of Paranoid B-72 in Vertebrate Paleontology**

Level: Intermediate

Leaders: Gregory W. Brown, Marilyn Fox

Part 1: PowerPoint and discussion on basic principles and properties of commonly used adhesives and consolidants and related conservation principles, with an emphasis on Paraloid B-72. 

Part 2: Hands-on practical applications using Paraloid B-72 as an adhesive, consolidant and coating, with tips on its use in surficial reinforcement, archival numbering and other techniques. Efficient preparation of solutions, calculation of concentrations and viscosity, maximizing effective consolidant penetration and retention, manipulation of joins using heat or solvent, and safety considerations will all be covered. 

Listed as an intermediate level workshop, but entirely suitable for beginners as well. Participants will receive a workshop outline, copies of PowerPoint presentations, and copies of relevant publications. All materials, including safety glasses and gloves, will be provided.

Workshop type: Hands-on

Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 20

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 1

How to Create Stereophotos in Three (or More) Easy Steps**

Level: Intermediate

Leader: JP Cavigelli

Despite the burgeoning availability of creating rotatable three-dimensional models using photogrammetry, laser scanners and the like, there is still a role for stereophotography in paleontology. This workshop will cover quick and easy ways to make stereophotos, whether for research, publication, as prep aids for collections databases, or simply for fun. Techniques will include taking the photos with a camera or pocket computer and using easily available software to create the stereo image. Step by Step instructions will be given for using a few different softwares. Creating stereophotos of very small specimens using a microscope (stereo as well as single lens) will also be covered.

Workshop Type: Demonstration

Maximum number of participants per session: 10

Duration of session: 1.5 hours 

Number of sessions: 1

Intermediate to Advanced Moldmaking**

Level: Intermediate

Leaders: Carrie Herbel, Jeremy McMullin

This workshop is for participants who work in small labs/museums with minimal equipment. The participants should have basic molding and casting experience. Workshop components: hands-on molding techniques of jaws with obscure flash lines; small specimen research molding setups; discussion of techniques in construction of small 3-part molds; and tricks/shortcuts in moldmaking. Although there will be significant discussions on various molding rubbers, rubber will not be mixed in this workshop due to safety concerns.

Workshop Type: Hands-on

Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 15

Duration of session: 3 hours

Number of sessions: 1

Rotocaster Demonstration/Collections Tour**

Level: Intermediate

Leader: Adolfo Cuetara

Participants will learn the basics in design and engineering of a rotocasting machine, which builds hollow replicas with silicone rubber molds. A tour of the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre’s collections will be conducted after the demonstration.

    Workshop type: Demonstration

    Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 30

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 2

    Number of sessions: 1

    Solving a Challenge: Selenite-Encrusted Fossils**

    Level: Intermediate

    Leaders: Gerry Peters, Adolfo Cuetara

    The biggest challenge working with Manitoba Cretaceous marine fossils is the profusion of crystalized selenite/gypsum growing on the fossil surface, which dramatically affects the preservation and subsequent scientific research. This roundtable will ask participants to discuss which techniques are used in their collections for mitigating selenite on specimens during storage. Participants will have the opportunity to view mosasaur elements encrusted with selenite.

    Workshop type: Roundtable

    Maximum number of in-person participants per session: 25

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 1

    Advanced Level Workshops

    Preparation Literature Working Group*

    Level: Advanced

    Leader: Marilyn Fox

    Relevant literature exists for fossil preparation, although much of it comes from the field of conservation. This group will explore using existing literature when thinking about new techniques and when thinking about new materials, as well as ideas about how we can publish more within the field of preparation.

    Do you use existing literature? How do you search? What do you search for? What search terms do you use? How can we encourage people to do literature research?

    Are you familiar with any of these sites?

    How can we make our information available? How do we get people to publish more techniques? Where can we publish?
    • AMMP resources page - not set up yet, might not be peer-reviewed
    • Academia.edu - not peer-reviewed
    • SVP pages? - for presentations from SVP meetings
    • JVP - now seems to be accepting more techniques submissions
    • Geological Curator
    • SPNHC Collection Forum - published irregularly
    • Journal of Paleontological Techniques (JPT) https://www.jpaleontologicaltechniques.org/
    • Other ideas?

    What would be a good, achievable outcome for this working group?

    Workshop type: Working Group

    Maximum number of participants per session: n/a

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 1


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