THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE presents

DINOSAURS, MOUNTAINS, AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH

Dinosaurs Demystified: The Science Behind the Story
August 15-21, 2009

Come join us as we explore classic geological sites in the Montana Rockies where you will:

• Learn how to reconstruct Earth's history via hands-on field experiences
• Discover the amazing power of plate tectonics and the links between plate tectonics and dinosaur paleoecology.
• Familiarize yourself with the incredible dinosaur record of Montana (it doesn't get any better)
• Experience the thrill and satisfaction of finding your own fossils from a dinosaur area
• Immerse yourself in the geological wonders of the natural world

Indiana University Geologic Field Station located in the Tobacco Root Mountains

An outdoor interactive learning and travel experience in Montana

Do you have an adventurous spirit? Do you enjoy learning through self-discovery guided by experts? Have you wanted to experience free-flowing natural history instruction while trekking through basins and the foothills of majestic mountain ranges? Would you like to take an overnight camping excursion to a classic dinosaur fossil collecting locality? If so, plan to join friends and patrons of the Houston Museum of Natural Science in taking advantage of this unique vacation educational opportunity.

The group will spend the first three days at the Indiana University Geologic Field Station located in an idyllic setting near the core of the Tobacco Root Mountains in southwestern Montana about 60 miles from Bozeman . This facility has been the summer home to over 6000 students, faculty, and research scientists since its construction began in 1949. It is considered by many to be one the finest facilities of its kind in the world, in part because of the remarkable diversity of its geological setting. The group will depart from the Field Station in mid-week to visit classic dinosaur localities in central Montana, returning to Bozeman on the last day to visit the famous Museum of the Rockies, one of the best dinosaur museums in the world.

Registration

Enrollment will be limited to 20 adults on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration fee of $3250 covers the cost of all travel upon arrival in Bozeman, including transport from the Bozeman airport to the Field Station, lodging (7 nights), and meals (19) for the entire week of the course. Gratuities are not included.

Tobacco Root Mountains

Faculty

Dr. Kristi Curry Rogers (Ph.D. '01, Stony Brook University) is the Curator of Paleontology at the Science Museum of Minnesota. She is also Adjunct Professor in Geology at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. Kristi's dinosaur research began in Montana while she was an undergraduate at Montana State University, and today her studies span the globe. She is an expert on dinosaur growth and a specialist on the long-necked sauropod dinosaurs. Her work has been featured on PBS, the BBC and the Discovery Channel. She is one of a very few women who specialize in dinosaur paleontology .

Dr. Ray Rogers (Ph.D. '95, University of Chicago) is the Chair of the Geology Department at Macalester College. He is also Adjunct Professor in Geology at the University of Minnesota, and a Research Associate of the Field Museum of Natural History and the Science Museum of Minnesota. He too began his dinosaur research in Montana while working on his M.S. degree at the University of Montana. He is an expert on how dinosaurs lived and died, and how they became fossils. His research on the nature of the dinosaur fossil record and dinosaur paleoecology has taken him around the world. His work has been featured on PBS, the Discovery Channel, and most recently in Scientific American.

Dr. Lee J. Suttner (Ph.D. '67, University of Wisconsin) is Emeritus Professor of Geological Sciences at Indiana University. Before retiring he was Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He has received the National Association of Geoscience Teachers highest teaching award and Indiana University' s distinguished President' s Award for teaching, largely because of the reputation he gained during over 35 years of teaching geology in the field while Associate Director and then Director of the Indiana University Geologic Field Station. He also has received multiple best-paper awards for his publications on tectonic and climatic controls on sedimentation associated with the growth of mountains.

Educational Program

Day 1-- Participants will be met at the Bozeman airport and brought to the Indiana University Geologic Field Station. Following dinner we will set the scene for the week's activities.

Day 2--Have you ever wondered exactly where the only record of over 4.5 billion years of Earth history exists? The answer is the Earth's rocks and landforms. Consequently, the rocks and landforms can be viewed as a gigantic library of history books. This day will be a primer on how to access this remarkable library, and how to record information gathered in this natural library on maps and cross-sections. It will be based on a 5-6 hr, ~1 km long hike through moderate relief terrain. In the evening we will survey the history of life on Earth, with a special focus on the place of dinosaurs in this history.

Day 3--How do major mountain ranges grow? Processes within the interior of the earth manifest themselves though movement of crustal plates that cause deformation of the Earth's surface. Day 2 will be devoted to a second 5-6 hour, ~2km long traverse in which information gathered at a number of outcrops and systematically recorded on a map will gradually reveal the existence of a truly spectacular product of plate tectonic deformation. Participants who like to play detective and solve puzzles based on scattered evidence, all the while surrounded by elegant scenery, will surely enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime learning experience---one that will lead to an in-depth understanding and appreciation of grandeur of plate tectonics. In the evening we will learn how plate tectonics influenced the history of dinosaurs in Montana.

Day 4--How do paleontologists know where to find fossils, and how are fossil collecting expeditions planned and executed? On this day we will spend the morning at mammal fossil collecting localities within an hour's drive of the Field Station. Participants will learn how to collect and identify fossils, learn about their preservation and how to put them in their geological context. After lunch in the field we will drive three hours north for our evening stay at the 7 Lazy P Deep Canyon Guest Ranch in the heart of majestic Teton Canyon 25 miles west of Choteau. The evening will be devoted to a showing of the video, Jurassic Park, and a discussion of the science (and non-science) behind its story.

Day 5--Did dinosaurs care for their young? Most of this day will be devoted to a casual traverse of remarkable Egg Mountain near Teton Canyon, one of the world's most famous dinosaur localities, and the area where this question was first explored. In the late 1970's and 1980's, as part of the "Dinosaur Renaissance," Jack Horner's discoveries of dinosaur nests, eggs, babies and bone beds here prompted a revision in how we view dinosaurs today. Following conclusion of our field study we will drive about 1.5 hours to our hotel in Great Falls, home of legendary western artist and cowboy, Charles Russell. We will celebrate our exciting day of dinosaur study at a private dinner at the C.M. Russell Museum.

Day 6--What is dinosaur paleontology like in the 21st century? On day 6 we will travel three hours east into the Missouri Breaks of central Montana. The Missouri Breaks are rich in history--Lewis and Clark passed through these famous cliffs, the first dinosaur fossils recovered in North America were found here in the 1850's, and the 80,000 acres of badlands surrounding the Missouri River contain one of the best records of dinosaur ecosystems in the world. Both of the Rogers conduct research every summer in the Missouri Breaks, much in the way that their 19th century precursors did. Participants will have an opportunity to contribute to our understanding of dinosaur biology, fossilization, and environments through collection of fossils at a real, working research locality. The day will conclude with a cook-out at a vista overlooking the Missouri Breaks. Overnight camping at the site also will be available for those who choose to do so.

View of the Missouri Breaks during a summer storm, 2003

Day 7--On our last full day together we will begin bright and early with breakfast at the Winifred Tavern and Café, where, as they say, "the pavement ends and the fun begins," before driving back to Bozeman. Participants will have time to relax and shower before spending the balance of the afternoon on a guided tour, including behind-the scenes in the Museum of the Rockies. We will have a private farewell dinner at the Museum.

Day 8--Transportation to the Bozeman airport will be provided by our hotel.

Health Requirement

You should be in relatively good physical shape and comfortable sleeping in modest accommodations if you decide to register for this program. This will be a physically vigorous experience, even though the traverses will be leisurely and not cover great distances. Because the program is virtually all field-based, instruction in the field will take place rain or shine. The accommodations at the Station are comfortable but rustic; most of the participants will be housed in small cabins with heaters, but lacking any plumbing. Showers and bathrooms are within a 1-2 minute walk, however. Blankets, sheets and pillow cases will be provided, but a sleeping bag will be needed if you opt to camp out one evening while on the trip to central Montana. Coin washers and dryers will be available.