54-12 From Cataloging to Outreach: Giving New Life to an Old Collection

Session: New Approaches to Old Fossil Collections

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            Many university fossil catalogs have not been digitized, leaving physical catalogs as the only repository of locality and stratigraphic data. As a result, loss of these physical catalogs can present a serious issue. Such is the case of Wichita State University’s paleontology collection, for which the physical catalog is missing. Owing to the loss of the relevant identification data, most specimens in WSU’s collection have remained in storage. Recent efforts have been made to establish a new, digitized, catalog for the collection, ranging from ichnofossils to vertebrates. Cataloging efforts have been optimized for accessibility, including concise data that allows faculty and teaching assistants without a paleontological background to understand and utilize specimens.

            Owing to the loss of most original written records, many specimens in the WSU collection lack locality and stratigraphic data. With the stratigraphic context lost, the utility of these specimens for paleontological studies has been reduced. However, fossils without stratigraphic context can still have several applications. Anatomical and taphonomic features are retained, making these specimens excellent tools for teaching students the methods of paleontology. These fossils have also proven useful for public and student outreach. During the 2024-2025 academic year, several specimens were used for outreach events on the WSU campus. These events enhanced student engagement with geology and encouraged enrollment in entry-level courses. Accordingly, revisiting old collections and continuing to use specimens without stratigraphic data can provide benefits outside the lens of academic study.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9174

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