Ogden’s George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is actively accepting volunteers to work in different departments of the park. For students with an interest in paleontology or another related earth science, the opportunity to volunteer at the park can be an incredible experience.
Education Director Jeff Bond has spent 25 years working in dinosaur labs, and wants to find others who share his passion for science. Bond is eager to create a unique learning experience for any individual who comes to volunteer at the park.
“I would really like to tailor the volunteer experience to what the volunteer wants to take out of it,” says Bond. “Since we’re still kind of a small program and we’re wanting to grow, I want to open up opportunities for people as much as possible so that they can take that experience where they want to go.”
Students who want to work directly on dinosaur bones can work in the lab at the park. Lab work usually consists of cleaning bones and removing them from the casing used for transport. Removal and cleaning of the bones is a very delicate process, and involves specific tools like drills and even toothbrushes.
“In the fossil lab, you’re going to want to learn a lot of the specialized skills of getting the bones out of the rock,” says Bond. “When you’re working on a fossil, you get to see something that no human eyes have ever seen before, when you remove the rock from it.”
The park has an education building for children and adults to come in and conduct real science experiments with help from staff. Different experiments include finding out why some fossils preserve better than others, and a simulated dinosaur skeleton cleaning. Volunteers can also work as a docent for the park, learning to be a guide and answer questions that people have along the way. Seasonal employment is also available.
“As far as volunteering goes, I would say that it’s going to be more rewarding for you the more you invest in it,” says Bond. “If you’re willing to invest the time, effort, and the imagination into it, this can be a richly rewarding experience.”
The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park sits on eight acres of land featuring over 100 dinosaur sculptures at the mouth of Ogden Canyon. For more information, including hours and rates, visit the official park website or reach out to Jeff Bond directly at jeff@dinosaurpark.org.
