I was part of a team that excavated megalonyx fossils and digitized the fossils to understand the fossilization history. We also radiocarbon-dated the fossils to see if it was different from the ones that were already on display. Our work will be part of classroom experiences and online media.

I gained an understanding of how the world works inside my major. It is a competitive job market where only the most talented of individuals can succeed. I lacked experience and the proper knowledge to succeed. When I first tried to get internships involving paleontology, I was rejected from multiple institutions because I hadn’t taken any classes that they looked for or I didn’t stand out enough in the crowd of hundreds of other applicants. But I did not give up. I used my connections within the university to land a position that would help me boost my standing within my field. With this newfound knowledge, I can be better prepared to promote myself to institutions outside of the university.

The main interaction that helped me during my STEP Signature Project was with my Professor, Loren Babcock. He helped guide me through the process of what he does and how he does it. I’ve known Loren for a little over a year now and he has helped me numerous times. He explains things that I want to know with great detail and although he is a very busy man, he always finds time to help me out and guides me along the path I want to take. He offered me a job to help him with a project with the megalonyx that I plan on expanding into with my thesis in the future.

The work I’ve done during this project helped prepare me for other jobs outside the university. I have done work that professionals in my field typically do such as excavation and 3-D modeling. I believe the most important part of preparing for my career is to get hands-on experience and that’s precisely what I’ve done. Although I should get more hands-on experience, as much as I possibly can to get ready, the work I’ve just done is an important first step.

My role in this internship also has an important part that has to do with more than myself. The job I’ve done will be used to help public education. The 3-D models that I helped produce will be available to the public to use in educational programs and if they want to, they could 3-D print the models to put on display or have the chance to physically feel a fossil that otherwise could be inaccessible for them. To help other people learn as much as possible, that is one of my goals in life.

This development in my life matters because it got me closer to my goals in life. With this experience, I am even more motivated to do well in my academic career. I want to do well in my classes to boost my standing among my peers and be more valuable in the job market. If I do well in school, then I can achieve my lifetime goal of becoming a paleontologist, and cross off my academic, personal, and professional goals. My plan because of this development is to go to graduate school and get my master’s degree. I am not sure where I want to go yet, but I know how to get there.