Dino Dig Summer Study Abroad
- Apr 9, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: May 4, 2025
Summary of the Story
Summer Study Abroad opportunity for University of Lynchburg students.
Grant funded program included
Studying paleontology, the study of history life on Earth through examination of bones and fossils
Insights provided from 2023 and 2024 trip participants
List of bones and fossils found
The Dino Dig study abroad led by Dr. Brooke Haiar is a grant funded program to Greybull, Wyoming where students have the opportunity to receive class credits and experiential learning how to dig for dinosaur bones.
University of Lynchburg students spend three weeks in June learning about paleontology, finding fossils millions of years old!
Paden Garrard ‘26, an environmental science major and 2023 trip participant, said,“I think it was one of the best experiences. It was my first study abroad and it was cool to do something completely unknown to me and learn about it.”
Here's a list of bones and fossils found during the 2023 and 2024 Dino Dig study abroad.
→ Femur and Tibia (Top three photos of grid. Top Left and middle photo provided by Rin Doering '25. Top right photo provided by Olivia Upton '25.)
→ Vertebrae (Bottom left photo of grid. Photo provided by Rin Doering '25.)
→ Scale Imprints (Bottom middle photo of grid. Photo provided by Rin Doering '25.)
→ Bone Fragments (Bottom right photo of grid. Photo provided by Olivia Upton '25.)
→ Marine Fossils
→ Trilobites
Along with digging in the summer, students had to complete a research project during the fall.
“For my project I was looking at different techniques to figure out what’s the best product to clean off the bone so it could go back to the Virginia Museum of Natural History located in Martinsville as a finished product,” said Caelinn Satterfield ‘24.
The trip provides opportunities for students to take away more than just digging for bones.
“Something that is important to understand about paleontology is that we have documents of diversity that existed long before us. The process we use to determine the data to solve a problem is very applicable in modern research that may be more relevant in today’s problems,” said Rin Doering ‘25, an environmental science and sustainability major and 2024 trip participant.
Cy Therrien ‘26, an environmental science major and 2024 trip participant said, “The trip provided a lot of hands-on experience in the field. The class that’s a part of it in fall did a lot of career wise skill building. Overall, I think it was helpful for the long term.”
For more information about the University of Lynchburg’s study abroad trips click the link!
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