Apr 26, 2023 12:00 PM
John Westgaard, Paleontologist-MN Discovery Center
Hill Annex Paleontology Project and Examination of Cretaceous Minnesota.

 

Our presenter this week is John Westgaard, Paleontologist with MN Discovery Center.

 
John is the co-founder and Director of the Hill Annex Paleontology Project. He graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a BA in Psychology and a Biology Minor, briefly studying animal behavior. As a 30+ year resident of Saint Paul, Minnesota he has strong ties to the community. He raised his family in Saint Paul. John brings more than 20 years of museum experience with service at the Bell Museum of Natural History, Science Museum of Minnesota, and currently at the Minnesota Discovery Center. He spent 12 years as a volunteer in the Science Museum of Minnesota Paleontology Laboratory. In 2021, the Hill Annex Paleontology Project officially moved to its new home at Minnesota Discovery Center with John starting as the first official paleontologist. An active outdoorsman and naturalist, he enjoys spending his free time, relaxing at the family, cabin, gaming, or hiking. 
 
Hill Annex Paleontology Project
        Hill Annex Paleontology Project is a volunteer-initiated science research program examining the fossil evidence focused within the Late Crustaceous deposits of the Minnesota region. Founded in 2014 by Science Museum of Minnesota Paleontology volunteers under the direction of Science Museum of Minnesota Fitzpatrick Chair of Paleontology Bruce Erickson, in 2021, saw the culmination of a growing relationship with Minnesota Discovery Center. That year, the Project and it’s growing fossil collection officially moved to the new Iron Range home. Volunteer efforts still compromise the largest percentage of field work hours. Hill Annex Paleontology Project research programs argument their effort with considerable time spent on Outreach and Engagement programming through a variety of community channels.