For the past 10 summers, IUP faculty member Jonathan Warnock has been traveling to the Utah desert to dig up dinosaur bones at Jurassic National Monument. The bones have been buried for roughly 150 million years, and discovering them can help the whole science community learn more about fields including ecology, geology, and zoology.
“We want to bring students to get the experience. We’ve had more than 100 people out to the quarry. It’s the most unique bone bed in the world.”
Warnock often brings students along to help them gain research experience. Undergraduate and graduate students have come to help with the excavation, which can sometimes take years to complete.
IUP is one of only two universities in the country that the US Bureau of Land Management has given rights to dig for dinosaurs on the property.
In this video, hear Warnock explain what he does—and why it’s important.
Learn more about the Department of Geography, Geology, Environment, and Planning.