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Alison Park
Abridged CV

Alison at the microscope

Yorkshire Natural History Museum/
Neo Jurassica

Palaeo-Technician

  • Preparation for Neo Jurassica clients, examples of which can be found in my portfolio

  • Running of Neo Jurassica public lab sessions

  • Preparation and conservation of fossils from the Whitby Mudstone Group and White River Formation for the museum including treatment for pyrite decay

  • All preparation undertaken under microscope or magnifying lens

  • Tools used: Zoic Palaeotech Balaur, Chicago, Bronto, Velociraptor, Microraptor and Trilobite, Hardy Wrinkler 322 and 70, and Ken Mannion TT, ST, SL, AG grinder and DG grinder

Field Work
Cerney Wick, United Kingdom
August - September 2023

  • Field conservation lead on 2023 Cerney Wick excavation

  • Conservation and consolidation of Pleistocene and Jurassic fossils

Outreach

  • Assisted during school and scouting group visits to the museum

  • Ran workshops about fossilisation

Iziko South African Museums
Volunteership

Fossil Preparator
February - December 2022

  • Preparation of small to very small fossil specimens from the Beaufort Group, Karoo Supergroup, South Africa. Specimens included Permian synapsids and procolophonids, as well as Triassic cynodonts and even a fish

  • Working with different personalities, fields and work schedules to meet deadlines.

  • Tools used: ME 900, PaleoAro 2.0, MicroJack 5 and 2, Sugarbird and Aro-8315

Field Work
in the Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone (Beaufort Group, Karoo Supergroup), South Africa
October 2022

  • Primary responsibilities included distributing and maintaining field packs for collecting during the the expidition

  • Planning and coordinating logistics while in the field

  • Identification of vertebrate fossils in nodules as well as in situ in various matrices/sediments

  • Taking of detailed field notes

  • Worked with international researchers while in the field

  • Learning under the guidance of R. M. H. Smith, Claire Browning and Frederik Wolvaardt

  • Excavation using picks, brushes and plaster bandages/gypsum plaster to safely remove fossils

  • Repacking of specimens for transport out of the field

  • Field consolidation

Exhibition Design
August - December 2022

  • Volunteered as administrative assistant

  • Gained an understanding of how infographics can be used to explain complicated scientific concepts to the general public

  • Object conservation within an exhibition

  • Learning under guidance of Amy Sephton, Chief Curator of Exhibitions Design and Production at Iziko

  • Work in collaboration with exhibition designers for layout of individual display boxes as well as overall flow of an exhibition

  • Work with a large dynamic diverse team to produce and install Hidden Wonders

Online Courses

2022

Databasing (Specifi 7) - practical and certified

2023

University of Alberta

  • Paleontology: Theropod Dinosaurs and the Origin of Birds

  • Paleontology: Ancient Marine Reptiles

  • Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution

  • Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology

South African landscape during fieldwork
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