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societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
@societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
430 followers 72 following 53 posts
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology is made up of university, museum, and public lands professionals, as well as artists, students, and others interested in VP. The society is organized exclusively in support of educational and scientific purposes.
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#2026SVP
November 18, 2025 at 12:51 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
After the visit to Guy's Cliff, the group made stops at the Warwick Market Hall Museum and Warwick Museum Collections.

Thanks to Jon Radley for also helping with organizing and hosting the group at the collections!
Exploring vertebrate fossil material at the Warwick Museum collections. Exhibit of vertebrate paleontology at the Warwick Market Hall Museum.
November 11, 2025 at 6:58 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
The weather held up for our Warwick field trip today! The group spent the morning at "Guy's Cliff" examining the Helsby Formation sandstone features. Thanks to the trip organizers Ivan Sansom, Stuart Burley, and Richard Dearden for putting on a great trip for our meeting attendees!

#2025SVP
Guy's Cliff outcrop of the Triassic Helsby Formation sandstone, also known as the "Warwick Sandstone". Strong crossbedding and even carbonaceous root traces visible in this sandstone outcrop. Group picture at the Guy's Cliff House gate.
November 11, 2025 at 6:50 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Remember, our official hashtag structure is *year* then "SVP".

You can also find our full social media guidelines here: vertpaleo.org/social-media...

#2025SVP
November 9, 2025 at 7:34 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Join hosts @geosplore.bsky.social on our Instagram on November 4th at 8pm EST with guest @cjsalcidopaleo.bsky.social!
November 3, 2025 at 5:30 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Public lands help us tell the story of natural history that we all can share in!

Hosted by @geosplore.bsky.social.
Episode 1 guest @al3xandr4.bsky.social
Editing by @cajune.bsky.social
#FossilTrailsUSA
October 31, 2025 at 6:43 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
The Fossil Finders gets you a front row seat to paleontologists‘ personal fieldwork adventures! This new program is a collaboration between SVP and paleo-Twitch-streaming rockstar @paleontologizing.bsky.social!

You can find Danny’s channel at Twitch.tv/paleontologizing.

#TheFossilFinders
October 27, 2025 at 5:13 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
We're excited to announce two new bi-weekly livestream programs coming soon from SVP! Fossil Trails USA will debut on October 21 on our Instagram channel. The Fossil Finders will debut on October 29 as a collaborative program with Paleontologizing on Twitch!

#NationalFossilDay
October 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
This year’s National Fossil Day focus is on the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, specifically, the 29-million-year-old Oligocene assemblage of the Turtle Cove Member of the John Day Formation.
Artwork depicts the small, three-toed horse Miohippus annectens, the two-horned, early rhino Diceratherium annectens, the small, lemur-like primate Ekgmowechashala zancanellai, specialized for eating soft fruits and insects, the false sabertoothed cat, Nimravus brahcyops, and the small “bone crushing” raccoon-like canid Cynarctoides.
October 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
SVP members, please check your email for a copy of the message below that includes the link to access to the October 15 town hall hosted by SVP President @stuartsumida.bsky.social. We look forward to seeing you there!
This is a reminder that you are cordially invited to join in tomorrow's SVP Town Hall meeting. The topic will be SVP Annual Meetings Beyond Birmingham and Guidance for Potential Future Host Committees. This town hall is open to all, whether they are attending, not attending, or still deciding on attendance. President Stuart Sumida will also be joined by Dr. Sandy Carlson who will chat briefly with us about SVP's membership in AGI, the American Geosciences Institute. Please join us tomorrow, October 15, 2025, at: U.S. 9:00 AM Pacific U.S. 12:00 PM Eastern U.K. 5:00 PM GMT+1 Central Europe 6:00 PM GMT+2 I look forward to seeing you at the above-mentioned time. Stuart Sumida, SVP President
October 15, 2025 at 2:33 AM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
In this difficult moment for our US federal paleo colleagues, let’s take a moment to shout out the amazing work they do to make our science possible! Share or comment below with your thank-you message and any photos of your visits. Let’s make sure they know we appreciate and support them!
October 1, 2025 at 8:00 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Special events reminder for the upcoming annual meeting!
#2025SVP
The Host Committee at the University of Birmingham will be organising two special evening events as part of the Annual Meeting. These events are free and currently open only to registered attendees of the meeting, but numbers are limited so we encourage you to sign up for them as soon as possible (using the link listed at the bottom of this message) to avoid disappointment. Tuesday 11th November, 7pm, Walking with Dinosaurs – behind the scenes with the production team and Professor Steve Brusatte The team behind the return of the iconic Walking with Dinosaurs share insights into how it was made. A panel discussion featuring the producers, paleo artists and scientific advisors from across the series who reveal the secrets of their close collaboration. Audiences watched palaeontologists make incredible discoveries, making them feel at the heart of the action, whilst the fossils became inspiration for the VFX to bring the characters to life. Members of the production unpack why the storytelling focussed to individual dinosaurs, and discuss the fine balance between showing evidence and creating drama. 26 years on from the original, the team reflect on the series’ global impact, and public service broadcasting’s bold ability to introduce a new generation to palaeontology. This event will be chaired by Professor Susannah Maidment (Natural History Museum & University of Birmingham) and will take place at The Exchange in Birmingham city centre, a two-minute walk from the ICC. Spaces are limited to 150 places. Friday 14th November, 7pm, Authors’ panel discussion and book signing with Tom Holland, Dr. Thomas Halliday, Dr. Elsa Panciroli and Dr. Henry Gee Popular historian and palaeontology enthusiast Tom Holland (‘The Rest is History’) will chair a panel discussion about deep time writing with palaeontologists and authors Dr. Thomas Halliday (Otherlands), Dr. Elsa Panciroli (Beasts Before Us, Earth) and Dr. Henry Gee (A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth, The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire). The event will be followed by a book signing organised by a local bookshop. This event will take place on the campus of the University of Birmingham, a short train ride from the city centre. Spaces are limited. There is no additional charge for registered 2025 Annual Meeting attendees to attend these events, but you must sign up if you are planning to attend.
September 5, 2025 at 7:40 PM
societyofvertpaleo.bsky.social
Join us on August 5th at 11am CST for a town hall event hosted by SVP President @stuartsumida.bsky.social. The main topic of discussion will be travel and attendance considerations for the upcoming annual meeting in Bristol, UK. See images below for more details!
Event summary poster featuring SVP President Stuart Sumida. SVP PRESIDENT’S TOWN HALL MEETING Traveling to Birmingham for the Annual Meeting on August 5th! Membership is cordially invited to the second in the new series of SVP Town Hall meetings. The topic of the next Town Hall will be “Traveling to Birmingham for the Annual Meeting”. This Town Hall is open to all, whether they are attending the Annual Meeting, not attending, or still deciding on attendance. President Stuart Sumida will be joined by Richard Butler of the Birmingham - 2025 Host Committee, and SVP Treasurer Ted Vlamis, who has extensive international travel experience. Please join us on August 5, 2025, at: U.S. 9:00 AM Pacific U.S. 12:00 PM Eastern U.K. 5:00 PM GMT+1 Please check your SVP email for the link to attend. Interested nonmembers may request a link from Stuart Sumida at: ssumida@csusb.edu Some of the topics to be covered will include (but not be restricted to): - The new requirements to apply for a UK visitors visa. - The importance of early planning for attendees needing letters of invitation from SVP. - Travel hints upon arriving to the UK for out-of-country visitors (e.g., the advantages of landing in Birmingham, or other major international hubs). - Travel to Birmingham from other arrival destinations such as London-Heathrow, Gatwick International, or UK international destinations. - Hotel arrangements that have been provided by the Birmingham Tourist Bureau. - For our U.S. visitors, the suggestions of applying for Global Entry and/or TSA-pre. - An overview of all the exciting features of the venue and surrounding area for those still undecided about attendance.
July 30, 2025 at 9:36 PM
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Got photos of your paleontology field or lab work you’d like to share? Please see the announcement below! Link to submit images here: vertpaleo.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?...
Submissions are now open for the 2026 Hix Preparators’ Grant calendar for SVP 2025. We are seeking photos from field work, lab preparation, and any other moments of paleo pride you want to share. Not only is this an opportunity to showcase incredible fossils but also the incredible hard work and dedication that goes into the collection and preparation of our specimens. The preparators’ calendar serves to highlight the people who make paleontology possible and provides resources to support the advancement of future vertebrate fossil preparators. We want to reach as many people in the paleo community as possible. If you would be so kind as to post and share the flyer below to your institution or on social media (or even print one off and hang it in your lab), that would be greatly appreciated. Any and all submissions are welcome. We are looking for everything from field selfies to pictures of specimens to aesthetically pleasing pictures of gear or camp, please submit any images you find interesting from the field, the lab, and beyond. Click the link below or scan the QR code on the flyer to find the photo submission form. Submission deadline is July 28th so don't delay! Submit photos now for a chance to be featured in this year's calendar. The flyer is a sneak peek of what's to come so be sure to pre-order your copy of this years’ calendar at registration, a limited number of copies will be available for purchase in the vendor hall. Thanks for supporting our future fossil preparators! Questions? For more information contact ellis.mulready@naturalsciences.org
July 21, 2025 at 2:26 PM
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Big #FossilFriday announcement from @biogeoverse.bsky.social and @matt-borths.bsky.social, co-chairs of the SVP Communications Committee! See the form below to learn how to get involved!

forms.gle/A3VfZ6jNR4qm...
The SVP Communications Committee (CommComm) is excited to announce a major restructuring and expansion getting fully underway! Changes are being made to greatly improve communication effectiveness with members as well as the broader public. To do this, we are recruiting for 30+ new roles in everything from graphic design, video production, and content strategy leadership (and a lot in between). Here is the sign-up form! We will be holding informational Zoom events for folks who sign up starting in August. We will also be conducting short interviews with applicants before offering them specific roles. Role offers will be made based on preferences indicated in the application submission. Some questions you may have, and answers! 1. Are these paid positions? a. They are not. SVP operates on member volunteer contributions to committee work. However! We are taking professional development of CommComm very seriously. A major benefit to members of this committee will be dedicated and ongoing professional development opportunities, being lead/facilitated by CommComm Co-Chair David Levering (Sternberg Museum). 2. What is the time commitment? a. This is somewhat flexible, but committee members are expected to be comfortable averaging a couple hours of work a week on projects. This workload will vary depending on the role, time of year, and how much time you have to dedicate. 3. What other benefits are their for committee members? a. One of the biggest benefits to actively participating in professional organization committee work is networking. On CommComm you’ll be working alongside others who are committed to quality science communication and community engagement. This puts us at the center of many of SVP’s most important efforts in serving our various audiences. Come meet other amazing colleagues, and help us get important work done! b. We’ll be running this committee as a large cross-platform production team with a lot of communication and collaboration between sub-teams. Working on CommComm will be an excellent opportunity to learn professional project management and leadership skills. This training will be through both realtime learning as we work on projects, and focused professional development to upskill committee members. 4. Do I have to be an active member of SVP to join? a. Not necessarily! All committee members must go through a background check conducted by the SVP Ethics Committee though. 5. I’d like to, but I don’t have time now. Can I get back to you later? a. Yep! We’ll be continuing to recruit members until we get our various teams filled out and operational. Keep an eye out for recruitment messages in the future. (That said, we’ll have the most variety of open positions including unit leadership roles at the beginning of this process.) We hope you will strongly consider joining our team and help SVP better communicate the wonders of vertebrate paleontology and society goings-on to the rest of the world! We look forward to working with you! Yours, David Levering, CommComm Co-Chair Director of Sternberg Museum Science Camps+, Fort Hays State University Dr. Matt Borths, CommComm Co-Chair Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
July 11, 2025 at 1:50 PM
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A brief announcement from the SVP Awards Committee!
We are pleased to announce that winners have been selected and notified for most of the 2025 SVP nominated awards and grants (applications for the 2025 Jackson School of Geosciences Student Travel Grants and Jon C. Graff International Paleontology Award are currently being evaluated, and winners will be notified at a later date). This year’s nominees and applicants represented an inspiring range of talent, dedication, and innovation across the field of vertebrate paleontology. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all awardees and express our deep appreciation to everyone who submitted nominations or applications. We will be officially recognizing the 2025 award and grant recipients at SVP’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Birmingham, United Kingdom on Saturday, November 15th. Stay tuned for the Annual Meeting registration launch, which is planned for next week. We also thank the panel chairs and reviewers for their thoughtful evaluations and commitment to recognizing excellence in our community. If you have any questions about the awards process or would like to get involved in future cycles, please contact us at SVPAwards@vertpaleo.org. Warm regards, SVP Awards Committee Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
July 4, 2025 at 2:18 PM