Project: Cataloguing Eocene fossils from Barton on Sea

28 July – 5 September (six weeks), supervised by Eliza Howlett

Project summary

This project will involve sorting and cataloguing a collection of Eocene fossils (56 – 41 million years old) from Barton on Sea in Hampshire. These include numerous gastropods and bivalves as well as the remains of vertebrates including sharks and rays, bony fish and turtles.

Project details

The fast-eroding coastline at Barton on Sea provides the ideal location for collecting fossils from the Eocene clays and sands of the Barton Beds. This project aims to catalogue some of the best Barton specimens in the museum’s collections.

In order to accomplish this, the student will:

Establish the identification, geological age and locality of the specimens from their original label information
Enter details into the Axiell EMu Collections Management System
Move the specimens into new storage boxes
Print out museum labels to store with the specimens and attach numbers to the specimens
Check the condition of the specimens and assist with remedial conservation
Write a 500-word report about their experience

Full training will be given

Selection criteria

Essential

Interest in fossils
Excellent attention to detail, with an organised and methodical approach
Strong self-motivation and ability to work independently without close supervision
Good written communication

Desirable

Interest of working in a museum setting
Basic understanding of taxonomy and ability to distinguish between different fossil groups

Outcomes for students

Experience in the organisation and management of fossil specimens
Improved knowledge of collections care and documentation
Experience in collections database work
Good organisational, documentation and IT skills
Particularly valuable for students interested in a career in museums

Reasonable adjustments

The museum is committed to making reasonable adjustments to its summer placements to make sure that students with disabilities or health conditions are not substantially disadvantaged. If you are concerned about meeting the selection criteria for a project of interest, or completing relevant tasks, please get in touch with Hannah Betts before submitting your application to discuss possible adjustments to the project: summerplacements@oum.ox.ac.uk.