Are you currently undertaking a degree in Earth Sciences or Museums Studies and are keen to work on a collection-based project over the summer? Please contact c.hildebrandt@bristol.ac.uk to discuss current opportunities or your own project ideas.

Current Opportunities:

• Historical geological maps 
• The Martin A C Hinton Collection  

Past projects

In the footsteps of William Smith - Supervisors: Dr Lisa Hill, Claudia Hildebrandt, Prof Jon Blundy

The project aims to develop an online field trip that highlights key localities in and around Bath that are associated with geologist and surveyor William Smith. The online field trip will be available to a wide audience via the School of Earth Sciences webpage from October 2015 onwards. This project is part of wider celebratory events celebrating the life and legacy of William Smith and will involve: researching and transcribing existing information on localities, sourcing and gathering images, researching site access restrictions, compiling text, maps and imagery for the website.Skills required: computer literate and familiar with photo editing software and Adobe Illustrator (experience in working with HTML an advantage), excellent writing and presentation skills, creative mind and attention to detail, able to work independently and towards deadlines. Benefit to students: Gain experience in visualising research and archival data on an online platform. Attend UoB training in web content development. Duration: 3-4 weeks in total (between June and July, full or part time) 

At the Feet of the Dinosaurs - Supervisor: Prof Mike Benton, Claudia Hildebrandt

The project is for several students to work as a team processing microvertebrate fossils from the Triassic and Jurassic-aged cave deposits around Bristol and South Wales. These world-famous deposits have produced bones of the dinosaur Thecodontosaurus as well as some of the world's first mammals, Morganucodon and Kuehneotherium. Our aim is to establish the composition of the ecosystems represented by these detrital remains in different fissures of different ages. The caves formed on a network of islands, and the animals may show geographic differentiation and even island dwarfing. Students will pick identifiable bones and teeth under the light microscope, identify them, produce basic ecosystem statistics, make microphotographs, and write up descriptions of the fossils towards publications. In previous years, students have led publications of their work.Skills required: Enthusiasm for palaeontology, willingness to learn microscopy and illustration skills. Requires patience. Benefit to students: Learn practical palaeontological laboratory skills. Improve photography, illustration and writing skills. Achieve a scientific publication. Duration: Minimum time per student would be one month, but can volunteer for longer, even up to most of summer. Open to four or five students.

Type and figured - Supervisor: Claudia Hildebrandt 

Over 700 specimens in the collections have knowingly been described and/or figured in international sciencific publications. Another 200 specimens are suspected to have been mentioned.This project aims to collate information on all published specimens to build an online resource. The student will resreach existing records and publications, search for new publication entries, photograph specimens and collate a database of references which will be linked to the collection database. Subject librarian John Hargreaves from the UoB library will offer support and advise. Opportunity to publish methods and finds in a national museums journal.Skills required: Excellent literature review skills, willingness to learn photography skills. Requires patience. Benefit to students: Learn practical literature review skills. Achieve a publication. Duration: 3-4 weeks, part-time possible.