WELCOME TO UTAH FRIENDS OF PALEONTOLOGY

Utah Friends of Paleontology (UFOP) is a statewide non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to preserving Utah’s fossil resources through public education and engagement. We’re folks from all walks of life with a passion for Utah’s amazing deep time history — just like you.

CULTIVATE Your FOSSIL Fascination

UFOP Offers Activities Across Utah

Individual chapters provide educational meetings, field trips, and opportunities to participate in volunteer work, including laboratory preparation of fossils, field surveys and excavation projects, and educational programs for UFOP’s professional advisors and other paleontological researchers at the sponsoring institutions of UFOP’s statewide chapters.

What We Offer

Monthly Chapter Meetings

As part of our mission to promote interest in paleontology we hold monthly chapter meetings except during the field season months. These meetings feature talks on current topics in paleontology. The public is always welcome at our chapter meetings.

Annual Meeting

Our annual meeting includes presentations by professionals, undergraduate, graduate students and avocational paleontologists on their research on current topics. It also includes an awards dinner and guest speaker. And a day long field trip is part of the fun.

Service Projects

UFOP chapters work with land and resource managers in service projects. For example, Gastonia Chapter helped clear the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite and helps with annual maintenance to offset seasonal deposition that fills in many of the tracks.

Field Trips & Activities

Local chapters have offered field trips to paleontology sites and museums. Annual social get-togethers are a tradition, and you can join our email list for advance notice of upcoming events.

Audiences to Hone Presentations

Speakers at UFOP meetings are frequently professional paleontologists with lots of experience presenting, but UFOP is a great venue for students and independent scientists to showcase their work and gain presentation experience.

TRAINING & CERTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

Certification classes train UFOP members to assist paleontologists in a variety of ways. As a trained volunteer, you can participate in museum-sponsored digs, specimen preparation projects, and public outreach programs. Partnering museums and research agencies offer training in field work and fossil preparation.

Chapters

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We're a 501(c)(3) Organization. Your donation supports our activities and helps us provide project grants to scientists and students.