New Director at the CEU Prehistoric Museum

PRICE, Utah, May 26, 2010—The College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum has a new Director

It is the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum’s pleasure to announce Dr. Kenneth Carpenter as the newly hired director of the prehistoric museum.

Dr. Carpenter is one of dinosaur paleontology’s most prominent researchers, authors and curators. He comes to us from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science where he is the Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology.

He was a “military brat” and lived world-wide. He has been interested in dinosaurs since he was five when his mother took him to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It was then when he decided to study dinosaurs. His first major paleontological discovery was at the age of 15 when he found a ground sloth skeleton south of Colorado Springs. He helped excavate the specimen with the Denver Museum of Natural History and wrote the experience for the National Geographic School Bulletin.

This was just the first of many publications Dr. Carpenter was to write. From 1967 to present, he has published well over 220 publications and 40 popular publications on a variety of topics. Additionally, he has published eleven books including Tyrannosaurus rex: The Tyrant King with Peter Larson.

Dr. Carpenter is world renowned for his research with early Cretaceous dinosaurs, armored dinosaurs and dinosaur reproductions.

Dr. Carpenter has made well over two dozen television appearances including Arts & Entertainment; History Channel; History International Channel; Discovery Channel; Science Channel; The Learning Channel; BBC London; BBC Bristol; BBC Ireland; NHK, Japan; various local stations in U.S. spanning over 19 years.

The CEU Prehistoric Museum is very pleased to have Dr. Carpenter as the new director and is optimistic about the future of the museum and the great opportunities that lie ahead.

Dinosaur Discovery in Eastern Utah additional information

The press release, map information and map may be found at museum.ceu.edu

Below is additional information about the site.

Goose Neck Site-Eastern Utah

College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum

Excavation by College of Eastern Utah Museum staff and volunteers in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management.

Excavation Supervisor, John Bird

This is an exciting discovery as articulated dinosaurs in Eastern Utah are relatively rare. A collaborative effort between the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum and the BLM, who manages fossils for public education, will take place to excavate the dinosaur.

This discovery provides a unique opportunity for the public to observe an active dinosaur excavation. The public is invited to attend the dig from Tuesday May 4^th through Saturday May 8^th. Media Day is May 4^th.

Additional Information

The site received its name from the way the vertebrae bent back on themselves, just like a goose’s neck is bent back when it is sleeping. In this dinosaurs’ case, his (or her) neck was bent back after it was dead, when it was deposited in its final resting place.

At this site fossil bones from a young Allosaur a carnivore, and from a sauropod,

a long necked herbivore have been found.

These dinosaurs lived during the late Jurassic period, about 140 mya.

The bone bed lies in the brushy basin member of the Morrison Formation. This formation is well known for its abundance of fossils. It was formed from the deposits of lakes and slow moving streams and rivers.

Dinosaur bones were covered with sediments carried by moving water. The sediment covering protected the bones from scavengers, bacteria and insects.

As sediments continued to build up the slow process of fossilization started. Minerals from the ground water began filling in the empty spaces of the bone. Over centuries the minerals continued depositing in the bone petrifying it. Under the right conditions even minute detail of the bone can be preserved, even down to the microscopic level.

This discovery is a great example of the rich paleontological region that the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum is fortunate to be located in. This dinosaur will be prepped at the museum, where the public can observe the process and talk to fossil preparators. This dinosaur is a theropod (meat eating dinosaur) and will be studied by professionals adding to the knowledge of that time period. The CEU Prehistoric Museum is an accredited institution as well as a state and federal repository.

Dinosaur Discovery in Eastern Utah itinerary

Goose Neck Site Excavation itinerary

May 3^rd until done, 2010

Monday- Setup and expand quarry, Ray Jones will map the bone bed using his scintillation counter.

Tuesday- Media day, work in quarry

Wednesday- Work in quarry, begin jacketing

Thursday- Work in quarry, bring large jacket into museum

Friday- Work in quarry

Saturday- Prehistory Day at the site. Working in conjunction with the archaeological club to make an enjoyable day for families on the Swell.

Dinosaur Discovery in Eastern Utah

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

Christine K. Trease

Director of Public Relations

CEU Prehistoric Museum

christine.trease@ceu.edu

Megan Crandall

Public Affairs Specialist

BLM Utah State Office

Megan_crandall@blm.gov

Dinosaur Discovery in Eastern Utah

PRICE, Utah, April 13, 2010—The College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum

recently discovered a partially articulated dinosaur on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

land in eastern Utah.

A nearly complete theropod (meat-eating) dinosaur will be excavated through a collaborative effort

between the College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum and the Bureau of Land Management Utah

Price Field Office. This effort will provide a unique opportunity for the public to observe an active

dinosaur excavation.

The public is invited to visit the excavation from Tuesday, May 4th through Saturday, May 8th. The site

can be accessed from a graded, gravel road close to Price, Utah. Beginning on May 4, maps with driving

directions may be picked up during regularly scheduled museum hours (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven

days a week) in the lobby of the CEU Prehistoric Museum, located at 155 East Main Street, Price, Utah;

or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the BLM Utah Price Field Office, located at 125

South 600 West, Price, Utah.

This discovery exemplifies the rich paleontological region surrounding the College of Eastern Utah

Prehistoric Museum. Following excavation, the dinosaur will be prepared at the museum, where the

public will also be able to observe the preparation process and speak directly with the fossil preparators.

After excavation and preparation, the dinosaur will remain at the museum where it will be available for

further study and research.

The College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Museum creates understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural processes that

formed the geologic, fossil and prehistoric human records found in eastern Utah. We do this through educational and

interpretive programs based upon our academic research, preservation programs, authentic exhibits, and the creative efforts of

our staff and community.

The BLM manages more land – 253 million acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of

Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also

administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain

the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau

accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy

production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

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