2026 Workshops and Collection Tours

Most workshops and collection tours during the meeting are free with your registration for the Annual Meeting. However, you MUST register for these workshops with the link received in the registration confirmation email after payment. Spaces are limited!

Demonstrations, Round Tables, and Working Groups may be offered virtually as part of the hybrid format. Traditional Hands-on workshops will only be offered in-person.

***Maximum participant numbers (total of in-person plus hybrid participants) are based on a combination of fire code for the physical space and/or workshop/tour leader preferences. There will not be a waitlist. Attendance will be taken and non-registrants will be removed from the workshop/tour.***

After registration opens, this page will be updated daily to indicate which workshops are full.

2026 Host Committee

Clint Boyd, Chair

North Dakota Geological Survey 

Mindy Householder

Alex Gardner

Cathy Lash

Jeff Person

Pre-Conference Workshops

Clamshell Storage Jackets

Format: In Person

Level: Intermediate

Leaders: Alan Zdinak 

    Clamshell storage jackets are an effective solution for preserving specimens that are too large for drawer-scale housings. Designed for fossils destined for cabinets, open shelving, or even floor storage, these jackets provide continuous, stable support—ensuring fragile specimens remain protected during storage, study, and even CT scanning. Constructed from archival-grade materials, clamshell jackets offer durable, long-term preservation support.

    This workshop will focus on Smithsonian-style “clamshell” jackets fabricated using plaster, fiberglass, and polyethylene foam. Participants will learn how to:

    • Set up specimens and workspaces for jacketing

    • Assess specimens to optimize jacket design

    • Add temporary fills to create voids and eliminate undercuts

    • Tailor and fit the internal liner

    • Properly mix and handle FGR 95 plaster

    • Build up plaster and fiberglass layers

    • Incorporate polyethylene foam to create internal support structures

    • Trim, finish, seal, and label completed jackets

    Attendees will receive a ~30 page document on the physical and chemical properties of Butvar B-76 and Butvar B-98. A tour of collections will be given to see specific examples of all the applications of Butvar, including various filler techniques and 3D printing. Attendees will participate in mixing adhesives and consolidants and filling tubes. Attendees will get hands on experience with making web filler, aluminum mesh fill, printed grid cutouts, and archival fossil part printing among other techniques.

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 18

    Duration of session: Full Day

    Number of sessions: 1

    Cost: $25

    Preparing fossils with Three-Dimensional Soft Tissue Preservation

    Format: In Person

    Level: Advanced

    Leader: Mindy Householder

    This workshop will discuss how to distinguish three-dimensional soft tissue structures from matrix and osteological structures (e.g. bone) using a variety of tips, tools, and techniques, including specialized lighting and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) surveys. Participants will practice preparing their own faux three-dimensional soft tissue specimen using various tools. The use of adhesives and chemicals on soft tissue specimens and how they can impact specimen stability and future geochemical researchwill also be discussed. The mummified hadrosaur specimen “Dakota” (NDGS 2000) will be used as a reference specimen to discuss the difficulties encountered while preparing fossilized dermal tissues and the methods that have worked best for preparing this specimen.

    Participants are encouraged to bring with them specimens that may preserve soft tissues for scanning with the pXRF, if interested. Samples must be larger than a nickel in size to be scanned and could consist of a small piece of matrix that includes a portion of possible soft tissues. The format of this workshop will be instructional, but we welcome individuals with prior experience preparing soft tissues to attend and contribute their perspectives on preparing these challenging specimens.

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 15

    Duration of session: Half Day

    Number of sessions: 1

    Foundational Workshops

    A Solution for Bulk Screen Washing Indoors

    Format: In Person

    Level: Basic

    Leader: Clint Boyd

    Screen washing for microvertebrate fossils is a critical method for studying extinct faunas and reconstructing past environments. Although this work is often conducted in the field or in outdoor facilities near an institution, many organizations lack adequate outdoor space or operate in climates that limit seasonal access. These constraints necessitate effective solutions for conducting screen washing indoors at a scale sufficient to process large volumes of sediment, which is often hundreds of pounds annually.

    This workshop will present an overview of the indoor screen washing system used by the North Dakota Geological Survey paleontology program. The system is designed to accommodate high-throughput processing while protecting building infrastructure, including plumbing systems. Participants will learn about system design considerations, sediment handling, and workflow strategies that support efficient, repeatable processing.

    Additional topics will include selection of appropriate screen sizes, techniques for picking and sorting concentrates, and practical storage solutions for processed material.

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 15

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 1

    Advances in 3D Surface Scanning: A Workflow for Mobile Device Surface Scanning of Fossils and Other Museum Artifacts

    Format: Hybrid

    Level: Basic

    Leaders: Dr. Haviv Avrahami and Isaac Pugh

    High-quality 3D surface models, such as those produced using traditional photogrammetry are  essential tools for comparative anatomical research, visualization, replication (e.g., 3D printing), and data sharing. However, traditional photogrammetry setups are often expensive, immobile, computationally demanding, and require steep learning curves.

    Recent advances in mobile technology have transformed this landscape. Modern mobile-device photogrammetry can now surpass both commercial scanners and traditional photogrammetry workflows in several key areas, including accessibility, affordability, reduced equipment size and complexity, portability, user-friendliness, texture and geometry fidelity, minimum scannable specimen size, and, perhaps most notably, the speed and scalability of 3D model production.

    In this workshop participants will learn how to use the mobile photogrammetry applications Abound (iPhone), Polycam, and KIRI Engine (iPhone and Android) to efficiently digitize specimens. 

    Topics covered will include: 

    • Materials and setup techniques that enhance scan quality
    • Strategies for generating watertight models
    • Approaches for scanning specimens of varying sizes and surface properties—including large, small, flat, elongated, thin, shiny, low-texture, and geometrically complex objects.
    • Tools within each application for assessing scan quality, cropping models, managing image sets, and rescaling to accurate dimensions.
    • Advantages and limitations of mobile photogrammetry compared to other scanning methods
    • The differences between various scanning modes such as LiDAR versus Object Capture, and when each is appropriate.

    Overview of 3D model export formats: identifying which preserve texture and color, which are best suited for 3D printing, and which are most stable, shareable, and optimized for long-term digital preservation. The workshop will begin with a brief introductory presentation. Participants will then observe several real-time scanning demonstrations, streamed via Zoom to a projector to show the applications in action. Following the demonstrations, participants (in small groups of up to three) will use free trial versions of the applications to practice scanning a variety of objects, with instructors circulating to offer guidance and troubleshooting.

    By the end of the session, each participant will have produced at least one artifact-free, watertight 3D model.

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 20

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 2

    Collections Organization: A Discussion of the Biostratigraphic Method of Fossil Organization at the NDGS

    Format: In Person

    Level: Basic

    Leader: Jeff Person

    This workshop will examine the advantages and limitations of organizing fossil collections using a biostratigraphic framework. Participants will explore different variations of this approach as applied to specific collection types and institutional needs, as well as the practical challenges encountered in managing paleontological collections and strategies for addressing them.

    Topics will include:

    • Organizing fossil collections, including paleobotanical, invertebrate, and vertebrate materials

    • Organizing recent comparative collections

    • Organizing cast and mold collections

    • Organizing type collections

    • Organizing oversize collections

    • Organizing teaching collections

    Workshop type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 20

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 2

    Consolidants and Adhesives 101: Principles, Practices and Pitfalls

    Format: Hybrid

    Level: Basic

    Leaders: Mindy Householder, Gregory Brown

    Participants will get an extensive overview of the properties of adhesives and consolidants available today and how to apply those properties when choosing an appropriate adhesive or consolidant for a particular task. The workshop will include presentations and hands-on experiences.

    Participants will learn:
    • The difference between solution and reaction adhesives.
    • An overview of the most common adhesives used in fossil preparation today.
    • The physical properties of adhesives/consolidants and how to choose the right one for the job at hand.
    • The agents of deterioration and preventive conservation vs remedial conservation.
    • How to prepare adhesive and consolidant solutions .
    • How to properly label and store adhesives and consolidants.
    • How to potentially identify historic adhesives with a portable XRF.
    • Some special techniques for special problems.

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 20

    Duration of session: 3 hours

    Number of sessions: 1

    Crash Course in Moldmaking, Part 1

    Format: In Person

    Level: Basic

    Leaders: Marilyn Fox

    Moldmaking is a core skill for competent fossil preparators, requiring not only manual dexterity but also strong conceptual and planning abilities. While simple one-part molds are the most straightforward and efficient to produce—and therefore the most commonly taught—successful execution still demands careful preparation and forethought.

    This session will focus on creating a simple one-part mold suitable for small mammal jaws. Participants will learn techniques for consolidating specimens and filling gaps, constructing a stable base for embedding the specimen, labeling the mold on the base, building containment walls, and pouring the mold using food-safe silicone rubber.


    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 10

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 1

    Evaluating and Mitigating Radon in Paleontological Collections

    Format: In Person

    Level: Basic

    Leaders: Clint Boyd, Nathaniel Fox

    Radon gas is a naturally occurring byproduct of radioactive decay. Prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations of radon gas can result in significant health risks. Radon testing and mitigation most commonly takes place in confined, indoor spaces where dense radon gas produced by the surrounding bedrock is most likely to become concentrated at hazardous levels. However, paleontological collections often contain objects with elevated levels of Uranium, Thorium, and their daughter products that are often stored in sealed cabinets that may also be located in basements or otherwise poorly ventilated areas of buildings. Those factors can create hazardous working conditions broadly in the collections room, or localized within individual specimen cabinets that can expose workers to high concentrations of radon gas when opened.

    This workshop will discuss how to identify radon gas hazards in paleontological collections, including how to identify problematic specimens that are the source of the gas. We will review methods for mitigating radon gas, both in large rooms and within storage cabinets, and outline proposed policies for storing and handling problematic specimens. These topics will be discussed in the context of recent work done on this topic at the Museum of Geology on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology campus and in the North Dakota State Fossil Collection. Participants will be provided with draft collections policies related to radon gas that can be easily customized and implemented at their own institution. The broader goal of this workshop is to increase awareness of radon gas hazards in paleontological collections and provide participants with a set of policies and procedures to help evaluate and mitigate any problems at their own institution.

    Workshop Type: Roundtable Discussion

    Maximum number of participants per session: 20

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 2

    Fossil Color Theory and Model Painting for Beginners

    Format: In Person

    Level: Intermediate

    Leaders: Erika Tandy, Janet Cañamar, Blandine Hautier

    In the current era where many paleontological objects on display are reproductions of delicate originals or irreplaceable holotypes, a realistic paint job is critical to maximize the impact of such objects for education and engagement purposes. Often, preparators with little to no formal training in color theory or painting techniques are called upon to paint models or replicas. Results can have muddy or inaccurate colors, obvious brush marks and overly shiny finishes which pull the viewer out of the moment and make them aware they are looking at a painted object. Behind the scenes, it is time consuming and expensive for paleo labs to continuously redo failing paint jobs because of improper preparation, application and sealing techniques.

    Replica painting need not be a stressful or mysterious process filled with guesses and disappointing results. This workshop will prepare students for confident painting by teaching a fossil-tuned version of color-theory principles, pre-paint preparation of models, painting techniques, finish types and sealing methods.

    Participants will get hands-on experience painting a resin 3D print and will get to take their painted print home, in addition to a color theory wheel. Participants will paint while seated at tables. Disposable aprons and gloves will be provided but paint may still get on clothes, so participants should dress wisely. Masks will be provided for those sensitive to the smell of acrylic paint.

    Key Principles/Learning Objectives:

    • Basic color theory in the context of common fossil colors
    • Paints and tools
    • Prepping casts/3D prints for painting
    • Selecting base coat color
    • Building layers with washes and dry brushing
    • Types of finish coats and sealing methods
    • Teeth: How they need to be handled differently from bone 

    Workshop Type: Hands-on

    Maximum number of participants per session: 50

    Duration of session: 4 hours

    Number of sessions: 2

    Lab Setup Basics

    Format: In Person

    Level: Basic

    Leaders: Cathy Lash, Alex Gardner

    Fossil preparation laboratories come in many forms—from purpose-built facilities to inherited spaces or small rooms adapted for preparation work. Regardless of size or configuration, all fossil preparation labs share a core set of requirements. These include meeting mandatory health and safety standards for staff and visitors, accommodating limited budgets, and addressing specialized setups such as wet screening or public viewing laboratories.

    This workshop will examine the essential “must-haves” of a functional fossil preparation lab, along with practical options for meeting those needs under a range of constraints. Participants will learn what is required for:

    • Health and safety: chemical hygiene plans, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), personal protective equipment (PPE), emergency signage, training, and safe tool use

    • Documentation: preparation records, specimen labeling, and laboratory manuals

    • Pneumatic tool use: compressor specifications, dust mitigation requirements, and calculating laboratory space CFM

    • Adhesives and solvents: flammable and chemical storage requirements, safe mixing practices, and ventilation or fume-hood access

    • Wet screening: sinks and drains, sediment traps, and residual sediment disposal

    Participants will also discuss their current laboratory spaces and explore strategies for mitigating common challenges. The workshop will include examples of products and vendors suited to different lab scenarios, such as space-efficient dust collectors, low-noise compressors, and viewable air chambers.

    Workshop Type: Roundtable Discussion

    Maximum number of participants per session: 25

    Duration of session: 1.5 hours

    Number of sessions: 1

    Intermediate Level Workshops

    Carbowax 102

    Format: In Person

    Level: Intermediate

    Leaders: Jean-Pierre Cavigelli and Kelsie Abrams 

      Carbowax is the trade name for polyethylene glycol (PEG), a water-soluble, wax-like polymer with a wide range of applications in paleontology. It is most commonly used as a temporary support material for fragile fossils during mechanical preparation.

      Because PEG is both water-soluble and has a relatively low melting point, it can be safely removed by soaking PEG-coated specimens in warm water or by gentle, controlled heating with a heat gun. These properties make it especially well suited for reversible stabilization during preparation.

      This workshop will include hands-on exercises using either actual fossil material or suitable facsimiles. Participants will learn about the different grades of PEG, their specific uses in paleontological preparation, and best practices for safe application and removal. The workshop will also cover methods for reclaiming and reusing PEG, along with discussion and demonstration of special or atypical preparation scenarios.

      Workshop Type: Hands-on

      Maximum number of participants per session: 20

      Duration of session: 3 hours

      Number of sessions: 2

      Defining Best Practices

      Format: In Person

      Level: Intermediate 

        Best practices within fossil preparation and conservation, though often referenced, have yet to be clearly defined. These working groups are intended to lay the foundation for defining “best practices” within the field of fossil preparation and conservation. Techniques in this discipline have been organized into ten comprehensive categories, with each workshop focusing on a specific category.

        Across all working groups, participants will identify topics within each category that require clearly defined best practices. Each group will select two topics to develop the first Fossil Preparation and Conservation Guides (FoPaC Guides) for that category. FoPaC Guides should address best practices for the chosen topic, situations in which those practices apply, common issues that may arise and how to address them, and examples of retired best practices, where applicable. Workshops will also include discussion of potential authors for future FoPaC Guides. Each session will be followed by a post-workshop survey to determine next steps for evaluating FoPaC Guides, including possible peer-review processes.

        Adhesives

        Leader:  Mindy Householder

        This session focuses on the Adhesives category, which encompasses materials and techniques used to stabilize and repair fossil specimens.

        The working group will identify topics within the Adhesives category that require clearly defined best practices. Example topics include mixing adhesives and the removal of old or inappropriate adhesives. Participants are encouraged to arrive prepared with additional topic suggestions for consideration.

        Documentation & Digitization

        Leader: Mindy Householder

        This session focuses on the Documentation & Digitization category, which encompasses the written and visual records associated with fossil specimens, as well as the systems used to maintain and manage those records.

        The working group will identify topics within the Documentation & Digitization category that require clearly defined best practices. Example topics include labeling fossil specimens and recording fossil preparation notes. Participants are encouraged to arrive prepared with additional topic suggestions for consideration.

        Health & Safety

        Leader: Alex Gardner

        This session focuses on the Health & Safety category, a broad area concerned with preventing workplace accidents and occupational illnesses in preparation laboratories and related workspaces.

        The working group will identify topics within the Health & Safety category that require clearly defined best practices. Example topics include chemical hygiene, ergonomics, and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Participants are encouraged to arrive prepared with additional topic suggestions for consideration.

        Mechanical Preparation

        Leader: Cathy Lash

        This session focuses on the Mechanical Preparation category, which involves the use of hand tools, pneumatic tools, and other mechanical methods to remove matrix from fossil specimens.  

        Workshop Type: Working Group

        Maximum number of participants per session: 20

        Duration of session: 1.5 hours

        Number of sessions: 1 for each topic

        Flowerpots and Fossils – Using Common Objects as Training Devices for Fossil Preparation Methods

        Format: In Person

        Level: Intermediate

        Leaders: Michelle Pinsdorf, Diana Boudreau

          The practice of fossil preparation is complicated by the wide variety of materials, tools, and techniques that can be applied to an even greater variety of fossils and host matrices, with their varying physical and chemical properties. 

          This workshop will center around the use of a well-known object in lieu of comparatively complicated fossils – a terra cotta flower pot - to train in multiple techniques, including: 

          • Observing material properties 
          • Tool use in removing matrix 
          • Observing and learning morphology 
          • Strategizing repairs of broken specimens 
          • Repairs using adhesives and “bone bandages” 
          • Writing labels on specimens 
          • Housing in cavity mount trays and storage jackets 
          • Documenting preparation materials and method

          The specific activity for the workshop will involve participants in a basic-level training module for the repair of broken specimens, with discussion about how training in other topics can be developed from this example. This discussion will be an intermediate-level exploration of how participants can customize these activities at their home institutions to create sequential training modules, evaluate trainees for their skill and disposition, and consider the logistics of managing group projects.

          The use of common objects for introductory fossil preparation training in lieu of actual fossils presents advantages for trainers and trainees alike, including low supply costs, risk reduction to collections objects that might otherwise be used for training, and options for portability or remote learning. Participants will leave with the results of their workshop activities, and with digital copies of example training manuals and further references. Participants are asked to bring a USB jump drive or provide an email address for receiving digital files. 

          Workshop Type: Hands-on

          Maximum number of participants per session: 16

          Duration of session: 3 hours

          Number of sessions: 1

          Pyrite Oxidation and Specimen Care

          Format: In Person

          Level: Intermediate

          Leaders: Lisa Herzog

          Pyrite decay (oxidation) is a common conservation challenge for fossil material in collections, especially in high-humidity environments. Mitigating pyrite decay in fossil specimens is an ongoing effort. While some recommended approaches have proven effective, others fail to meet standards of scientific rigor.

          This workshop will examine current knowledge about the processes that drive pyrite decay, review mitigation practices, and evaluate the methods currently in use along with their respective merits. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on mitigation using specimens and conservation materials. The associated chemical reactions and molecular properties will also be reviewed. A series of demonstrations illustrating the decay process will be presented, and participants will engage in troubleshooting exercises tailored to their own experiences and needs.

          Each participant will have access to the presentation file and receive a pyrite mitigation guidebook summarizing the information presented. Participants will have the opportunity to bring or discuss specimens from managed collections at their institutions. Workshop participants will then strategize and discuss possible solutions based on their unique specimens including case studies, cost analysis, and logistical restrictions.

          Workshop Type: Working Group

          Maximum number of participants per session: 15

          Duration of session: 1.5 hours

          Number of sessions: 1

          Advanced Level Workshops

          Crash Course in Moldmaking, Part 2

          Format: Hybrid

          Level: Advanced

          Leader: Marilyn Fox

          Complex molds are more time intensive, sometimes requiring several days for one mold. This training has been limited to on-the-job training. This workshop will attempt to clarify techniques and concepts through a combination of PowerPoint and pre-made examples showing the steps and the thought processes involved in creating a variety of complex molds. Participants will leave with an understanding of the concepts necessary for safely creating complex molds.

          Workshop type: Demonstration

          Maximum number of participants per session: 25

          Duration of session: 1.5 hours

          Number of sessions: 1

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