Honors Study Away: Fossil Hunters

Travel to Cincinnati … 400 million years ago! This Maymester program will introduce students to evolutionary principles, the science of deep time, how fossils form, critical thinking in biology, introduction to Ordovician-era fossils, during the first week of virtual classes.

Then, students travel to Cincinnati and neighboring areas to search for fossils in established fossil beds and learn about the ancient history of the area.

Upon your return to home, you’ll research and organize your fossils into a presentation to share with the public.

Honors Study Away: Fossil Hunters

• Course: IDH 3350 Fossil Hunters
• Location: Sarasota-Manatee Campus/Online
• Time: Maymester 2025, TBA
• Study Away Program: May 19 - 23, 2025 (tentative)

This study away program highlights research skills such as data collection, analysis, and presentation. Students will learn how to identify and name fossils, how to identify geological sites in which fossils exist, and the evolutionary and biological processes behind ancient seafloor ecosystems.   

Students must be able to navigate rough / uneven / possibly muddy surfaces, including climbing, kneeling, and hiking, and must be able to carry backpacks weighing up to 15 pounds. 

$600 per person, which covers transportation and hotel costs. Food costs are not included.

Questions: Contact Dr. Lydia Wassink