Becky Barnes

Paleontologist, Lab Manager

(701) 328-1954
600 East Boulevard
Bismarck, ND 58505-0840
ndgspaleo@nd.gov

Job Description

Becky splits her time between field work, lab work, and outreach. As lab manager, she heads the volunteering program for fossil preparation.

Education

2007: M.S. Biology, North Dakota State University
2004: B.S. Biology, Concordia College

Publications

• Boyd, C.A., J.J. Person, and B. Barnes. 2016. New Additions To The Lancian Mammalian Fauna From Southwest North Dakota, Poster.
• Barnes, B., 2015. Paleontology Lab – Then and Now. Geo News 42(2):20-21.
• Hoganson, J.W., J.J. Person, and B. Barnes. 2014. The New Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time at the ND Heritage Center. Geo News 41(2):1-7.
• Barnes, B., A.Ashworth, R. Nellermoe, 2011. Determining Individual Edmontosaurus from a Disarticulated Bone Bed Using Principal Components Analysis. Hadrosaur Symposium, Drumheller, AB.
• Hoganson, John W.; Gould, Becky, 2011. Prehistoric Life of North Dakota Coloring and Activity Book. North Dakota Geological Survey Educational Series 32.
• Mink, Rebecca M. S. 2007. The Hadrosaurid Genus Edmontosaurus From The Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation Of South Dakota. Masters Thesis, North Dakota State University.

Public Outreach & Available Presentations

• Fossils In North Dakota (FIND) Newsletter – Quarterly newsletter for kids with sections on Feature Fossils, Travel Destinations, and more.
• Fossils There To Here (powerpoint – all ages) A look at how fossils get from the field, to the lab, to exhibits.
• Heroes of Paleontology (powerpoint – youth) A history of paleontology, using caricatures of famous paleontologists, with an emphasis on books and reading.
• Pterosaurs, Birds & Bats: Things With Wings (powerpoint – all ages) Flight in vertebrates.
• What Is A Dinosaur? (powerpoint & activity – youth) What makes a dinosaur a dinosaur? How big were they?
• Paleontology Meets A Paintbrush: Where Art and History Collide (powerpoint – all ages) A behind the scenes breakdown of what went in to the art and exhibits of the current Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time.
• Fossils In North Dakota (powerpoint – all ages) An in depth look at fossils found across North Dakota.
• Prehistoric North Dakota (powerpoint – youth) A shorter version of Fossils In North Dakota for younger audiences.
• Skin, Scales, Feathers & Fur (powerpoint – all ages) How do we know what some extinct creatures looked like? If we’re lucky, we find their skin…
• Prehistoric Fishing Trip (activity – youth) Fish the prehistoric seas with a time-traveling excursion. Catch life-sized animals, and see how large some of the BIG creatures really were.
• Fossil Show-And-Tell (hands-on – youth) View and touch fossils from around the world. Learn more about what types of things turn into fossils, and what they can tell us.
• How Big WERE They?! (activity – youth) Using life-sized silhouettes, audience members join in to create a living model of how large prehistoric creatures were.