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Author: Tom

Nominations for Rene Savenye Award

Perry Poon of the Vancouver Palaeontological Society has asked that consideration be given for presenting the Rene Savenye Award at the July 10-13, 2020, 13th BC Paleontological Symposium at UBC in Vancouver. 

Here are the guidelines, approved by the Board in 2003, outlining the purpose, criteria and process for the Award.  To nominate a person for the award, follow the procedure on the guidelines and send the nomination to Graham Beard no later than March 31, 2020.  This will allow the committee time to review the nominations and, if appropriate, select an award winner.  If an award winner is chosen, the award (usually a big secret) will be announced at the symposium.

Graham Beard of the Vancouver Island Paleontological Museum Society (VIPMS) serves as Chair of the award committee. Graham will establish who is on the award committee.  In the past, the award committee has included some previous award winners, and Jim Haggart has been involved as an advisor due to his past involvement in the award.  The people on the award committee should be perceived as neutral and not as advocates for a particular nominee.

There have been only five previous winners of the Savenye Award – see the BCPA website for details.

BCPA Newsletter: Now Digital Only

BC Palaeontological Alliance newsletter editor Tammy Pigeon tells us we may receive the BCPA newsletter by email in future, but not as hardcopy. You may submit articles for the newsletter directly to Tammy by email. Tammy has been sent the VicPS membership info as at the end of 2019. Please view the graphic below for publishing dates and lead times.

VIPS Thin Section workshop at NIC: January 11, 2020

The Vancouver Island Palaeontological Society are holding the VIPS and North Island College thin section workshop on Saturday, January 11th. This link gives you an idea of the process and tools involved.

Randal Mindell, research scientist and paleo-botanist will lead the thin section workshop. Lucas Evans, the NIC lab technician, will provide the facilities and be our host. The NIC lab will accommodate up to 15 people, so prior registration is advised.

The workshop will start at 10:00 am and go until 3:30 pm with a lunch break. Bring your best fossil wood specimen.

Here is the day’s schedule: 

  1. Randal will do a Power Point presentation covering the general procedure of the thin section process.
  2. You will use the specimen of fossil wood you brought and cut it with the rock saw to create the clean surface for the thin section.
  3. Once the fossil is cut and the new surface exposed, Randal will assist in the preparation and the grinding or polishing process.
  4. Preparation of the thin section with the acetate peel will be completed and ready for viewing under the microscope.
  5. Viewing of the actual fossil wood cells of the should be amazing.
  6. Determining the genus of the fossil wood by review and comparison to the record may be possible.
  • Where: – North Island College- 2300 Ryan Road Courtenay, Raven building, near the front entrance, upstairs in the NIC Lab .
  • When: – 10:00-3:30? Saturday January 11th, 2020 ( Bring a lunch or go to the NIC cafeteria)
  • Workshop Cost: – $20   (all materials supplied)
  • Contact Betty Franklin for registration using cheque or e-transfer at beetlejean@gmail.com

Nov. 17 Field Trip

Jerri Wilkins will lead a field trip along some backwoods logging roads, so more driving than collecting anticipated. Clothing appropriate to backwoods is a must, as is food and water. This is a return to the site visited Oct. 20. Look to your email for a Vicps communication that specifies the targeted area.

Meet at Helmcken Park and Ride at 9am. Detailed directions and maps to be shared at that time.

Please confirm in advance if you plan to join the field trip. Message Jerri Wilkins via the VicPS Facebook page or via email at jlwilkins2@hotmail.com.

VicPS Meeting Sep 18

Wednesday, Sept. 18, will be our first meeting this fall.  There is no speaker scheduled,
so please bring in fossils that you’ve collected during the summer for other people to see.

Meeting will be in Cornett Building, Room A120, UVic, 7:30 pm.