vert. paleo paths

[mike@miketaylor.org.uk (Mike Taylor)]

Robert J. Schenck writes: I am in a biology master's program.  I'm
 > wondering, how did some of the DML members get to where they are,
 > today? I am hoping to continue on with vertebrate paleontology, to
 > eventually teach at a university level (in a biology or a geology
 > department), and be able to, minimally, spend some of my time
 > researching vert. paleo.  But, how exactly does one get to that
 > point? I know that some of the poeple here aren't "rofessional"
 > paleontologists who spend their time in the field and lab, but lots
 > of people here seem to be able to keep up some level of 'official'
 > interest in the subject.

Hi, Robert.  Further to the excellent advice that others have given,
I'd just like to mention a completely different path that might work
for you.

I did my degree in pure maths (Warwick University, England), then went
and got a job in computer programming.  It's only relatively recently
that I realised I really wanted to do palaeo research, and my wife,
mortgage and three small children mean that there was no way I could
go back to being a full-time student.  So I just started working in my
spare time.

I quickly found that to be taken at all seriously -- for example, to
get access to collections -- I needed an academic affiliation.  I
contacted people from about fifteen institutions looking for openings
(most of them people I knew from this list), and it became apparent
that pretty much no-one will let you just be a "research associate" or
similar unless you already have a Ph.D and/or a good publishing
record.  So the only way to get an affiliation was to get on a course.

After a bit more looking around, I was able to get a part-time place
at Portsmouth, doing an all-research-to-classes M.Phil/Ph.D. (on the
same course where Darren Naish is currently finishing up his Ph.D.)
Since that's been established, I've had no trouble at all getting
access to collections, presenting at conferences, etc.

The up-side to this approach: doing a day-job in computer programming
means I probably have a more comfortable lifestyle than most full-time
palaeo people; and because I am not dependent on grants, I've been
able to choose what I work on rather than having to pick from a
smaller set of funded options.  (That's been important, as it's
delivered me from my morbid fear of being forced to study Eocene
clams.)  The downside of course is that I have to fit my work in when
I can, evenings and weekends mostly, with a lot of late nights.  But
that seems like a sacrifice worth making.

Just thought I'd mention that alternative.  Hope it helps.

 _/|_    ___________________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see
         no hope for further development" -- Julius Sextus Frontinus,
         Highly regarded Roman engineer, 1st century AD.