Isaac Pugh, an alumni of Appalachian State University, and current Grad student at Virginia Tech University has published his first paper in JVP describing and naming a new Drepanosaur found on the Lauer Foundation's Homestead at Garita Creek site in New Mexico, USA.
The Lauer Foundation acquired the Homestead at Garita Creek site, a small 5 acre parcel of land in east central New Mexico and previously collected materials from the site, which contain Triassic micro vertebrate fossils for the purpose of providing a location for scientific field study training opportunities, the ability to collect specimens, and the ability to utilize these specimens for research and scientific publications by students of our partner institutions: Appalachian State University, Dr. Andrew Heckert; Virginia Tech University, Dr. Sterling Nesbitt and Dr. Michelle Stocker; and the Natural History Museum of London, Dr. Paul M. Barrett, Dr. Simon Wills, Dr. David and Alison Ward.
Isaac Pugh utilized material from the Homestead at Garita Creek site as an undergraduate student, advised by Dr. Heckert. Upon graduation he was accepted at Virginia Tech, advised by Dr. Sterling Nesbitt where he continued his research. Isaac’s publication is his first publication and is the Lauer Foundation’s first publication in JVP. His experience embodies our greatest hopes for students who have benefitted from this unique opportunity for their educational and scientific research. Isaac’s research on Drepanosaur tail claws provided important new, previously unknown information about Drepanosaurs from the Triassic within the United States, and provided greater implications of the species radiation in the global fossil record.
Artwork credit: Joel Crothers
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