Field Season... a.k.a. Adult Science Camp!

Without a doubt, almost every person grows up with the dream of becoming some combination of the Jurassic Park characters and Indiana Jones, exploring the prehistoric past, digging for fossils, and going on adventures. More often than not, people grow out of their dinosaur phase. You get caught up in the waves of life, you get older and feel pressure to like things that other adults enjoy, and sometimes you forget those childhood dreams. With Elevation Science, you never have to!

Recently, a meme has been making its way around social media asking, “are there science camps for adults?” and we’ve been so honored that so many of our past and future participants have tagged us to help others find our program. (Truly, thank you!)

Participant Nick Hallet holding a horned lizard

A field expedition with Elevation Science offers fun, education, and the chance to make meaningful scientific contributions to our paleontological research while making new friends in one of the most beautiful places in the world. (Yes, we’re biased, but for good reason!) Every morning, we embark on a journey to the Jurassic, exploring for dinosaurs and other clues about prehistoric life that walked the earth 150 million years ago. In late afternoon, we leave the sites, exhausted, covered in dirt and plaster, but with big smiles. Each night throughout the week, staff members hold classes featuring the geology of our dig sites, anatomy of dinosaurs, ongoing research, and more. At night, we rest our heads with a sense of accomplishment and purpose.

Justin (left) and Bennett Luna (right) having milkshakes at the Quick Stop Drive-In

If dinosaurs and playing in the dirt sound like the adventure of a lifetime on their own, the friends you make along the way are really what make it spectacular. Much like sleepaway camp when you were a kid, you meet people from all over the country, from many different backgrounds, and you’re brought together by the thing you have in common; in this case, a love of dinosaurs and Earth’s ancient treasures. Downtime after the digging day is full of laughs, stories from home, going over the finds of the day, games, even the odd prank or two, concluded by sharing companionable quiet while drinking hot chocolate as the sun sets behind the mountains. Though you arrive as strangers, at some point you realize you’ve become a part of a family– the Elevation Science family.

Participants Brooke (left) and Katherine (right) at the Mother’s Day Quarry

So, what are you waiting for? Each field season is filled with excitement, adventure, camaraderie, and new discoveries! The work our participants do is more than just an amazing personal experience. You help our organization make incredible progress on our research goals in ways we simply could not achieve without you. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what you do, or where you come from. Elevation Science and our “science camp for adults” has a spot just for you, and the dinosaurs are waiting.