Is there a fossil prep lab in Northern California?

[brontosauruschuck]

Long story short I would like to volunteer at a prep lab. I'm trying to find one preferably in the area of California from Sacramento up to the Oregon border. I think there's one at UC Berkeley, and maybe one at Chico State. Does anyone know how I would go about volunteering? Should I just shoot someone an email? Sometimes interpersonal things like this that seem very intuitive are very challenging for me.

Thanks!

[Halichoeres]

The California Academy of Sciences might be one place to look. Standalone museums have infrastructure to place volunteers, which makes it easier.

https://www.calacademy.org/volunteering-at-the-academy

For labs at universities, it's going to be at the discretion of the professor or a lab manager. It's perfectly fine to send them an email, but you might never get a response. It isn't personal, they just get lots of emails. You might improve your odds by writing shortly before classes start, maybe by two or three weeks. Middle of summer is a time for digs, conferences, and personal travel for academics.

[brontosauruschuck]

The California Academy of Sciences might be one place to look. Standalone museums have infrastructure to place volunteers, which makes it easier.

https://www.calacademy.org/volunteering-at-the-academy

For labs at universities, it's going to be at the discretion of the professor or a lab manager. It's perfectly fine to send them an email, but you might never get a response. It isn't personal, they just get lots of emails. You might improve your odds by writing shortly before classes start, maybe by two or three weeks. Middle of summer is a time for digs, conferences, and personal travel for academics.

Thanks a bajillion for the advice. That link was super helpful. I can't imagine how I would manage to live in or commute to San Francisco to volunteer, but maybe I can make something happen. I have family in the east bay.

As for the thing about the middle of summer, I think you're probably right. The surprising thing is that the person who suggested I volunteer at a prep lab is friggin' Jingmai O'Connor, who emailed me back in about 20 minutes. So that was awesome.

[brontosauruschuck]

Oh but Jingmai doesn't work at a university. Duh.

[Halichoeres]

There are several paleontologists at UC Davis if that's a more convenient location.