November 2011 3 from the PRESIDENT
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NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA STATE MUSEUM theMammoth NOVMEBER 2011 First Peoples of the Plains Traditions Shaped by Land & Sky Read more IN THIS ISSUE on pages 6-8. Sunday with a Scientist Sunday with a Scientist First Peoples of the Plains .................6-8 Bayard Meteorite .............................. 10 A Walk Through Time ....................... 12-14 Fright at the Museum ...................... 16-17 NaturePalooza Nebraska ................. 18-19 Visitors learn about solar systems. Sunday with a Scientist ................... 20-21 & MORE! The Mammoth is available in color online. Portrait by Don Doll, S.J. Now open in Morrill Hall A contemporary exhibit celebrating Native American cultures of the Great Plains. friendsofthemuseum.org museum.unl.edu University of Nebraska State Museum Portrait by Don Doll, S.J. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is an equal opportunity educator and employer. MORRILL FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM UNIVERSITY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS NEBRASKA HALL Mark A. Brohman, President STATE MUSEUM STAFF CALENDAR Lois Mayo, Vice President EX-OFFICIO David Rowe, Treasurer Priscilla C. Grew Director: Priscilla C. Grew AT A GLANCE Diane Pratt, Secretary Mike Madcharo Associate Director: Mark Harris Karen Amen Marcia Hollestelle ADVISORY COUNCIL Informal Science Education: Judy Diamond, Curator December 18 Michael Leite Judy Diamond Amy Spiegel Sunday with a Scientist Keely Rennie-Tucker Connie Pejsar Lynn Sobotka Norm Smith Education Coordinator: Kathy French “Rocks & Minerals” Diann Sorensen Mike Zeleny Museum Associates: Ann Cusick 1:30-4:30 p.m. Mark Sorensen Cindy Loope Mel Thornton ASHFALL CHAPTER Annie Mumgaard Natasha Vavra Mark Brogie, Ina Van der Veen Art Zygielbaum President February 4 Research Partnerships Coordinator: Brett Ratcliffe Dinosaurs and Disasters! Anthropology: Alan Osborn, Curator 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. CONTACT INFORMATION NAGPRA/Collections Assistant: Susan Curtis Nebraska Archaeological Survey: Alan Osborn Director’s Office (402) 472-3779 Museum Information Line (402) 472-2642 Botany: Robert Kaul, Curator School Program Reservations (402) 472-6302 Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz Friends Office (402) 472-3779 Collections Assistant: Linda Rader Mueller Planetarium (402) 472-2641 Nebraska Hall Office (402) 472-2643 Entomology: Brett Ratcliffe, Curator Ashfall Fossil Beds (402) 893-2000 Collection Manager: M.J. Paulsen Trailside Museum (308) 665-2929 Geology: R.M. (Matt) Joeckel, Curator Museum Geological Specialist: Karl Baumgarten www.museum.unl.edu Invertebrate Paleontology: Bob Diffendal, Curator February 24 Friends of the Museum Parasitology: Scott Gardner, Curator Annual Meeting & Dinner CONNECT Collection Manager: Gabor Racz *Invitations will be mailed to current WITH US! Vertebrate Paleontology: Jason Head, Curator Friends members. RSVPs will be required. Ross Secord, Curator MORRILL HALL Collection Manager: R. George Corner Preparators: Gregory Brown South of 14th and Vine Streets (402) 472-2642 Robert Skolnick February 25 University of Nebraska Ellen Stepleton “Minerals & Meteorites” Lincoln, Nebraska Highway Salvage Paleontologist: Shane Tucker Public Exhibit Opening Open Year Around Zoology: Patricia Freeman, Curator Monday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Collection Manager: Thomas Labedz Thursdays: 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Open Late!) Sundays: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Affiliated Courtesy, Adjunct, and Emeritus Faculty: Closed Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Anthropology: Thomas Myers December 24-25, and January 1 Entomology: Mary Liz Jameson Planetarium Closed Mondays & Husker home football Geology: Robert Diffendal, Samuel Treves game Saturdays Invertebrate Paleontology: David Watkins museum.unl.edu Parasitology: John Janovy, Mary Lou Pritchard ASHFALL FOSSIL BEDS Vertebrate Paleontology: Robert Hunt, Jr., for more event details! Michael Voorhies Zoology: Hugh Genoways, Paul Johnsgard 86930 517 Avenue (402) 893-2000 Royal, NE 68773 Ashfall Fossil Beds Superintendent: Rick Otto Located seven miles north of Highway 20 between Museum Specialist: Sandy Mosel Royal and Orchard, Nebraska. Trailside Museum Staff Assistant: Pattie Norman Open Seasonally. For schedule, visit ashfall.unl.edu Accounting Clerk: Judy Ray Discovery Shop Manager: Marisa Kardell TRAILSIDE MUSEUM Exhibit Design Specialist: Ron Pike Graphics Design Specialist: Joel Nielsen PO Box 462 (308) 665-2929 Mueller Planetarium Supervisor: Jack Dunn Crawford, NE 69339 Public Relations Coordinator, Friends Liaison, Located on Highway 20 at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. and Mammoth Newsletter Editor: Dana Ludvik Public Service Associate: Linda Beran Open Seasonally. Research Collections Staff Secretary: Gail Littrell For schedule, visit trailside.unl.edu Scientific Illustrator: Angie Fox 2 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum FROM THE DIRECTOR DEAR FRIENDS, As the State Museum’s 140th anniversary year draws to a close, I am amazed to think back over the dizzying range of accomplishments of our Museum family this year – so many special events, such a huge range of topics, plus record numbers of visitors and online admirers! We had science programming serving all ages, from participants in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute programs to our littlest fossil diggers in the Marx Discovery Center. The Museum’s first “Fright at the Museum” evenings drew all-time record crowds. Our Entomology Collection Manager, Matt Paulsen, was awarded the Lacordaire Prize from the Coleopterists Society for the best published Ph.D. dissertation in 2010. Jason Head, our new Vertebrate Paleontology Curator, worked on a Smithsonian TV documentary on giant snakes in South America to be broadcast in spring 2012. It’s all breathtaking, and it does go by so fast!! I chose three snapshots for this Director’s page to show you once more why I love the Museum. It gives us all chances to have exciting first-time experiences throughout the year. Here are three of my firsts this fall: --- In September I received my first-ever invitation to a Memorial Stadium skybox on Husker gameday. Friends President Mark Brohman and his wife Anessa and I were guests of the University of Nebraska Foundation when they invited a group of Museum supporters to enjoy the Tennessee-Chattanooga game. As he concludes his term of office, please join me in thanking Mark for his outstanding work as Friends President. --- Second, my first-ever lesson in plant science (under the watchful eye of Archie the Mammoth) at Sunday with a Scientist with the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. ---Third, my first visit to the Pawnee Arts Center in Dannebrog, Nebraska at the invitation of Nebraska author and humorist Roger Welsch, to hear a wonderful talk by Lakota journalist Charles Trimble on “Manifest Destiny.” That’s only three of the multitude of Museum events, and in the rest of this issue you will see all the other Museum doings that won’t fit on my Director’s page. Please join me in remembering Lingling Yuan and Kyla Ronhovde teach Priscilla corn science on September 18, as Archie the your State Museum when you are deciding on your end-of-year charitable contributions to the organizations that are important to Mammoth looks on. you, your family, and your community. — Priscilla C. Grew, Director (Left to right) Priscilla Grew, Roger Welsch, and Charles Trimble at the Pawnee Arts Center in Friends President Mark Brohman and his wife Anessa joined Priscilla in the NU Foundation Dannebrog, Nebraska on November 13. skybox for the Tennessee-Chattanooga game Sept. 3. November 2011 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT GREETINGS FRIENDS MEMBERS! speaker, and new exhibit opening. It will be a very enjoyable I can’t believe my second evening, and I invite all members to join us at Morrill Hall on term of serving as President of the February 24th. Friends of the Museum is coming to a close. I have really enjoyed Happy Holidays! my two terms and look forward to — Mark A. Brohman, Board President continuing to serve on the Board. Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum I want to thank all of the Board members and especially the current officers. The Museum has excellent administrators and staff who have Mark Brohman, Friends President made my service very enjoyable. Hats off to Priscilla, Mark, Dana, SAVE THE DATE! and Kathy who have done such a wonderful job operating the Museum. Karen Amen will be leaving the Board after serving The Friends Annual two terms and I want to thank her for her service and insight. Meeting & Dinner will be I want to encourage all members to attend the Annual Friday, February 24! Meeting to be held on February 24, 2012. We will elect officers and potentially add some new Board members. Two All current Friends members will be invited in February. nominated new members at this time are Gary Gabelhouse More details to come. RSVP will be required. and Kelli Bacon. The business meeting (not mandatory) will be very brief, and then we’ll proceed to have a meal, guest Be a part of something BIG For details on corporate sponsorship opportunities, contact Connie Pejsar or Kaye Jesske at the University of Nebraska Foundation (402-458-1100 or Become a Sponsor! 800-432-3216) or Dana Ludvik at the Museum (402-472-3779). The University of Nebraska State Please consider the following opportunities Museum is the state’s premier to engage your employees, enhance your corporate brand, and demonstrate your museum of natural history. commitment to community enrichment by As a sponsor, your support sponsoring the following: directly benefits one of Nebraska’s • Public Events most beloved institutions, while providing your • Mueller Planetarium Fulldome Shows organization with excellent visibility to our large • Educational Programming and diverse audiences. • New Exhibitions 4 T H E M A M M O T H Friends of the University of Nebraska State Museum NEWS & INFO MUELLER PLANETARIUM The following schedule will be in effect Dec. 1-Feb. 2. www.spacelaser.com At the University of Nebraska State Museum From historic Morrill Hall – home to “Archie the Mammoth” on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus -- to Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal and the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson, the University of Nebraska State Museum Saturdays & Sundays at 2 p.m.