Girl Dinosaurologist

A Dinosaurologist is someone who studies dinosaurs. It is a relatively new term, indeed it doesn't even appear at http://www.dictionary.com.

The official term for a dinosaurologist is actually a paleontologist. The definition of that is:

The study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms

So there are a lot of different fields that a paleontologist studies. So one who specializes in studying dinosaurs (not all animals that lived in prehistoric times were dinosaurs) can be called a dinosaurologist.

Here is a webpage that features links to practically every dinosaur-related website on the planet.

So you want to be a paleontologist/dinosaurologist:
(from I Want To Be A Paleontologist ! Advice for Students and Parents
Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, NY)


What background do I need in high school?
The best starting point is a college preparatory program with
----as many science and math courses as possible.

Outside reading in paleontology and visiting museums with fossil displays is helpful for building up knowledge of fossils themselves.

No matter how interested or knowledgeable a student is in paleontology, however, good overall grades in high school are almost always required for admission to a good college or university, which is a necessary prerequisite for a career in paleontology.

What background do I need in college?
Strong background in the sciences is absolutely essential, with strong concentration in
----both biology and geology.

An undergraduate institution should be chosen on the basis of its quality of general science education and especially the quality of its biology and geology programs.

At this stage the student often has to make a difficult decision about whether to major in biology or geology.

The ideal arrangement is a double-major, with full undergraduate training in both biology and geology. If this is not possible, the best solution is to major in one and take substantial course work in the other.

Liberal arts courses should not be ignored. A good reading knowledge of a modern language (especially German, French or Russian) should be obtained as an undergraduate. Don't wait until graduate school!

At least a full year of chemistry, physics, and mathematics through calculus, (ew, calculus!)
are required by most graduate programs and should be taken as early as possible as an undergraduate. (I say ew, but thousands and thousands of women paleontologists have done it. Don't be afraid to hire tutors if you are having difficulty with the concepts of higher math. Join a math club, etc.)

The courses that are most pertinent to paleontology include the following:
-- mineralogy,
-- stratigraphy/sedimentation,
-- sedimentary petrology,
-- invertebrate paleontology,
-- ecology,
-- invertebrate and vertebrate zoology,
-- evolutionary biology,
-- genetics

Ability in
--statistical analysis and
---solid computer skills

are absolutely required in modern paleontology and should not be left for graduate school. The more courses and experience in these areas at the undergraduate level, the better.

So important are these things that at Girl Scientist, you are going to start them right now, no matter how old you are!

I like to keep actual, physical notebooks in which I write all my notes from books I read, terminology I want to learn, and so on. However, if you are used to recording everything on your computer, feel free to do that, too. I find that it helps me cement data in my head if I rewrite the information in my own words on actual paper. However, you alone know best what your study habits and learning habits are.