Digging up the past at the Museum of Paleontology

The BYU Museum of Paleontology offers a way for students to become dinosaur experts through hands-on research experience.

BYU students have the opportunity to volunteer or work at the museum, where many get to explore different areas of paleontology.

Carter McClellan, an employee at the museum, has found his own unique area of interest.

I study dinosaur bones, but not necessarily about dinosaurs I study insects, specifically the insects that ate dinosaur bones," McClellan said.

So this right here should be a whole ring of bone sort of a cross section through a rib. But, all these holes in it are where insects chewed through and burrowed into it," McClellan said.

McClellan was put on a research project after a few months at the museum, and it became his masters thesis.

For many of the museum employees, like Tyler Luckau, working in the field has been a long-held dream.

When I was a kid, when we were setting up halloween decorations I remember telling my dad I wanna grow up to be the guy that finds dinosaurs and thats how I learned the word paleontologist," Luckau said.

I love getting to reveal new bits of bone, and see a little bit of bone that no one has ever seen before," Luckau said.

Though many of the students are geology majors, any BYU student can become a volunteer and learn a variety of skills, such as using a laser scanner to analyze bone.

For Luckau, studying paleontology helps him feel closer to God.

Its part of Gods creation in that He has beautified the earth. He has done so much to give us wonder and beauty to look at, and the rich history of dinosaurs and thousands of other extinct animals gives such a wonderful sense of awe at Gods creation," Luckau said.

The museum is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm.