Interview with the Premiere Geology Doodle Humorist, Alana McGillis

Alana McGillis is an awesome and hilarious paleoartist whose recently published book, “Daring to Dig: Women in American Paleontology” is the best book you’ll read all year. It’s an awesome combination of amazing facts, stories, and gorgeous illustration and it’s available now from the Paleontology Research Institution in Ithaca, New York! Alana is a graduate of Smith College in Massachusetts, where she fell in love with geology and storytelling, and now works in outreach at San Francisco Maritime National Park. Meaghan sat down with her for a Skype interview. Read the below interview for information about Alana, information about the book, and some really, really good cat geology puns - and for more of all three of those things, you can visit her website at https://www.alanamcgillis.com, or follow her on twitter at @GilisDoodles!

THE BOOK IS SO GOOD YOU GUYS

Meaghan was so excited she spontaneously grew extra chins

...wait u guys don't do that when ur excited?

Let's Chat About Harassment! #OMGYAY

It seems like recently this blog has been filled with art and dead animals (and some supremely awesome mixtures of those), but very little discussion of the other thing that we're super fond of: ladies being happy in science.

Cuz it should always be like this!

So since we're overdue for a "yay STEM ladies" post, let's talk about sexual harassment!

Yeah, we know, we know, it seems like perhaps that's exactly the opposite of "happy ladies in science." Currently, science and technology fields are dominated by men, but the burden of sexual harassment falls almost entirely on women. Frankly, if nobody bitches about it, then nobody knows it is happening and does anything to fix it. So, contrary as it may seem, hurrah for conversations about sexual harassment!

Let's just launch right into it: guess who has two thumbs and has experienced sexual harassment in the workplace?

THIS KID!
(thumbs not pictured)

Happy Birthday Mary!

It's Mary Annings birthday today and what a great day to celebrate! Meaghan and Amy are both doing SCIENCE on opposite ends of the country, and our interview with the paleo artist Ray Troll is coming soon!

Thanks to Ray Troll for scanning this image for us! This great portrait of Mary was first published in Troll's 1994 book Planet Ocean (check it out if you haven't already)

Want to learn more about the greatest fossil hunter who ever lived?! OF COURSE YOU DO!!!! Here are some quick links and books to explore more about Mary Anning and her incredible paleontological life in Lyme Regis, England:

--Our "Who was Mary Anning?" page on our blog

-- The biography "The Fossil Hunter" by Shelley Emling

-- The historical fiction novel "Remarkable Creatures" by Tracy Chevalier

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY ANNING!!!

Interview with Marli Miller

We recently went out with the Marvelous Marli Miller who is not only a professor at the University of Oregon, she’s also a photographer, and an author! That’s right: she’s a scientist who STILL MANAGES TO HAVE TIME FOR HOBBIES! Meaghan and Amy joined Marli for dinner and while she attempted to eat the Vengeance Team peppered her with all sorts of bizarre questions. Kelly, Amy’s boyfriend joined because Mcmenamins has a great $10 burger and brew deal on Monday nights and, more importantly, because he is also a big fan of Marli Miller. Because really... who isn't?

Geology-Inspired Nail Art

Those nails are so gneiss

Recently Meaghan showed Amy some very cool "burned book" fingernail art and pointed out how much better it would be with scientific figures. Amy took on the challenge the next rainy day. The result? Geology-themed fingernails!!! Now we are bringing the nail magic to you, faithful readers, so follow the tutorial below to be the most stylish geologist* of the century!!!

*Admittedly not too hard to be when most of us wear sales-rack REI quick-dry shirts and paint-stained mom jeans, completing our outfit with a sweat-stained fishermans hat. Still, we bet that look (Field Gear Chic) would go great with strat column fingernails!