Our INITIATIVES A.R.M. (Access, R

  VETERANS ENGAGING AND TRANSITIONING TO SCIENCE

We will create programs to help veterans reacclimate to civilian life.  These programs will include internships to go out in the field and apply their skills to the world of earth sciences and therapy digs for those that suffer PTSD and other ailments.  Our goal is to help them get back to living, use their skills, provide a safe place to relax and enjoy the outdoors and create lasting relationships, and hopefully get some of them to engage permanently in the earth sciences.  The source of funding for this may be gotten from Federal programs and grants and private donations. The opportunity to partner with other organizations is going to be a large part of what we do, talking to veteran organizations, making them aware we are here to help, and create cross organizational platforms for fundraising and marketing. VETERANS ENGAGING AND TRANSITIONING TO SCIENCE

GEOSPATIAL CURATION IN ARCHAEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY

 We will work with museums, schools, government bodies, and individuals to help locate, excavate, exhume, curate, and map fossils and artifacts to create an accessible database to aid in formal and informal learning environments.  These geospatial maps will also be used to aid scientists in their research efforts.  From this program we aim to create internships for students to go out in the field and apply the knowledge they have been taught in school.  The very interdisciplinary nature of this program will allow students from various areas of studies to engage with field work and apply their knowledge.  We will look for students studying in the fields of geography, geology, GIS, biology, paleontology, archeology, chemistry, math and others.  The other tangible created from this program is a precise, accurate map that is interactive and searchable that can be used by everyone to increase attention to these fields as well as create a source of revenue for the foundation, either by subscriptions being sold, printed maps, and also being hired to create them.  We will also help in fundraising efforts with schools and museums that are interested in this service to help offset the costs that are associated with creating and maintaining the geospatial maps.   

RANCH EXHIBITS AND LEGACY MUSEUMS

We will work with ranch and landowners to create a museum or museum type setting for them on their ranches.  Our focus is to work with ranches that are wanting to preserve the paleontological and archeological specimens that are on their ranch and still make them available for the public and scientific research.  We will help develop a plan, locate and exhume specimens on their ranch, engage the public to visit the ranch museum, and develop staff to help for the future.  Funding for this could be tricky, but some of it may come from donations of the rancher, local organizations, museum organizations, federal programs, and private donations.      

EARTH SCIENCES AND THE YOUTH

This program is designed as an outreach program to engage young people in the world of earth sciences.  We will work with schools, museums, informal after school programs, and other institutions to bring geosciences to young people to get them to pursue degrees in science.   We will create presentations to be given to groups of young people to talk about what we do as scientists and as professionals, offer mentorship to those wishing to engage further, as well as offer opportunities to go on field trips and out in the field to interact with geosciences.  Our goal is to get them interested in geosciences and keep them interested so they can become the next generation of earth scientist.  We also approach other organizations to partner with to increase our reach and engagement through a network of organizations with similar missions as ours.  We will offer this program at a minimal cost to schools and organizations to make sure we do what we can to make the opportunity available to as many young people as possible.  .

 TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH IN PALEO SCIENCES

As the name indicates this is the research initiative for the foundation.  We will work with cutting edge technology to advance scientific growth, integrating multiple disciplines, and creating opportunities for students, scientists, and the public to engage in true scientific research.  We will be transparent in what we do and effectively communicate with the public and scientists on what we are working on and what we hope to learn.  We will also offer opportunities to students who may have their ideas not pursued at their school and still want to pursue their idea.  We will help them with communicating their idea to their school as well as possibly helping them do the research with our support.  We want everyone to be able to bring an idea to us and for us to work with them to see if we can make their idea come to fruition.   Funding for this initiative will come from federal programs, grants, private donations, and partnerships with other organizations.  

 LOCAL AREA MUSEUM PROGRAM

Our goal in this initiative is to work with smaller communities throughout the United States to create a museum filled with local archeological and paleontological specimens.  We will work with community organizations to help launch the museum and then locate specimens in the field and help create a one of a kind exhibit and experience with specimens and maps of where they were found in the area.  We will help with staffing at the beginning while working with the community to train people to work and/or volunteer at the museum.  We will help with creating programs they can use to engage the public and generate interest from the youth of the area to pursue geoscience careers.  There are several funding options for this program that vary from federal programs to museum organizations and humanities to private donations.