The first paleontology club in the history of UTRGV was established this month.
Job Martinez, a master of business administration student and a founding member of the Paleontology Club, said the organization was a long time in the making.
“It took a year to get it up and running,” Martinez said.
The Paleontology Club was officially established on Nov. 7 by five founding members: Martinez, rehabilitation services senior Violet Soto, doctoral occupational therapy student Kortney Mettlach, computer science senior Zachary Mettlach and accounting junior Josiah Gonzalez.
The organization will shed more light on paleontology and encourage students to appreciate history.
“It really just opens many opportunities and opens doors to getting into the field of research or just simply for fun,” Martinez said.
UTRGV does not offer a paleontology degree in the 2023-2024 list of academic programs, according to the website.
Randall Monty, a writing and language studies associate professor and the club’s adviser, said the purpose of the club is to “provide a space for students who are interested in something where there doesn’t yet exist a degree plan or course of study specific to this area of interest.”
The Rider asked the members what activities the club will offer.
Soto said members will visit museums and dig sites.
“It’ll be a good option, careerwise, so they can connect with people within the field,” she said. “Once we get more established, we’ll be able to have guest speakers.”
“I think the Paleontology Club can offer students this opportunity to learn about this discrete area,” Monty said.
The organization plans to bring guest speakers, involve students in research in their major areas related to the topic and attend conferences to learn more about the field of study.
The Rider asked Martinez and Soto what it is like to be part of the first ever paleontology club at the institution.
“It’s exciting; I think it’s good that we’re offering experiences,” Soto said.
Martinez said they are “really excited just to have this opportunity to get other students involved” and, hopefully, “do cool stuff.”
Soto also said that in the Rio Grande Valley things are limited overall. Students are waiting to find out more about opportunities.
“Maybe if we can’t necessarily connect them, careerwise, here [in the club], we can help find careers elsewhere in the U.S.,” she said.
The Rider asked Monty about his experience in the field and the research he is conducting.
“There is a multiyear research project planned out,” he said.
The research involves two phases: first, permission structures, which is “how institutions or politicians introduce an idea into public conversation and kind of get everybody else to talk about it in that way,” Monty said. Then, “studying the writing and research processes of paleontology podcasters.”
Asked if students can be involved in the research, the associate professor replied, “I’m bringing them as they want. If the ones who are in the club are interested, I’m bringing them in.”
“Others that are interested can reach out directly through the Paleontology Club and in the class I’m teaching next semester on advanced specialization in rhetoric, composition and literacy studies,” Monty said.
Current students, undergraduate and graduate, can join the club with no membership fees.
“Completely free as of right now,” Martinez said. “This may change to help pay for some trips [in the future].”
Elections for club officers will be held next year.
“Most likely they could probably be held in the summer or fall semester,” Martinez said.
Meeting times are yet to be determined.
“That is something that we would like to establish this next semester since we just became an official organization,” Soto said.
Meetings will be held mainly on the Edinburg campus.
“As of right now, it will be in terms of in-person,” Martinez said. “It will be primarily in Edinburg. We’re trying to see if maybe we could integrate Brownsville students through Zoom.”
