The 85th annual Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference, held November 12-15 in Birmingham, United Kingdom, brought together researchers from around the world to share new discoveries and reconnect with a small but vibrant scientific community. For senior Sofia Kryder, attending her first professional conference with the Virginia Tech Paleobiology Lab was both an exciting milestone and an important step toward her goal of starting a Ph.D. next year.

Kryder presented a poster on her current research with Drs. Sterling Nesbitt and Michelle Stocker and used the conference as a chance to start building her professional network and meeting experts in the field. “Vertebrate paleontology is a very small group of people, so this was a great opportunity to meet others in the field,” she said. The international setting made it even more memorable, giving her the chance to connect with members who rarely travel to U.S.-based meetings. 

Throughout the week, she attended talks covering everything from isotopic analyses and biomolecules to biomechanics and ecological studies. She credits the Integrated Science Curriculum (Link to the ISC Webpage), where she was able to experience classes both as a student and UTA, for helping her follow such a wide range of topics. “Paleontology is truly a melting pot of different scientific disciplines,” she explained. “My ISC background helped me understand the key principles in all the sessions I attended.”

One of the personal highlights of the trip was meeting Dr. Michael Benton, whose book Dinosaurs Rediscovered first inspired her to pursue paleontology. “I walked away from the conference inspired and full of new questions,” she said. “I learned so much from so many different professionals.” 

Kryder expressed gratitude not only for the academic support, but also for the financial support that made the experience possible. “I want to thank the Academy for hiring me as the ISC 2105 & 2106 UTA, as I wouldn’t have been able to afford attending the conference without them.”