- Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
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The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) was founded in 1940 for individuals with an interest in vertebrate paleontology. SVP (as it is known to its members) now has almost 2,000 members. The society's website states that SVP "is organized exclusively for educational and scientific purposes. The object of the Society is to advance the science of vertebrate paleontology and to serve the common interests and facilitate the cooperation of all persons concerned with the history, evolution, comparative anatomy, and taxonomy of vertebrate animals, as well as field occurrence, collection, and study of fossil vertebrates and the stratigraphy of the beds in which they are found." SVP is also concerned with the conservation and preservation of fossil sites. SVP publications include The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, The SVP Memoir Series, The News Bulletin, The Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates and most recently Palaeontologia Electronica.
Contents
Public policies
SVP believes that, "Vertebrate Fossils are significant nonrenewable paleontological resources that are afforded protection by federal, state and local environmental laws and guidelines". SVP believes that scientifically important fossils, especially those found on public land, should be held in the public trust, preferably in a museum or research institution, where they can benefit the scientific community as a whole. Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. S. 546 and H. R. 2416 were introduced in the US Congress with SVP's full support. Many amateur fossil collectors and dealers believe that such policies are a breach of their rights. The argument has also been put forth that there are too few professional paleontologists to collect and preserve fossils currently exposed to the elements, and that it is therefore essential that private citizens be allowed to collect them for the sake of their preservation.
According to the ethics by-law of SVP, "The barter, sale, or purchase of scientifically significant vertebrate fossils is not condoned, unless it brings them into or keeps them within a public trust."[1][2]
SVP feels that "The fossil record of vertebrates unequivocally supports the hypothesis that vertebrates have evolved through time" and that evolution is "the central organizing principle of biology, understood as descent with modification" and is important to geology as well. The Society believes only scientifically supported evolutionary theory should be taught in school and also believe that creationism and intelligent design have no place in scientific curriculum. To this end, SVP has set up programs to train educators in teaching evolution and support teachers who opposing those who desire to bring intelligent design into the classroom.
Publications
- The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (JVP) is the society's flagship publication. JVP was founded in 1980 at the University of Oklahoma and continued in 1984 by SVP. JVP contains original contributions on all aspects of the vertebrate paleontology; including vertebrate origins, evolution, functional morphology, taxonomy, biostratigraphy, paleoecology, paleobiogeography, and paleoanthropology.
- The SVP Memoir Series publishes monographic papers that are longer than JVP articles.
- The News Bulletin has been published for SVP since its founding. The News Bulletin contains minutes of annual business meetings, news from members around the world, address changes, new members, job advertisements, and obituaries.
- The Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates is an index for publications on all subjects related to vertebrate paleontology.
- Palaeontologia Electronica is the world's first electronic journal of paleontology and is sponsored in part by SVP.
Annual meetings
- 66th meeting, October 18–21, 2006, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 67th meeting, October 17–20, 2007, Austin, Texas, USA
- 68th meeting, October 15–18, 2008, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- 69th meeting, September 23–26, 2009, Bristol, UK
- 70th meeting, October 13–16, 2010, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Future meetings will be held as follows:
- 71st meeting, November 2–5, 2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- 72nd meeting, October 17–20, 2012, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Awards and prizes
The SVP issues the following awards, grants and prizes:[3]
- Colbert Prize (previously known as the Student Poster Prize)
- Estes Memorial Grant
- Gregory Award (after Joseph T. Gregory)
- Honorary Membership Award
- Institutional Membership: A Program for Institutions of Developing Nations
- Lanzendorf PaleoArt Prize (after John Lanzendorf)
- Patterson Memorial Grant
- Predoctoral Fellowship Grant
- Preparators' Grant
- Program for Scientists from Economically Developing Nations
- Romer Prize (after Alfred Romer)
- Romer-Simpson Medal
- Skinner Award (after Morris Skinner)
References
External links
Categories:- Paleontological institutions and organizations
- Scientific societies
- Geology societies
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