About Andy Farke, PLOS Paleo Community Editor
Hi! I’m Andy Farke, the Augustyn Family Curator of Paleontology at the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology in Claremont, California. As a paleontologist, I want to understand more about life on our planet towards the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. My interests have focused on the horned dinosaurs (Triceratops and relatives), but I’ve also published on everything from carnivorous dinosaurs to early alligator relatives.
Beyond my research interests, I am committed to expanding access to museum collections, scientific data, and the scientific literature. I have been the volunteer Paleontology Section Editor for PLOS ONE for several years, along with work at other open access journals. Since 2012, I have blogged at The Integrative Paleontologists blog at The PLOS BLOGS Network, where I like to highlight the latest advances in open access and open science within the realm of paleontology. I’m also active on Twitter as @andyfarke (creative name, right?).
The interrelated and allied fields of paleontology (it’s more than just dinosaurs, after all!) are more accessible than ever before, with everything from downloadable fossils to open access descriptions of key species to savvy blogging efforts across the discipline. Every time a new discovery is announced, social media lights up with informal discussions. PLOS, along with other open access publishers, has played a key role in my discipline’s renewed vigor. Building upon this legacy, the PLOS Paleo Community promises an important venue to further expand and refine science communication for paleontologists, paleontology enthusiasts, and the broader world. I’m excited to see where the journey takes us!
So, what’s on the horizon? What can you do to join in the fun?
PLOS and its blog editors are going to be at the upcoming Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting! We’ll have coverage from the meeting itself, and more.
If you’re interested in joining the conversation as a blogger at the PLOS Paleo Community, opportunities are open!
If you’d like to subscribe to the PLOS Paleo Community, and receive monthly email updates, use this form to do so.
For any questions related to the PLOS Paleo Community, email paleocommunity@plos.org