15th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium

Register for the
15th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium 2025
with Keynote Speaker: Kirk Johnson
at
eventbrite

Call for Abstracts, Posters and Displays

August 22 – 25, 2025


The 15th British Columbia Paleontological Symposium will be held at the Florence Filberg Centre, August 22nd to 25th, 2025 in Courtenay, BC. The British Columbia Paleontological Alliance meets every two years to hold a symposium. This year the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society will host this symposium. The symposium will be supported by the Courtenay and District Museum. Please mark these dates on your calendar!

We extend a warm invitation For all to participate

  • All friends and associates are welcome.
  • Social meet and greet will be 6 pm – 9 pm on Friday the 22nd at the Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontological Centre, 207- 4th Street. A special museum tour with Pat Trask will preceed the meet & greet and take place from 5 pm – 6 pm. There is no charge for the museum tour. The meet & greet will offer appetizers and an open bar.
  • Symposium presentations:
    • Saturday the 23rd
      • Florence Filberg Centre doors open at 8 am for registration. Coffee will be available.
      • Presentations will take place 8:35 am – 4:00 pm.
    • Sunday the 24th
      • Florence Filberg Centre doors open at 8 am. Coffee will be available.
      • Presentations will take place from 8:45 am – 11:45 am.
  • There will be 14 formal presentations on exciting new fossil discoveries.
  • Keynote speaker is Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
  • The Paleo-banquet will be held Saturday evening, August 23rd at the Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave.
    • Happy hour 5 pm – 6 pm
    • Banquet 6 pm – 9:30 pm
  • Special guest Ray Troll, author, paleontological artist, scientific collaborator and musician will speak at the banquet.
  • Field trips:
    • Please meet at the Museum 15 minutes before departure.
    • Friday, August 22nd to Shelter Point 10:00am – 2:30 pm (low tide 0.7 m at 11:00am)
    • Sunday August 24th to the Trent River, 2:00pm-  5:30pm.
    • On Monday, August 25th, the Hornby Island Field trip has the option of one day or two days.
      • Leave the Courtenay Museum at 8:00 am sharp to be in the ferry boarding line early, or meet at the Buckley Bay ferry terminal, to catch the 9:00 am ferry to Denman Island.
      • For those folks that want to camp on Hornby Island to take in the second day, August 26th, please advise the committee ASAP.
      • Ferry and camping costs are borne by participants. Carpool or take your own car.
      • Low tide 1.59 m at 12:43pm on the 25th.
  • Fossil Preparation Workshop will be Sunday August 24th, 1:30 pm – 5 pm and will be led by James Wood, Jay Hawley and Dan Bowen.
  • For more information email Dan Bowen, dbcsdbcs9@gmail.com , or Betty Franklin, beetlejean@gmail.com or Pat Trask, ptrask@courtenaymuseum.ca, or Jerri Wilkins, vicpalaeo@gmail.com.

Dan Bowen, Chair, Symposium Committee,
President, VIPS (Text or call 1-250-897-5026)