Science Communication

Bringing the Past to Life Through Palaeontology Outreach

Did you know?
Some dinosaurs continuously replaced their teeth throughout their lives. Many had teeth primed to replace worn-out ones. Carnivorous dinosaurs, such as Neovenator and Eotyrannus, frequently shed and regrew their teeth.

Imagine standing where ancient seas once surged and towering dinosaurs roamed. Fossils are not just remnants of the past, they are portals to lost worlds waiting to be uncovered.

For the past eight years, I have shared this wonder with the public through museum exhibitions, school presentations, and guided fossil walks along the Jurassic Coast.

Pliosaurus carpenteri fossil on display in the Pliosaurus! Exhibition at Bristol Museum in 2018.
Pliosaurus model used to engage the public in the Pliosaurus! Exhibition in 2018.
Volunteering at Dinosaur Isle Museum on the Isle of Wight in 2019.
Co-leading fossil walks in Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight in 2019.
Lots of Iguanodontian fossil footprint casts could be found on the Isle of Wight in 2019.
I have done lots of workshops with The BDP in schools around Bristol from 2018-2020. Image credit: The Bristol Dinosaur Project, 2025.
Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis skeleton on display at the Natural History Museum in London in 2022.
Fossil hunting in Charmouth in 2024.
With Dr Darren Naish after his talk The News On Ancient Sea Reptiles at Dorset Museum, March 14th, 2024.
Attending the Life on Our Planet in concert at Bristol Beacon, October 2nd 2024.
Exclusive Walking with Dinosaurs screening & creator panel., May 2025.

Science communication is at the heart of palaeontology, helping people understand deep time, prehistoric creatures, and the changing landscapes that have shaped our world.

Our planet is ever-changing. Coastal erosion constantly unveils fossils hidden beneath the earth for millions of years. Each ammonite and dinosaur bone tells a story of life long gone, offering a rare glimpse into ancient ecosystems.

*Neovenator* teeth and *Eotyrannus* dentary on display at Dinosaur Isle Museum on the Isle of Wight. Image credit: James Ronan, 2022.

Through fossil workshops, engaging talks, and hands-on experiences, I have sparked curiosity in children, families, and fossil enthusiasts alike helping them picture prehistoric life in vivid detail.

But understanding the past goes beyond fascination, it takes expertise. Whether you need scientific fact-checking, or palaeontology insights for your project, I can help.

Need a Palaeontology Consultant?

James Ronan Palaeobiologist

Need palaeontology expertise? Explore my consultancy services here!

Below, you will find insights into my interactive outreach efforts and how I bring palaeontology to life. If you would like to discuss dinosaurs, collaborate, or interview me for a podcast or video, feel free to reach out via my contact page!

Volunteering and Exhibitions

School Talk

“We were thrilled to have James join our school, via Zoom, during our Science Week. We would highly recommend James for any educational presentations as his generosity and knowledge made our study of fossils an unforgettable experience.”
Katy Drury, Science Co-ordinator at The Pines School, Bracknell

On the afternoon of October 24th, 2024, I gave a palaeontology presentation for The Pines school Science class of 40 Year 3 children on Zoom. The talk was part of their Science Week covering the theme of Time.

Engaging Year 3 pupils in palaeontology at The Pine School for their Science Week. Image credit: The Pines School, 2025.

I covered my palaeontology education, fossils discovered on the Jurassic Coast, and dinosaur nesting behaviour, alongside feathered dinosaurs and fieldwork in Montana. It was great to talk to The Pines school, taking part in their science week inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Online Science Communication

As a Jurassic Coast Trust Ambassador (2024–2025), I raised awareness about fossil conservation, writing blogs on local geology and prehistoric life. Helping to highlight the importance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site through online science communication outreach.

This work made geological, palaeoenvironmental and fossil locality information easily digestible and engaging, sharing the importance of awareness and need of protection of scientifically important fossil hotspots.

You can explore the two Ambassador blog posts I published for the JCT here: What the Jurassic Coast Means to Me and Faunal Diversity: Judith River Formation and the Jurassic Coast. These articles delve into the geology and faunal diversity of the Jurassic Coast and Judith River Formation in Montana.

Museum Volunteering & Exhibition

Beyond school talks, I also engage in museum exhibitions. I volunteered for Dorset Museum as a gallery steward from 2023-2025. My role involved public engagement, being a point of information for visitors and answering questions about Museum exhibits.

During my time here I was able to share my Jurassic Coast and Dorset knowledge with visitors to the area. Also stewarded for the Heritage Open Day and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year NHM exhibition engaging the public.

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Guided Fossil Walks

I volunteered for the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre from July 2023- August 2024 sharing my palaeontological expertise on the guided fossil walks in Charmouth.

Communicating palaeontology to families, identifying fossils, supporting the Heritage Centre’s fossil wardens.

Public Engagement

April 2023, I engaged with families on behalf of Lyme Regis Museum for the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival. I involved families in fossil polishing activities and shared my knowledge of the Jurassic Coast with visitors.

Helping families understand the geological history of the area, especially those who had not visited the coastline before. It was good to see how many people turned out for the event and were occupied with palaeontology activities.

Museum Volunteering & Guided Fossil Walks

I have volunteered with Dinosaur Isle Museum on a few occasions now. Volunteering in August 2019 for a week, providing paleoenvironmental discussion on public fossil walks at Yaverland, Compton Bay and Brook Chine.

Also undertaking fossil prep in the Dinolab and co-running the fossil stall in the Museum. It was great scicomm experience for me.

Volunteering at Dinosaur Isle in 2019. The skeleton of *Neovenator salerii* is on display behind.

June 2022, I completed fieldwork in the Early Cretaceous Wessex Formation with the Dino Isle team. The Museum on the Isle of Wight holds geologically important material so it has been a great opportunity for me to gain experience with them.

Earth Science Presentation

October 2019, I presented my research to the public at Mendip Rocks! 2019 at the Somerset Earth Science Centre, alongside Professor Mike Benton and Jack Lovegrove. The presentation covered my Vallis Vale Rhaetian bonebed research.

Presenting my Vallis Vale project research at Mendip Rocks! 2019. Image credit: Somerset Earth Science Centre, 2019.

The presentation was given to about seventy members of the public and was a fantastic opportunity for scicomm, sharing more information about the Mendips as Triassic Islands as part of a full day of geology focused talks.

School Workshops

From 2018 to 2020, during my internship and master’s course, I volunteered with The Bristol Dinosaur Project, leading palaeontology fossil handling workshops in schools around the Bristol area, sharing my knowledge.

I led school groups in fossil handling activities, as well as discussions and breakdowns of palaeontological topics. The workshops focused on the dinosaurs of the British Isles, including the mascot for the Bristol Dinosaur Project, Thecodontosaurus.

Leading two groups of children in Africa & Fossils workshop with a breakdown activity on Trilobites and Spinosaurus aegyptiacus was a memorable experience.

Hands-On-Outreach

In addition to volunteering for the Pliosaurus! exhibition, I have contributed to various events at Bristol Museum and collaborated with Bristol Museum on my Vallis Vale microvertebrate project.

My outreach volunteer work in 2018 engaged visitors with a fossil cast of Pliosaurus carpenteri during the Bristol Rocks! event and supported Geology store tours for visitors alongside the Museum curator.

Supervising palaeontological dig activities at the Dinosaur Takeover! event offered an excellent opportunity for science communication and inspiring school groups about palaeontology.

Public Exhibition

The earliest palaeontological outreach I took part in was for the Bristol Museum exhibition Pliosaurus! which ran from June 2017-February 2018. It was a brilliant exhibition which brought palaeontology to life.

“James exhibited a fantastic passion for palaeontology and excelled in communicating this to the wider public. James displayed great enthusiasm towards engaging with visitors of all ages.”
Ryan Lewis, Bristol Museum Pliosaurus! Exhibition, Volunteer Co-ordinator

I adapted my approach to the varying knowledge levels of the exhibition’s visitors, engaging the public with the Pliosaurus carpenteri specimen on display and a tactile life-size model for the public to interact with.

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