Research paper
The Somosaguas palaeontology project: an envision of Nieves López Martínez for linking science and society
OMID FESHARAKI
Departamento de Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain. omidfesharaki@hotmail.com
Corresponding author
ANGÉLICA TORICES
Department of Biological Sciences. Faculty of Science, CW405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E9, Canada. atorices@hotmail.com
BLANCA A GARCÍA-YELO
Departamento de Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. blancayelo@hotmail.com
NATALIA TEJEDOR-NAVARRO
Escuela de Trabajo Social, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain. natalia271190@hotmail.com
LUCÍA DE LA OSSA
Departamento de Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain. lucia.ossa14@gmail.com
MANUEL HERNÁNDEZ-FERNÁNDEZ
Departamento de Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, José Antonio Novais 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Departamento de Cambio Medioambiental, Instituto de Geociencias (UCM,CSIC), José Antonio Novais 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain. hdezfdez@geo.ucm.es
ABSTRACT
The palaeontological site of Somosaguas is located in Pozuelo de Alarcón, to the west of the city of Madrid (Spain), and contains fossils of Miocene age corresponding to 24 species of micro- and macromammals as well as other vertebrates. The Somosaguas Palaeontology Project is focused on this site and was coordinated by Nieves López Martínez between 1998 and 2010 as an example of management of a palaeontological site by university students and young researchers. This project began with field seasons for students in natural sciences grades and today is a multidisciplinary project open to students from any university degree. The significance of the investigations around this fossil site is reflected in a large number of papers published in national and international journals. Additionaly, there are numerous outreach activities in geology and palaeontology with special attention to what we call Social Palaeontology. Finally, this project has a strong commitment to educational innovation in both non-formal (during school visits, open days at the site and science fairs) and formal university education, with the establishment of an introduction to investigation group in order to prepare young researchers in different fields of geology, palaeontology and education.
Keywords: Social Palaeontology, educational innovation, palaeontological excavation, scientific outreach, scientific research.
How to cite: Fesharaki, O., Torices, A., García Yelo, B.A., Tejedor Navarro, N., Ossa, L. de la & Hernández-Fernández, M. 2012. The Somosaguas palaeontology Project: an envision of Nieves López Martínez for linking science and society. Spanish Journal of Palaeontology, 27 (2), 83-92.
Received 30 April 2012, Accepted 21 September 2012, Published 31 December 2012
https://doi.org/10.7203/sjp.27.2.18100
