At first I was afraid…I was Petrified

28 May At first I was afraid…I was Petrified

Hello everyone, my name is Sebastian. I am returning Mosaics intern this year and I will be working in the same state I did last year. This time I will be working as a Natural Resource Interpretive Assistant at Petrified Forest National Park.  Leaving the hot and humid of environment in North Carolina has been a relief, but leaving family… not so much. However, I am very excited to be working with my supervisor Ricardo this year, who I met last year when he visited my park and informed me that my work implemented the Unstable Slope Management Program.

The drive over to Arizona from North Carolina was fantastic and is one that I will never forget. I got to see many natural features such as the Appalachians, The Ozarks, as well as the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico. Seeing the landscape change so drastically initiates images & ideas in your head on how it all came together geologically.

This summer I will be working in creating website content for the new geology theme loop for the park. Petrified Forest National Park is known for its petrified wood and fossils which date back to the Triassic period about 225 million years ago. 

To date, there are still many fossils to be found in the park which I hope to find myself. I also hope to expand my outreach in the park while also using Spanish to connect with more people. I am excited to work in AZ this summer to promote diversity in the park, along with gaining beneficial experience that will cultivate vital work experience for future job prospects.