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Why we need your support

While a number of organisations and companies already support the research work of CREATE, a number of recent world class discoveries together with ongoing work at the Riversleigh site has stretched our resources and we need to continue the research work as well as our broad educational programs based on the research. Support for the research will help us to grow.

The research team at the University of New South Wales has been involved in research at some of Australia's and the world's best fossil sites and communicating the results of this work to the public. The team has an outstanding international reputation and is often invited to work on new discoveries. While the basic research is concerned with understanding our past, the fossil record provides an important deep time perspective about long term changes in animal lineages. Combining information from the fossil record with historical records gives us our best understanding about the future of living animals especially with the impacts of climate change. Support for this research will assist the team to continue their work both now and in the future.

Donations from Individuals

The CREATE fund has been established to facilitate and conduct research into our past. Individuals can help through donations.

Your assistance through a donation can make a difference. All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued and posted back to you when a donation is received. Donations of $5000 and above entitle the donor to have a fossil named after themselves (or a person special to them) and have their donation listed on the list of CREATE Donors if they wish.

Become a fossil

Special donations entitle the donor to have a fossil named after them (or somebody important to them).

The ultimate recognition is to have a fossil named after you (or a person of your choosing). In line with current practice in Australia and overseas, a donation of $5000 or more triggers this accolade. With a wide range of fossils waiting to be formally described by the research team and associated researchers, your contribution can be recognised for all time. The process involved in formally describing a new fossil species and having the results published can take a period of time but once an agreement has been made following the donation, a certificate with an image of the fossil and its name will be provided to the donor. If you are interested in this unique chance to be remembered contact Dr Sue Hand.

Volunteering

Occasionally it is possible to include volunteers on field trips to places such as Riversleigh

It is possible that from time to time there are opportunities to accompany the research team and associated researchers on field trips to some fossil sites such as Riversleigh. However, these opportunities only arise on an irregular basis and are often dependent on factors and approvals beyond the control of the research team. If you are interested you can contact Dr Sue Hand in the first instance. The Riversleigh Society has also organised field trips to fossil sites around Sydney and to Wellington Caves (but not to Riversleigh itself) on an irregular basis as well.

Corporate Partners and Grants

Many corporate partners assist in the research and there are many opportunities for organisations to assist us achieve our goals

Grants from a range of programs and support from a number of corporate partners have been an integral part of the research team’s work for more than 30 years. This support has been critical in ensuring the success of fossil projects like Riversleigh. However with some recent major discoveries there is an increasing need for support to ensure the research is done and the findings communicated to the Australian public. To discuss opportunities to become a corporate partner contact Dr Sue Hand in the first instance.

Support from the following organisations is gratefully acknowledged:

• Australian Research Council
• Queensland National Parks and Wildlife
• Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
• University of New South Wales
• Queensland Museum
• Australian Geographic Society
• Xstrata Copper – Community partnership program – North Queensland
• Mount Isa City Council
• Outback at Isa
• Adels Grove
• The Riversleigh Society Inc
• Royal Zoological Society of NSW
• Linnean Society of NSW
• The Waanyi people

Projects supported by CREATE

2010/11 to 2012/13

• Three year program for further purchase of amber specimens.

2012

• CREATE prize for best publication in Palaeosciences by a UNSW postgraduate student: awarded to Ms Jacqui Nguyen.
• Support for Honours students Rebecca Pian and Blake Dickson.

2010

• Purchase of amber specimens.

2009

• Two student scholarships to attend the CAVEPS conference.

2008

• Dr Karen Black for work as a preparator of Riversleigh fossils. Dr Black has recently been awarded her PhD on Riversleigh diprotodontids and is a skilled preparator. Preparatory work is an essential part of the whole Riversleigh project in which the fossils are recovered from large limestone blocks by carefully dissolving the limestone with weak acetic acid.
• Dr Robin Beck
  Robin has completed his PhD thesis on a number of enigmatic Australian mammal fossils and the CREATE funding has allowed him to complete his work and publish a number of important scientific papers.
• Dr Karen Roberts
  Karen has completed her PhD thesis on the early evolution and diversity of ringtail possums.

Click here to find out more about CREATE.