Betsy Kruk Email & Phone Number

Lead Paleontologist of the SunZia Transmission Project, overseeing all paleontological monitoring and compliance. The SunZia Project is an approximately 550-mile bi-directional 500 kV high-voltage transmission line located on federal, state, and private lands. The transmission line runs between central New Mexico and central Arizona. The route originates at the SunZia East Substation in Torrance County, New Mexico, and terminates at the existing Pinal Central Substation in Pinal County, Arizona.Qualified as Principal Investigator on BLM paleontological permits for Arizona and New Mexico. Also qualified as Paleontological Principal Investigator/Project Director under Arizona's Antiquities Act.

• Manages all paleontology contracts, including desktop review, surveys, mitigation measures, and monitoring projects.• Oversees paleontological monitoring programs and ensured compliance with CEQA, NEPA, PRPA, and the Antiquities Act• Coordinates with clients and field monitors to provide recommendations for mitigation.• Approved as Principal Investigator/Paleontologist by the California BLM and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

• Oversaw monitoring programs and ensured compliance with CEQA, NEPA, PRPA, Antiquities Act, and Lacey Act requirements. • Coordinated with field monitors and provided recommendations for mitigation.• Secured fossil curation agreements with museums.• Interviewed and made hiring recommendations for field staff.• Spearheaded new company data management techniques.• Conducted paleontological monitoring around heavy equipment.• Supervised paleontological surveys on private, state, and federal land in California, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah.• Assisted in fossil salvage on construction projects.• Field Director on BLM Paleontology Permits in California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, and Nebraska.Highlight: Landfill expansion project: Headed paleontological monitoring program, ensured compliance with all applicable regulations, negotiated additional funds, coordinated fossil documentation and recovery, headed fossil preparation, and authored final report.

Edmonton, Canada Area

Successfully completed and defended Master's thesis: "The histology and ontogeny of Pachyrhinosaurus nasal bosses"

Edmonton, Canada Area

Taught laboratory portion of the following classes: Biology 108 “Introduction to Biological Diversity”; Zoology 224 “Vertebrate Diversity”; Zoology 325 “Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy"; and Paleontology 200/Paleontology 201 “Dinosaurs in the Fossil Record.”-Monitored student questions on forums, organized guest lecture series, created assignments, marked assignments, assisted on field trips, compiled grades, lead class daily and assisted with in-class activities.-Taught dissection techniques in a comparative anatomy class.

Edmonton, Canada Area

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Dino 101”; main presenter of course material; on-site content specialist and consultant; content and assessment writer; assessment coordinator; student liason specialist.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Funded by a National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students grant, it allowed international research experience for 27 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in paleontology, biology, geology, and earth science programs over a three year period. The participating U.S. students collaborated with researchers in the Paleontology Department at the Zhejiang Natural History Museum in Hangzhou, China. It presented a unique opportunity to conduct research on specimens from one of the largest fossil egg collections in the world. A large portion of the project was to engage students in projects with international students and faculty. Therefore working with researchers with different scientific backgrounds to learn field and laboratory that enhances research skills.

Master’S Degree, Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, And Population Biology

Bachelor’S Degree, Geological And Earth Sciences/Geosciences