John Sifling

John has assisted the Vertebrate Paleontology department with field, lab, and collections work since 2015. He holds an MS degree in Oceanography and brings his knowledge of physics to the everyday handling and storage of our vertebrate fossil collections. His current project is the preparation, housing, and curation of a Pliocene marine fauna from the Niguel Formation of southern California, including an impressive baleen whale skull and partial skeleton that was recovered from a construction site. John previously served as a US Coast Guard Commander and a business executive in the cruise line industry. He is a current member of the Association for Materials and Methods in Paleontology (AMMP), as well as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for International Bird Rescue.