Over the next few years the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) will be partnering with the Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs (ISMD), a Mongolian NGO created by Dr. Bolortsetseg from the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution, to promote and develop local interest in paleontology and educate the population about the importance of this cultural treasure.
As part of this initiative, the ISMD has donated a state-of-the art mobile dinosaur museum and have brought it to Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, with support of Gerry Ohstrom and Epicurus Fund. This bus was formerly part of 5 dinobuses that toured across the U.S. to promote the understanding of dinosaurs.
The movable dinosaur museum is a state-of-the art, walk-in, 37-foot long, handicap-accessible vehicle. Inside are exhibits with scientifically accurate dinosaur casts, reconstructions, and videos - many of which feature Mongolian dinosaurs like Velociraptor and Protoceratops. A core curriculum and volunteer interpreter program is being developed to permit this mobile exhibit to travel to schools across the country and teach Mongolians about their ancient past.
Dinobus!
As part of this partnership, ACMS and ISMD will be working on developing a Plaeontological field school for the summer of 2016. Dr. Bolortsetseg was the one who identified the T. Bataar dinosaur being auctioned on Ebay and was instrumental in the repatriation of the skeleton to Mongolia. She is also actively involved in the repatriation of 200 other dinosaur skeletons from the U.S. to Mongolia.
To see Dr. Bolortsetseg's TEDx Talk on Mongolian Dinosaurs, click here.
To read Dr. Bolortsetseg's National Geographic Explorer Bio, click here.