Our Mission

Utilizing its unique collections, staff, physical facilities and digital presence, the Paleontological Research Institution pursues and integrates education and research, and interprets the history and systems of the Earth and its life to increase knowledge, educate society, and encourage wise stewardship of the Earth.

Our Diversity and Inclusion Values

We strive to make our commitment to diversity and inclusion evident in our organizational structure, culture, policies, programs, goals, and vision, as well as in the composition of our board of directors and staff. The institution seeks to recruit a diverse group of talented individuals and create an environment in which they can effectively work to advance our mission and to support our vision without discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, sex, race, creed, color, national origin, degree of disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or veteran status. We are committed to ensuring all our visitors, program participants, supporters, staff, and volunteers feel valued and respected.

PRI’s Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

PRI was founded in 1932 by Gilbert Harris, who was a professor at Cornell from 1895 to 1934. Harris established his organization as a free-standing entity, separate from Cornell, and obtained a charter for it from New York State in 1936. PRI had only very limited interaction with the University for the next six decades. This began to change in 1992.

On November 20, 2004, PRI and Cornell University signed an agreement of formal affiliation. Under this agreement, PRI remains a free-standing organization, but connections to the University are officially acknowledged and can be built upon.

In 2008, Cornell University appointed the PRI Director as a half-time, endowed professor in the university’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Beginning in March of that year, PRI's current Director Warren Allmon became the first Hunter R. Rawlings III Professor of Paleontology.

Today, PRI's connections to Cornell are many, varied, and growing. The Museum of the Earth is a regular resource for Cornell undergraduate courses in biology, geology, anthropology, and art. PRI collections and staff are also a resource for Cornell undergraduates engaged in independent research. PRI staff regularly teach undergraduate classes in EAS and advise Ph.D. students in geology and zoology. PRI's staff includes scientists who conduct original research in paleontology, evolutionary biology, and science education, enhancing academic areas at Cornell.

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Annual Reports

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