Christopher Harrison, '78 PhD

Tell us how you stay connected to campus through volunteerism.
I stay connected through work in the U of A Dino Lab, Department of Biological Sciences as a Volunteer Preparator of dinosaur remains.

Why do you think it's important for grads to volunteer their time?
It is not for me to say, though I have found my volunteer work to be very rewarding.

Do you volunteer for other organizations? If so, where?
Yes, I volunteer with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton as a Court Interface between members of the Alberta Court system and accused members of society attending court on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Sherwood Park.

What does volunteering mean to you?
Volunteer work enables me to remain active, to create and to accomplish goals. In addition, I get to meet and interact with interesting people, working in a field of which I had no previous knowledge.

What impact has volunteering had on you? On others?
Volunteering has broadened my scope of interest in areas previously unknown to me. As well, volunteering has provided me with an opportunity to provide a service that I believe is beneficial to both parties involved.

Share a story or a memory from your time volunteering.
Perhaps the most memorable and remarkable aspect of the work that I do in the Dino Lab is that as I remove the waste material that surrounds the dinosaur bones. I am seeing the remains of a creature that lived millions of years ago, and that no one had ever seen the remains prior to my uncovering them. I have come to realize that it is a privilege to work on these remains, for such work requires care and respect as it is not a mechanical process, but a 'CRAFT'.