"Sue" to lose name

Jeff Poling

The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago announced Friday, January 23, 1998, that it will no longer use the nickname "Sue" to describe the T. rex specimen recently purchased from Sotheby's. Starting January 27, the Museum will launch a nationwide "Name the Field Museum's T. rex" contest as part of a multi-year educational campaign surrounding the fossil.

The fossil was nicknamed "Sue" by the Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research in honor of employee Susan Hendrickson, who found the fossil. The Field Museum tried unsuccessfully to reach an agreement with the Institute, who claims ownership of the name, to continue using the name "Sue." The Field Museum does not believe there is a legal basis for the Institute's claim to the name, but the Museum was concerned that continuing the negotiations would take time and attention away from their research and educational objectives.

"Throughout the country, people have been watching the developments involving our acquisition and preparation of the biggest and most complete T. rex ever discovered," said Laura D. Gates, Vice President of Museum Affairs for The Field Museum. "The public can now participate in naming it, beginning a new chapter in the story of this most unique dinosaur. Our contest will help move this exciting project forward." Details about the contest are available from the Field Museum.

The contest will kick-off a multi-year educational program by The Field Museum and McDonald's in which educational materials covering the discovery and importance of the fossil will be distributed to schools nationwide.

In related news, the Museum is scheduled to open its new McDonald's Fossil Preparation Laboratory in May. The lab will be a state-of-the art research facility where Museum visitors can view the preparation of the fossil formerly known as "Sue." Some of the dinosaur's bones will also be prepared by Field Museum scientists in a second lab, scheduled to open this spring in Orlando, Florida.

After the fossil is completely prepared, it will be mounted for display at The Field Museum in the year 2000.