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Team Phaeton  David West Reynolds, Ph.D.
David West Reynolds at Devon Island Mars Arctic Reasearch Station. Phaeton Image by Matt Bliss Current Projects

DAVID WEST REYNOLDS, Ph.D.

We'll have to get David to talk about his 2008 projects at some point, but he has been too busy in the Yukon Territory and on another icebreaking mission in the High Arctic, while also lecturing and finishing his contributions to a new Atlas of World Religion for the German publisher Langenscheidt. So we'll give him a break for not quite having time to update his record here. Meanwhile, below are notes on our Captain's projects from 2007, in his own words.

NOVEMBER 2007--Was in California most of the month. Gave several talks at an event in Los Angeles, LOSCON 34, Nov. 22-25. Presentations included "The Archaeology of Indiana Jones," a discussion of the surprising amount of real history and archaeology behind the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark.

OCTOBER 2007--Led Phaeton mission to investigate melting of Northwest Passage aboard Canadian icebreaker; reached almost 75 degrees north latitude. Lots of helicopter action.

SEPTEMBER 2007--Planning ambitious Phaeton Ice Corps mission to Canadian arctic to take advantage of dramatic unexpected polar melting phenomenon

SEPTEMBER 2007--Contributed technical essays for a new space history book published by National Geographic, Epic Rivalry: The Inside Story of the Soviet and American Race to the Moon

AUGUST 2007--Wrote an article about Michael Ryan's latest discovery of a new dinosaur species for the Explorers Club magazine of Canada, OUTPOST

JULY 2007--Wrote 30,000 words of dinosaur research for a National Geographic project

JUNE 2007--Conducted a rare Phaeton Induction Ceremony in Washington, D.C., welcoming two new Specialists to Phaeton Group

JUNE 2007--Led a Phaeton mission to examine the "Nazi flying wing," the Ho229 turbojet plane captured from the Third Reich, held by the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum.

MAY, 2007--Appeared as a VIP Special Guest for Lucasfilm, Ltd. at a major convention event in Los Angeles. Presented talks on "The Archaeology of Indiana Jones" and "The Archaeology of Star Wars." Also was talked into playing the character of Indiana Jones in person for Opening Ceremonies, which featured me performing bullwhip stunts onstage. Met important Hollywood producer backstage while decked out in full Indiana Jones regalia--hat, leather jacket, etc. Had some difficulty in conveying an impression of professional academic credibility to producer. "Actually, I really am an archaeologist, honestly! I have a doctorate and everything. This silly outfit is just--er, excuse me, I have to go do the bullwhip tricks now." Producer has not returned follow-up phone call.

MARCH 16, 2007--Presented a lecture, "Achieving the Impossible: The Apollo missions to the Moon" at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Epic Rivalry book cover

Zodiac nearing Beechey Island in Canadian Arctic, Oct. 2007 Ice Corps mission, Phaeton Image by DWR

Reynolds Discussing Horten 229 with Phaeton team and curator Tom Dietz, PX-8

Bliss, Williams, and Reynolds during Ice Corps deployment to Northwest Passage, 2007. Phaeton Image by Vera Williams

LOSCON 34, where David presented talks in November 2007


 

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