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Natural History Collections

Natural history collections and specimen-based field work are the bedrock of my scientific career. As an avian systematist, my research depends on the collection and curation of scientific specimens. 

I support natural history collections through various activities:

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Contributing to collections via specimen preparation. Here, I finish a specimen of a Cassin's Auklet at the San Diego Natural History Museum that I found on a beach in San Diego with my family. 

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Educating the public on the importance of collections. I routinely participate in the Museum of Southwestern Biology's outreach events to engage the local public on why collections matter and how they are used by the scientific community. 

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Collecting occurrence data and doing biodiversity surveys in the field. I publish natural history observations on breeding biology, behavior, and abundance in tandem with my fieldwork.

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Engaging with decision makers to support collections infrastructure. In January 2020, a team of UNM biology graduate students and I lobbied the New Mexico Legislature for ~$200,000 to complete renovations on UNM's Natural History Science Center. 

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