Museum Curation
The best questions natural history collections can answer are the ones we haven’t asked yet. As natural history collections are a snapshot in time, the data an extended specimen contains will be preserved when those questions are asked. I believe in collecting and preserving these invaluable specimens until such questions are asked and beyond. For more information on my curatorial philosophy please see my full curatorial statement.
As a trained museum scientist, I understand the care that has been devoted to each specimen in the hope that current and future generations will be able to use it for novel research. As a student I have spent over five semesters working as a curatorial assistant and I have prepared over 200 bird specimens and over 100 invertebrate specimens.
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​While preservation is a good endeavor, it is not the end-all of a natural history collection. For a collection to remain relevant there is always a need for new material and for it to be used. As such I have been on a major expedition to the Cordillera Azul in Peru and shorter trips to Peru, Costa Rica, and around Louisiana.
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​​​The value of natural history collections does not just lie in drawers or on shelves, it is a valuable teaching tool. Public exhibits and regular tours allow the public to understand the value and connect with natural history museums.​
​​​​​Well curated, accessible collections and continued collecting are important to future research.