Join us for a "behind the scenes” tour of research projects in the Ornithology Department of the Academy of Natural Sciences, which is one of the 10 largest and taxonomically most complete bird collections in the world. There are over 205,000 study skins, from over 7,000 species, and over 17,000 tissue samples. According to AI’s summary The Academy’s ornithology collection is significant because “its vast collections provide invaluable resources for understanding avian evolution, disease, conservation, and the impacts of environmental changes like climate change and pollution on bird populations.” Dr Nate Rice, Collection Manager of Ornithology, will be our guide. He will include a focus on the Bird Safe Philly program which includes the lab's role in preserving dead birds for research. The ANSP, founded in 1812, is the oldest continuously operating natural history museum in North America. It has become a premier institution for systematic and environmental research that has been conducted on regional, national, and international scales.
$25 per person non-refundable. If unable to attend the registration will be donated to Penn’s Village general fund. This fee does NOT include admission to the museum, just the tour program.
There will be an optional group lunch (private pay) after the museum tour somewhere in the area.
Bio of presenter: Dr. Nate Rice’s primary responsibility is the care and maintenance of the ornithology collection. He obtained his B.S. in Zoology and Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas. He conducts research investigating the evolutionary biology of various Neotropical bird groups including the ground antbirds (Formicariidae) and their relatives. Dr. Rice has field and collecting experience in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. He has over 30 research-based publications.