Free live lecture with Ally Coconis

Co-Sponsored by the Solvang Library

Research collections in natural history museums are important repositories of biological specimens, providing vast datasets for studies of ecological shifts across space and time. More recently, there has been a great expansion in the use of collections through both increased digitization efforts and the growth of molecular and chemical techniques in ecology. This has led to the concept of the extended specimen, which views specimens as potentially unlimited sources of physical and digital resources, allowing new discoveries with old specimens. Dr. Ally Coconis will describe mammal specimen curation in the 21st century, highlighting her own experience with collections-based research as well as other contemporary research using Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History mammal collections. Finally, she will discuss plans for using and building collections to document small mammalian response to wildfires in Southern California.

Ally Coconis is the Curator of Mammalogy at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, focusing her research on terrestrial small mammals. She received her PhD from the University of Nevada, Reno in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology where she studied the niche differences between woodrat species in the Great Basin. In addition to her research interests, she is a member of various collection management societies and groups that advocate for increased FAIR data principles (FAIR ensuresdata are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

How to Attend

Event date: Thursday, November 12, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Live lecture location: Solvang Library: The courtroom adjacent, 1745 Mission Drive (CA HWY 246)
Zoom webinar registration: Mammals Magnified
A Q&A session and light refreshments will follow the lecture.
The presentation recording will be posted online after the event.