Story by Student Intern Rick Orozco I had the opportunity to sit and talk to Dr. Ira F. Greenbaum about his research on Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mice) in the Pacific Northwest region. First, a little bit of background on Dr. Greenbaum: he attended Hofstra University where he acquired his Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1973. After that, he worked on his Master’s and PhD in Zoology at Texas Tech University in 1975 and 1978, respectively. He then joined the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University and is… Read More →

Case Checks The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, or the BRTC, at Texas A&M University is one of the largest university based natural history collections in the United States. Home to over a million preserved specimens, the BRTC serves as a worthwhile educational tool for the students of Texas A&M. As a student, I have had the pleasure of working at the BRTC in the mammal division under Dr. Jessica Light. The mammal division of the BRTC is comprised of mammal skin, skeleton, and alcohol specimens that have… Read More →

Hands down, the best job I have had while interning at the BRTC was preparing mammal skins for the collection.  Although I haven’t had much time to prep any skins on my own, I am hoping that will change in the last few weeks of my internship.   Of all the tasks given to me this semester, it is not only the most fun but has also been the most rewarding experience of my time here.   Prepping a mammal and providing a skin and corresponding skeletal material to the… Read More →

Noel Lyon – BRTC intern One of the more hands on tasks at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (BRTC) is to prepare scientific specimens to be cataloged into the mammal database. Scientifically prepared skins held in natural history collections provide morphological and physical characteristics of individuals and the species as a whole. These data can illustrate how individuals and a species can vary through time and geography, creating a snapshot of a species in a given time and location. Furthermore, additional data such as the life stage,… Read More →

Noel Lyon – Spring intern 2015 The mammal collection at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (BRTC) contains thousands of scientific specimens. These include alcohol specimens, skeletons, skulls, and scientifically prepared specimens. One of the greatest dangers to skeletons, skulls, and alcohol specimens is being dropped, whereas scientifically prepared specimens are threatened by insect pests. One of the many insect pests detrimental to preserved animal skins is the cigarette beetle. Larvae feed by burrowing into the skin, which can damage or ruin a museum specimen. Feeding by adults… Read More →

Another bit from our WFSC undergraduate intern Lauren Wimbish, this time she’s in our collection of bats organizing their skins and skulls- This past June I spent many hours reorganizing the bat collection at the BRTC. Bats are mammals that belong to the Order Chiroptera, which is the second largest mammal group (only rodents belong to a more diverse Order). They are also the only mammals that are capable of sustaining true flight. The collection consists of many different species of bats from all over the world, but… Read More →

Hi! My name is Lauren Wimbish and I am a Wildlife and Fisheries Science major at Texas A&M University. Part of my experience here at Texas A&M is having an internship. This past summer I worked as an intern at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections (BRTC). Although I have had multiple classes at the BRTC, such as Natural History of Vertebrates, Mammalogy and currently Ornithology, this past May was my first time working within the collections. For a good chunk of May and June, I spent a… Read More →