The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections is primarily a research collection. However, we recognize the need for community involvement and serve as the training ground for our local Texas Master Naturalist chapter. The Texas Master Naturalist Program’s mission is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Texas. Please visit their website to learn more.
Specimens from our collections are both loaned for public expositions by other museums and utilized by curators in exhibits to highlight the BRTC in public spaces because our facility lacks gallery space. Recent exhibits curated by the BRTC include:
- Lights Out, Texas!, Parker-Astin building, Bryan, Texas, 08/01/24 – 08/30/24, BRTC exhibit reimagined, co-curated by Heather Prestridge, Dr. Gary Voelker and Mary Compton, spotlighting the Lights Out, Texas! conservation initiative.
- Lights Out, Texas!, Reynolds Gallery, Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M University, 06/28/23 – 09/13/23, co-curated by Heather Prestridge, Dr. Gary Voelker and Mary Compton, spotlighting the Lights Out, Texas! conservation initiative. Exhibit funding provided by Texas A&M University Office of Undergraduate Studies Innovation X.
- The Toll of Texas Roads on Turtles and Snakes. March-April 2024. This exhibition was curated by Amanda Stronza, professor in Ecology and Conservations Biology, photographer and conservationist; Lee A. Fitzgerald, professor in Ecology and Conservations Biology, conservationist and herpetologist; and Rachel Ivanyi, contemporary nature artist, illustrator, art educator and artist for conservation.
- Treasures from the Vault, Forsyth Gallery Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M University, 2022- present, Collaboration with Heather Prestridge, Dr. Gary Voelker and gallery curators Heather Bennett and Liz Appleby.
- Revival, Reynolds Gallery, Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M University, 06/16/21 – 09/25/21, Curated by Heather Prestridge, Dr. Kevin Conway, Sarah Potvin, and Mary Compton. Exhibit funding provided by National Science Foundation.
- A Garden of Earthly Delights, Forsyth Gallery, Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M University, 10/05/21 – 12/14/21, Collaboration with BRTC faculty curators.
- OVert, Reynolds Gallery, Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M University, 06/12/19 – 09/21/19, Curated in collaboration with Dr. Kevin Conway. Exhibit funding provided by National Science Foundation.
- Vitality, SEAD Gallery, Bryan TX, 09/19/19 – 12/12/19, Co-curated by Heather Prestridge and Dr. Gary Voelker.
