Panorama Newsletter 🦖

Panorama Newsletter

Dear Supporter,

As springtime draws near and activity on campus and in the community increases, so do the efforts of our staff and students at the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum. So much happens in Dyche Hall and across the eight other campus buildings occupied by BI/NHM researchers, collections, and laboratories over the span of a month, a week, or even a day. This newsletter captures only a small a fraction of our team's contributions.

That's why I invite you to slow down today and consider just one story featured here. Whether you read from top to bottom, or just choose what catches your eye, we're grateful you're taking the time to read and acknowledge the work happening at the BI/NHM during this busy time and when your email inboxes are constantly full. Because with every story, award, expedition, or event mentioned, you’re seeing only a small glimpse of our broader mission to study past and present life on Earth.

As much as I try to tell every collection story or celebrate each staff or student achievement, many do not receive a photo opportunity on social media or a shout-out in this newsletter. From volunteers pinning insects or pressing herbarium sheets to staff maintaining exhibits for visitors or handling payroll, there is always work happening that the public doesn't see. Therefore, today, I want to say thank you to everyone keeping our mission alive, whether publicly recognized or not.

Happy almost spring.

Sincerely,
Natalie Vondrak
Communications Coordinator

March Events

Pi Day:
Gallery Guide

March 14 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
KU Natural History Museum

Stop by the museum on March 14 to pick up a free Pi Day Gallery Guide, then explore the galleries in search of natural examples of Pi (π) using the provided clues. Once completed, claim a round and tasty prize at the front desk! Prizes available while supplies last.
Learn More »

K-POP: STEM Inspiration Day

March 15 | 1:30-3:30 p.m.
KU Natural History Museum

Celebrate legendary scientists and discover how their work continues to impact research today with members of the Kansas Postdoc Outreach Project. Activities will demonstrate some of the principles uncovered by past researchers like Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, Marie Curie, and more.
Learn More »

Celebrating Women
in Science

March 28 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
KU Natural History Museum

Join us for our  5th annual Celebration of Women in Science! Meet scientists from KU and beyond, learn about scientific techniques, view specimens and try fun, hands-on experiments at exploration stations throughout the museum. This is a family-friendly, drop-in style event with something for everyone to discover.
Learn More »

Curating Collections:
Vertebrate Paleontology

The Biodiversity Institute houses over 11 million biological specimens and 2 million archaeological artifacts from around the world—each with a story just waiting to be shared!

Recognizing the first Triceratops specimen on public display

A recent article by Kansas Public Radio paid tribute to Kansas native and renowned fossil hunter Barnum Brown (1873-1963). The article, Remembering the Kansas Man Who Discovered T-Rex, highlights Brown's childhood in Carbondale, Kansas, and how his early fascination with the natural world led him to study paleontology at the University of Kansas.

Brown's lifetime achievements are plentiful, especially his discovery of Tyrannosaurus rex, but his participation in the 1895 KU expedition that unearthed an almost complete Triceratops skull in eastern Wyoming holds special significance for the KU Natural History Museum. Still displayed on the museum's third floor, the specimen draws the attention of children and adults alike for its iconic three-horned skull, the species’ frequent appearances in popular culture, and distinction as the first Triceratops placed on public display.

Learn more about this specimen and the KU expedition of 1895 in A Triceratops Hunt In Pioneer Wyoming: The Journals Of Barnum Brown & J.p. Sams: The University Of Kansas Expedition Of 1895, available in the museum's gift shop.

Research Highlights

See a full list of recent publications at the end of this newsletter.

How summer avifauna at Little Salt Marsh has changed over a century

In 1925, KU ornithologists surveyed bird populations at Little Salt Marsh in central Kansas. Their specimens and field notes became the baseline for a follow-up survey nearly 100 years later. While many of the summer birds species remain the same, at least four species associated with woody habitats have expanded westward and several southern species have shifted their ranges northward. This resurvey demonstrates the importance of preserving historical biological datasets to understand long-term biodiversity change. Read More »

Engaged reading with best-selling author Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

Spend an hour in Marvin Grove on March 30 for a shared reading of Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature with author Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian. The national best-selling author will detail personal and scientific encounters with fungi, slugs, eels, and other organisms, and how they challenge human-centric binaries. The conversation will be facilitated by Brian Atkinson, paleobotany curator, and Abraham Weil, professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies . Read More »

KU Biology's new podcast explores how ancient primates crossed oceans

Paleontology enthusiasts won't want to miss this interview with Christopher Beard, senior curator of vertebrate paleontology, as he shares the motivations driving his research on anthropoid primates and what inspired him to study the fossil record. He also breaks down his recent publication addressing how early anthropoid primates crossed oceans and dispersed across Asia, Africa, and South America. Listen Now »

Museum News

KU Natural History Museum announces spring programming

We’re offering a full lineup of science-themed public events this spring for youth and adults alike. Programs will explore a range of topics, including STEM activities inspired by legendary scientists, as well as public presentations on bioluminescence and paleontology fieldwork in Turkey. Events vary in format, from self-paced gallery guides to family-friendly activity stations. Read More »

Thank you cards reveal the joy of visiting the museum

Did you know the KU Natural History Museum welcomed more than 12,000 children in 2025? That number continues to grow by about 1,000 each year. Thank you cards sent after field trips or educational programs tell a big story about the impression our exhibits and staff have on these young visitors and reveal some of their most memorable moments. See a selection of our favorite cards here »

New water bottles inspired by iconic lobby floor

Now available online and in the gift shop: Nalgene water bottles featuring artwork from our lobby floor. Designed by Myra E. Wildish Rising in 1937, the floor represents ancient and modern animals in an evolutionary sequence. Thanks to the creativity of Invertebrate Paleontology Collection Manager Natalia López Carranza, this historic design has been reimagined for a water bottle you can take anywhere.

Staff & Student Spotlights

Stay up-to-date with current activities and events by following us
on your favorite social media channels.

Did you know February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science? We did, and we're so proud to celebrate! That's why we gave a big shoutout on social media to our students, curators, collection managers, educators, administrators, and everyone advancing science and deepening the public’s understanding of biodiversity at the BI/NHM. See more photos »

Congratulations to KU Mammalogy graduate student Ben Wiens on receiving the University of Kansas Graduate Student Distinguished Service Award! Ben was awarded for his efforts in near-peer teaching and mentorship in molecular and computational sciences and his contributions to the growth and maintenance of the KU Mammalogy collections. Great job, Ben!

Congratulations to Jim Beach, longtime advocate of biodiversity collections and Head of the KU Biodiversity Institute's Informatics Division, on his well-earned retirement. Since joining the KU BI/NHM in 1998, Jim has provided exceptional leadership and vision to our organization. Under his guidance, the Informatics Division achieved remarkable success, most notably with the development of Specify Software, a content management system that has transformed how natural history museums manage and share plant and animal data.

Thank you, Jim, for your dedication, innovation, and lasting impact. We wish you all the best in this exciting new chapter!

How did Minnesota native and graduate student Alex Maile end up studying deep-sea fishes? By fishing alongside his dad. At the latest BI/NHM board meeting, Alex shared how that childhood interest evolved into his pursuit of a doctorate degree at KU. He described how his mentor, KU Ichthyology alumnus Matt Davis, encouraged him to attend the 2018 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists where he met his future advisor, Leo Smith, curator of ichthyology at KU.

Looking Ahead

Science on Tap with Christopher Beard

Wednesday, April 15 | 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Free State Brewing Company

Join us in downtown Lawrence for a presentation by Christopher Beard, senior curator of vertebrate paleontology and Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at KU. In this talk, Beard will highlight his expeditions to Turkey seeking to uncover the unique mammalian fauna of Balkanatolia, a former island in the Tethys Sea that encompassed much of what we now know as the Balkans in SE Europe and adjacent Anatolia.

Recent Publications

Where to find us

www.biodiversity.ku.edu
1345 Jayhawk Blvd
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-4450

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