Staff

		Heath J. Garner Curator of Collections M.A., Museum Science, Texas Tech University B.S., Anthropology, University of Houston I facilitate the daily operations of the NSRL’s collections. My duties include specimen processing, cataloging, and tracking, loan processing, student worker and volunteer training and supervision, documentation keeping, and collections preventative conservation. My interests are directed toward all aspects of natural history collection curation, data management, and the changing technologies in museum collections. I have been with NSRL since June of 2000.
		James C. Cokendolpher Assistant Curator and Research Scientist, Invertebrates Collection Graduate Studies, Systematics,Texas Tech Univ., 1978-1980 M.S., Biology, Midwestern State Univ., 1978 B.S., Biology, Midwestern State Univ., 1976 A.A.S., Chemical Technology, Midwestern State Univ., 1976 My training as a biologist covers both invertebrates and vertebrates as well as botany. I am a world authority on two orders of arachnids and have published papers and books on a variety of arthropods, protozoa, vertebrates, and plants. My interests are broad and therefore my publications have dealt with a variety of topics: archaeology, behavior, conservation, documentation, ecology, exocrine gland chemistry, faunal surveys, history of arachnology, karyology, morphology, natural history, paleontology, parasitology, pathology, phylogenetics, physiology, pollenation, speleology, taxonomy, ultrastructure, human and veterinary medicine. Although, I am most interested in arachnid taxonomy and museum collections, I have keen interests in biospeleology and  insect plant interactions: especially those of the carnivious plants and orchids.  I am also very interested in the ex situ breeding of endangered or "extinct in the wild" plants and animals: especially Nepenthes and Cyprinodon.
		Lisa Bradley Research Associate B.S. Wildlife Science, West Virginia University, 1984 M.S. Wildlife Science, Texas A & M University, 1987 My primary duty is the preparation of manuscripts for publication in the Museum series Occasional Papers, Special Publications, and Museology.  I am responsible for communicating with authors and the Editor through the review and revision process, copy editing, proofreading, and final layout and design.  I also assist in the writing and editing of scientific articles published by NSRL staff, and in the preparation and submission of grant proposals.
		Kathy MacDonald Curatorial Assistant, Genetic Resources Collection and GIS Projects Ph.D. student, Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University M.A., Museum Science, Texas Tech University B.S., Biology, University of Texas of the Permian Basin B.S., Mathematics, University of Texas of the Permian Basin My research interests focus on the behavior and management of captive animals, particularly stereotypic behavior in captive carnivores. I am also interested in the registration and management of zoological and natural history collections. Finally, I have a growing interest in the use of GIS for collection management purposes. My primary duties at the NSRL include management of the genetic resources collection and its inventory and reorganization project as well as supervising students and volunteers assisting with the project. In addition, I am involved with web design. Secondary duties include assisting with loan preparation, specimen tracking in the collection, and data management.
		Juan Pablo Carrera E. Curatorial Assistant, Mammal Collection M.A. candidate, Museum Science, Texas Tech University B. S., Biology, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 2003. juan.p.carrera@ttu.edu My research interests include Zoology and Museum Sciences. In the zoological field my research is focused mainly on the natural history, biogeography and systematics of the Neotropical mammals, particularly bats. In the Museum, my current research involves the collection management, database management, education, and preservation of natural history specimens. Currently, I am involved in some projects that combine the laboratory and the museum, including the systematics and distribution of some genus of Neotropical bats, the organization of the vital tissue collection, and the curation and organization of the mammal collection at the NSRL.
		M. Raquel Marchán R. Curatorial Assistant, Mammal Collection Dermested Technician, Mammal Collection raquel.marchan@ttu.edu M.A. candidate, Department of Biology, Texas Tech University B. S., Biology, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 2006. Associate Researcher Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador My main interest is the morphology of mammals. My current research is focused in elucidating the taxonomic status of some species of Neotropical bats, particularly members of the Artibeus genus. Using morphometric techniques I analyze the cranial structure to obtain further insight into the subtle morphological differences between species and to clarify intrageneric relationships. Additionally, I carry out biogeographic studies to model species’ geographic ranges using Geographic Information Systems. At the Museum, my research involves the curation, data management and organization of the mammal collection at the NSRL. My most recent work included the updating of the database taxonomy according to the last edition of Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder 2005). Currently we are in the process of implementing the database changes into the collection. Additionally, I am the dermested technician and the responsible for tracking and cleaning the specimens.
		Mary E. Belden Graduate Assistant, Invertebrate Collection M.A., Student, Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, Texas Tech University B.A., Spanish, Sociology, Education, South Dakota State University I assist in the daily operations of the NSRL’s invertebrate collections.  My duties include the monitoring for integrated pest management within the NSRL, and the preparation, cataloguing, and recording of specimens for the invertebrate collection.  I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language.  My interests include many different aspects of the invertebrate and mammal collections at NSRL.

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