New Beginnings in the Invertebrate Collection

As the year winds down, I’ve been reflecting on how much has happened since I joined the University of Oklahoma and the Sam Noble Museum. Shelby, our new Collections Manager, came on board just a month after I arrived, and starting together in August and September gave us the momentum to begin shaping a new phase for the invertebrate collection. The pace of growth since then has been both energizing and incredibly rewarding.

Shelby Hernandez in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History's Recent Invertebrates collection.

On the research side, we’ve already seen some exciting movement: one paper published, another accepted, and several more progressing toward submission. I submitted my first NSF grant proposal here at OU, an important step as we work to expand our research capacity. We also hosted five visiting researchers and facilitated a number of specimen outloans, helping support colleagues near and far while strengthening the role of the collection in active scientific work.

Dr. Gustavo de Miranda with the Halloween-themed museum decoration: a fairly large Phidippus mystaceus.

​The collection itself has grown significantly. Thanks to the steady dedication of our volunteers, students, and staff, more than 3,000 new specimens have been incorporated this year. Watching the collection expand and become more accessible has been one of the most gratifying parts of this role, and it’s been inspiring to see so many people contributing their time and care to its development.

One of our volunteers digitizing the Recent Invertebrates slide collection.

Outreach has also been a major part of our first months. We offered tours, led a pinning demonstration, and participated in events like CuriousiDay and Twilight at the Lake, the latter made especially meaningful through its close collaboration with our fantastic Education Department. Alongside these activities, I gave a few lectures and responded to many inquiries about the collection, all of which underscored how much interest and curiosity exists around the invertebrates we steward.

At the Twilight at the Lake outreach event, the highlight of the night was, of course, arachnids. :)

​One of the most meaningful parts of these first months has been experiencing the collegiality within the School of Biological Sciences and the Sam Noble Museum community. This collaborative spirit has played a major role in the early growth of the invertebrate collection, creating an environment where ideas move easily, partnerships form naturally, and projects gain momentum through shared effort.

An inquisitive Oklahoman Phidippus.

Looking ahead, there’s even more to be excited about. New collaborations are taking shape, undergraduate students have already begun joining our work, and we are on track to welcome graduate students starting as early as Fall 2026. These developing partnerships and opportunities are laying the groundwork for a dynamic future for the collection.

These first months have been full, fast-paced, and deeply fulfilling. I’m grateful for everyone who has helped support and energize this work, and I’m looking forward to everything still to come as we continue building the invertebrate collection together.