Natural History of Western Pennsylvania
Albert D. Kollar
Geologist and Collection Manager, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Areas of focus: Geology, Natural History of Western Pennsylvania, Carnegie Architecture and Building Stone History, Carnegie historic dinosaur discovery sites
Albert D. Kollar is the museum’s collection manager for its section of invertebrate paleontology, home to the more than 800,000 specimens. Kollar has traveled extensively throughout the United States and conducted research on invertebrate fossils, climate change, and the geology at sites of significant Carnegie paleontology discoveries. His most recent research will take him to Ireland, France, Italy and Croatia to study the geology and provenance of the famous architectural stones used in the historic Carnegie Museum building in Oakland.
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To schedule an interview, email Erin Southerland or call her at 412.353.4818.
Stephen J. Tonsor
Director of Science and Research, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Areas of focus: Anthropocene, Biodiversity & Ecosystems
Dr. Stephen J. Tonsor received his PhD in Biology from University of Chicago. He serves as director of science and research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Before joining the museum in 2015, Tonsor applied quantitative evolutionary genetics and study of form and function in both the laboratory and the field to understand how organisms adapt to changing climates. More recently he has turned his attention to research at a meta-level: understanding the integration knowledge through across scientific disciplines, the arts, and humanities, toward a synthesis that considers the meaning of human existence.
To schedule an interview, email Erin Southerland or call her at 412.353.4818.
John Wenzel
Director of Powdermill Nature Reserve
Areas of focus: Insect behavior, pollinators, forest regeneration, Marcellus gas development, and Appalachian ecology
John Wenzel is an entomologist and the director of Powdermill Nature Reserve, Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental research center. Wenzel has traveled to tropical America, Africa, and Europe on expeditions, and has published a large volume of research on insect and arachnid behavior. Wenzel created new educational and research programs at Powdermill that include gardening with native plants, landscape-level research in forest regeneration, field experiences in North American ecology for South American students, and basic research on the crisis in bee health. He also created web tools for following the hydrofracture (fracking) gas industry.
To schedule an interview, email Erin Southerland or call her at 412.353.4818.