Director of the Florida Museum of Natural History and Curator

E-mail: dsjones

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "dsjones" for the full email address.)

Research interests include exploring shell growth records of modern and fossil mollusks. These range from coquina clams such as Donax variabilis that live for several months, to bivalves like Arctica islandica that can live for centuries. From growth increment variability and stable isotope profiles in shells of these organisms, it is possible to reconstruct detailed records of life history and environmental change.

Roger W. Portell

Director of Invertebrate Paleontology Division and Coordinator of Museum Operations

Primary contact person regarding IP Collection or discovery and identification of invertebrate fossils

E-mail:portell

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "portell" for the full email address.)

Oversight of all aspects (curation, cataloging, computerization, personnel, budgets, fund raising, outreach, etc.) of one of the largest and most active invertebrate paleontology collections in North America.  Currently serving as Florida Paleontological Society Editor of the specimen identification series Florida Fossil Invertebrates.

Research interests include systematics, paleoecology, biogeography, and biostratigraphy of Cenozoic invertebrates of the southeastern USA, Caribbean, and South America with an emphasis on arthropods, echinoderms, and mollusks.

Sean Roberts

Museum Operations Specialist

E-mail: sroberts

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "sroberts" for the full email address.)

Collection, preparation, cataloging and photography of fossil invertebrates from the SE USA and Caribbean. Member of the Florida Paleontological Society, National Speleological Society, the Florida Speleological Society (elected President 2004), and the Florida Geological Survey Springs and Swallett Project.

Research interests include mapping of Florida caves and photographic documentation and voucher collecting of fossil invertebrates found therein.

George D. Hecht

Curatorial Assistant

E-mail: ghecht

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "ghecht" for the full email address.)

Collection, preparation, identification, and curation of Tertiary microfossils (Ostracoda, Foraminiferida) from the SE USA and Caribbean. Identification and Curation of the Paleozoic portion of the teaching Collection. Treasurer of the Florida Paleontological Society and member of the Paleontological Society.

Research interests include taxonomy and biostratigraphy of Florida brackish and marine Ostracoda.

Alex Kittle

Curatorial Assistant

E-mail: bkittle

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "bkittle" for the full email address.)

Collection, preparation, identification of fossil invertebrates from the SE USA and Caribbean. Member of the Florida Paleontological Society. Research interests include paleoecology of Cenozoic fossiliferous deposits in the SE USA.

Matt Smith

Preparator

A 1996 UF Zoology Alumni, Matt has worked as a fossil preparator for 16 years. He recently returned to Gainesville, his hometown, with his wife to raise his family. He currently works on a backlog of crab and echinoderm specimens, as well as new material from Cuba.

Joan C. Herrera

Research Associate

E-mail: herrera

*(Please add "@zoo.ufl.edu" to the end of "herrera" for the full email address.)

Research Interests include larval ecology and life history evolution of marine invertebrates and the evolutionary history of echinoids.

Diana Cordova

Senior Data Entry Specialist

E-mail: dcordova

*(Please add "@flmnh.ufl.edu" to the end of "dcordova" for the full email address.)

Computerization of identified specimens including production of specimen labels and numbering of cataloged lots. Currently a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in African Studies and Women's Studies.

Hidahis Figueroa

Data Entry Specialist

E-mail: hidahis

*(Please add "@ufl.edu" to the end of "hidahis" for the full email address.)

Computerization of identified specimens including production of specimen labels and numbering of cataloged lots. Currently a senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Women's Studies.

Heather Tramel

Data Entry Specialist

E-mail: htramel

*(Please add "@ufl.edu" to the end of "htramel" for the full email address.)

Computerization of identified specimens including production of specimen labels and numbering of cataloged lots. Currently a UF sophomore majoring in Biology as a premedical student.

Veronika Lea-Kelly

Data Entry Specialist

E-mail: leakellyveronika

*(Please add "@ufl.edu" to the end of "leakellyveronika" for the full email address.)

Computerization of identified specimens including production of specimen labels and numbering of cataloged lots. Veronika has a bachelors degree in History and is a UF certified English/Russian translator.