COLLECTIONS/RESEARCH




 

 Tharina Bird

Department of Arachnology and Myriapodology
National Museum of Namibia
Robert Mugabe Av. 84
Windhoek
Namibia
Tel: +264-61-276829
Fax: +264-61-228636
tharina@natmus.co.za, tharinabird@webmail.co.za
http://www.natmus.cul.na/arachno/arachnids/

Education: B.Sc., Botany and Genetics, 1989, University of Pretoria (South Africa); H.E.D. (Higher Degree in Education), 1989, University of Pretoria; B.Sc., Entomology, 1998, University of Pretoria; B.Sc.(Hons.), Entomology, 2000, University of Pretoria; M.Sc., Systematics and Conservation, 2003, University of Pretoria.

Appointments: Researcher, Museé Royal de l’Afrique Centrale Reforestation project, Ivory Coast/Belgium, 9/1995–8/1996; Researcher, Museé Royal de l’Afrique Centrale Reforestation project, Ivory Coast/Belgium, 3–4/1997; Research Technician, Agricultural Research Council–Plant Protection Research Institute, Insect Ecology Division, Pretoria, South Africa, 8/1997–2/2002; Curator of Arachnida and Myriapoda, National Museum of Namibia, Windhoek, 4/2002–.

Research Interests: I curate the rich holdings of the Namibian National Collection of Arachnida and Myriapoda. My research interests are in the taxonomy of southern African arachnids, especially Araneae (I specialize in Ammoxenidae) and Solifugae, and in scientific education. I founded EduVentures, a scientific educational NGO, which leads educational fieldtrips for children in Namibia (http://www.eduventures-africa.org).