| Dr.
Robbins earned his Bachelor of Science degree at University of Arizona
and his Master of Science degree at Louisiana State University.
He was the Ornithology Collection Manager at the Academy of Natural
Sciences of Philadelphia from 1982 – 1993. Since 1993, Dr.
Robbins has been the Ornithology Collection Manager at the Natural
History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center at the University
of Kansas, Manhattan. Dr. Robbins main focus of interest is biogeography
and systematics of New World birds. He has participated in over
45 expeditions to inventory birds in countries worldwide. The results
of these inventories have led to clarification of the status and
distribution of many species of birds and has resulted in the discovery
and descriptions of four new species of birds to science. Dr. Robbins
has made over 3000 sound recordings, many of which are the first
such recordings made of several species. All these recordings have
been deposited at the world famous Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
Dr. Robbins is actively involved with undergraduates as well as
graduate students using biogeography, vocalizations, DNA sequencing
and other molecular techniques to study the phylogenetic relationships
of birds, ranging from pygmy owls to woodpeckers. |
