FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Andy Jones: Cleveland Museum Curator of Birds

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Andy Jones, a native of Kingsport, TN and one of the most promising young bird 
researchers in America, today was named Curator of Birds and head of the 
Department of Ornithology at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History in 
Cleveland, Ohio.

This morning he flew from Minnesota to Cleveland to complete a multi-step 
interview process and signed agreements for employment. 

In February he will stand defense of his doctoral research at the University of 
Minnesota where he has been a student of the prominent ornithologist, Dr. 
Robert Zink.  

He reports to The Cleveland Museum of Natural History in March.  He will 
conduct and direct ornithological research for the museum as well as maintain 
the bird collection.

Curators at the museum care for over four million specimens in the fields of 
anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, zoology 
(including ornithology) and wildlife biology.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a world-class destination for 
visitors and researchers. This 200,000-square-foot facility features galleries 
and exhibit spaces, a new planetarium, observatory, museum store, newly 
renovated outdoor live animal area and courtyard with gardens that feature 
native Ohio fauna and a waterfowl pond. The Museum also houses labs for 
scientists working in 11 disciplines and collections storage facilities.  
Used for scientific research, their work is the basis for interpretive exhibits 
and educational programs offered to the public. Since 1920, the Museum has 
served as an outstanding resource for public education and environmental 
conservation. The museum maintain ever-growing collections and programs that 
benefit over 300,000 visitors each year. 

In late September, he was awarded the attractive reseach recognition by the 
Bristol Bird Club as a "Stephen M. Russell Graduate Lectureship" -- honoring 
outstanding doctorate degree candidates in ornithology.  He is the third 
candidate honored by this BBC program.  He was the speak at the annual BBC 
banquet.

He is a graduate of Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett High School.  He earned his B.S. 
at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville where he was active in the Knoxville 
Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and served as a chapter 
officer.  

A finishing Ph.D. candidate at the famous Bell Museum of Natural History,
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior of the University of Minnesota, 
he has recently raised eyebrows among ornithologists in this hemisphere.  His  
molecular research publication of tern pyhlogeny, is gaining widespread 
recoginition.  His proposal for a new genus of terns is being considered by the 
South American Checklist Committee (SACC).

Andy worked two summers as a park naturalist at Steele Creek Park Nature Center 
in Bristol, TN.

On Jan. 1, 2006, he completed 10 years of participation on the Bristol 
Christmas Bird Count.

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN