Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the University of Minesota Insect Collection (UMSP).

We greatly appreciate your desire to help look after one of the largest university-affiliated insect collections in North America.

Due to COVID-19, the University of MN Insect Collection is temporarily closed. All activity is currently suspended; further inquiries can be sent to the curator, Dr. Robin Elizabeth Thomson, curator@umn.edu. Stay healthy and safe!

The role of a volunteer is to assist with the maintenance of UMSP. Volunteers may undertake a range of duties including (but not limited to): mounting and labelling of specimens, sorting of specimens, assistance with packaging of specimens for dispatch and/or storage, cleaning and restoring of trays and drawers, assistance in incorporating donated material or newly acquired specimens, and the identification of specimens.

UMSP expectations of volunteers are that they: have good manual dexterity and fine motor skills in order to handle very small specimens, be reliable, be willing participants in a friendly team environment, be organized and detail-oriented, and have an interest in insects and/or related arthropods.

If you are interested in volunteering on either short-term or long-term-projects, please contact the Curator, Dr. Robin Elizabeth Thomson, at curator@umn.edu.