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    • Research
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    • Scientific consulting
    • New Species
    • SciCOM
    • NDSEG
    • Papers & CV
  • Home
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Scientific consulting
  • New Species
  • SciCOM
  • NDSEG
  • Papers & CV

Kelsi Rutledge

Kelsi RutledgeKelsi RutledgeKelsi Rutledge

Ph.D. Candidate at University of California Los Angeles

Ph.D. Candidate at University of California Los AngelesPh.D. Candidate at University of California Los Angeles

A new Twist on Taxonomy

SPREAD the Word

Change the perception

Generate excitement

I described a new species of guitarfish! It was sitting in a museum collection for 70 years until I examined it. Now that the publication was out, I wondered how I could spread the word about this new discovery?


I staged a photoshoot with my professional photographer friend where I took silly photos with one of the museum specimens of my n

I described a new species of guitarfish! It was sitting in a museum collection for 70 years until I examined it. Now that the publication was out, I wondered how I could spread the word about this new discovery?


I staged a photoshoot with my professional photographer friend where I took silly photos with one of the museum specimens of my new species, similar in style to a birth announcement. With a bit of apprehension, I then took to Twitter to post the photos. 


My hope was to engage scientists and non-scientists alike and to tell my story of discovery to highlight the importance of museum collections and these understudied and endangered group of fishes- the guitarfishes.




See Tweet

Generate excitement

Change the perception

Generate excitement

How do you spark interest in something as mundane as a dead fish? 


Use Pop culture/Social Media.

Get creative.

Make it relatable.


I believe that it is easier to get people to care and listen to something if they can be excited about it and connect with the content first. I think my love for these fishes is reflected in this photoshoot.


 The re

How do you spark interest in something as mundane as a dead fish? 


Use Pop culture/Social Media.

Get creative.

Make it relatable.


I believe that it is easier to get people to care and listen to something if they can be excited about it and connect with the content first. I think my love for these fishes is reflected in this photoshoot.


 The response was overwhelming positive and turned out to be a great way to promote my publication and get people talking about a fish they wouldn't have heard of otherwise!

 

Links to Media Coverage:


Spectrum1 News


Forbes


Smithsonian Magazine


American Scientist

Change the perception

Change the perception

Change the perception

Taxonomy and systematics (the field of naming new species and determining their relationships) has a rocky reputation. It has many internal conflicts and sometimes viewed as boring or low-impact by other scientists. It has also been historically dominated by old, white males. 


But this is changing, and I think it’s important to show that t

Taxonomy and systematics (the field of naming new species and determining their relationships) has a rocky reputation. It has many internal conflicts and sometimes viewed as boring or low-impact by other scientists. It has also been historically dominated by old, white males. 


But this is changing, and I think it’s important to show that taxonomy can also be fun and that this research is important; not only for conservation but for providing the basis for all other comparative studies. It can also be rigorous- my study had an extensive morphometric and statistical analyses, as well as a key for discrimination. 


But ultimately, the purpose of my photoshoot was an attempt to spice things up and show a new face of taxonomy. The field is changing, and I hope its negative perception will too.  


Copyright © 2018 Fish and Freckles- All Rights Reserved.

Kelsi M. Rutledge