Nico FranzView profile
Professor
Dr. Nico Franz is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas and serves as the Krishtalka Director of the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum. He holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Entomology from Cornell University (2005), an M.Sc. from the University of Costa Rica (1999), and a Prediploma in Biology from the University of Hamburg (1996). His research focuses on biocollections infrastructure, biodiversity data science, insect systematics (particularly weevils), and societal engagement in science. Dr. Franz leads the development of Symbiota, an open-source software platform managing biodiversity data across over 1,900 collections. His work emphasizes equitable data access, FAIR principles, and global collaboration. Key projects include digitizing natural history collections in Guatemala and advancing taxonomy through molecular phylogenetics. He has secured NSF funding for initiatives like the Lepidoptera of North America Network (LepNet) and collaborates internationally on biorepository networks. Publications highlight his contributions to specimen management standards, taxonomic interoperability, and mosquito biodiversity. He advocates for early-career scientist involvement in data science and promotes ethical use of biodiversity data. His lab oversees the NEON Biorepository and integrates ecological observations with museum specimens to study global environmental change.





