We’re so proud to hear that Museum photographer Kristen Grace was once again recognized by the UPAA (University Photographers Association of America)! While we can count the years Kristen has been working behind the scenes here at the Museum, it would be more accurate to applaud her body of work that measures in the tens of thousands of photos.
Behind the camera, she doesn’t just document the work of staff and students here at the Museum. She breathes life into her photos to help tell the story of everything we do.
About the photo
In the early morning hours, a university and museum ornithologist (Preston Bertka-Ballard) untangles a cat bird from a mist net for evaluation and banding. In addition to conducting important research, the event was part of a special demonstration where undergraduate students learned from experts in the field to properly catch birds, collect data, band and release.
About the event
In January 2026, the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute team took the spring cohort of their Environmental Leaders Fellowship (ELF) students to a dawn bird banding event at the UF Hague Dairy Banding Station not far outside of Gainesville, FL. They learned how researchers put up “mist nets” early to catch birds foraging for food, then carefully removed them from the nets, measured and documented them, banded them, and then released them.
Read more about the event:
TESI Environmental Leaders Fellowship Spring 2026 Orientation and Bird Banding Event
