Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Dr. Nina Zitani is an accomplished field research biologist with a passion for teaching people of all ages and backgrounds about the wonders of the living parts of the natural world. Her published research includes discovering and naming 15 new insect species of Costa Rica; scientists have named eight new insect species in her honor. Recent research has focused on the ecology of the Onychophora (velvet worms) of Ecuador. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she uses her extraordinary creativity and photography to enrich her lectures on natural history, evolutionary biology, biodiversity and conservation science. For nearly 30 years she has been a science educator in the classroom and in the field. Her engaging natural history lessons on topics ranging from pollination, to the ecology of native plants and food webs, to the evolution of birds incorporate stories and imagery from her North American field experiences and 24 expeditions to Costa Rica, Ecuador and Peru. Dr. Zitani resides in London, Ontario, Canada where she is the Curator of Zoological Collections and Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Western University.