Ana Mendoza Maya
Ana Mendoza Maya is a Collection Assistant in the Earth Sciences division at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, specializing in paleontology and invertebrate collections. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Evolutionary Biology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), where her thesis focused on ammonite taxonomy and biostratigraphy. Ana also earned a Master of Arts in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas, where her research on Middle Cambrian trilobites involved advanced geometric morphometrics.
With extensive experience in curatorial work, Ana has contributed to numerous collections management and research projects at institutions such as the Biodiversity Institute at the University of Kansas and the Institute of Geology at UNAM. Her expertise spans taxonomy, fossil preparation, research collection care, fieldwork, and the use of digital tools for specimen cataloging and analysis. Ana has also been actively involved in outreach activities, enjoying opportunities to engage the public in paleontology, particularly young audiences.