Zack Falin


Zack Falin
  • Collection Manager - Entomology

Contact Info

Public Safety Building
1501 Crestline Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045

Education —

Ph.D. in Entomology, University of Kansas, 2003
B.S. in Entomology, Cornell University, 1992
with Honors

Teaching —

University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

2006 – 2007  Interim Acting Curator, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute

2003 – 2010  Associate Collection Manager, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute

1998 – 2003  Curatorial Assistant, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute

1998  Graduate Research Assistant, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute

1997 – 1998  Curatorial Assistant, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute

1995 – 1997  Graduate Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

1995  Museum Technician, Cornell University Insect Collection

1994  Curatorial Technician, Cornell University Insect Collection

1990 – 1991  Research Assistant, Dept. of Entomology

1990  Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Entomology

1989 – 1992  Museum Technician, Cornell University Insect Collection

Selected Publications —

Lohrmann, V., Z.H. Falin, D.J. Bennett & M.S. Engel. [in press].  Recent findings of Olixon banksii in the Nearctic with notes on its biology (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society.

Chatzimanolis, S., M.E. Cashion, M.S. Engel & Z.H. Falin.  2012.  A new genus of Ptylodactylidae (Coleoptera: Byrrhoidea) in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar.  Geodiversitas, 34(3): 569-574.

Batelka, J., M.S. Engel, Z.H.Falin & J. Prokop.  2011.  Two new ripidiine species in Dominican amber with evidence of aggregative behavior of males “frozen” in the fossil record (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae).  European Journal of Entomology, 108: 275-286.

Falin, Z.H. & M.S. Engel.  2010. Notes on Cretaceous Ripidiini and revised diagnoses of the Ripidiinae, Ripidiini, and Eorhipidiini (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae).  Alavesia, 3: 35-42.

Lawrence, J.F., Z.H. Falin & S.A. Slipinski.  2010. Ripiphoridae [pp. 538-548]. In: Handbook of Zoology, Vol. 4 Arthropoda, Insecta, Part 38 Coleoptera, Beetles 2, W. de Gruyter.

Falin, Z.H.  2009. Recent Collections of Lordithon niger (Gravenhorst) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Kansas.  Coleopterists Bulletin, 63(1): 84-85.

Engel, M.S. & Z.H. Falin.  2008. The Zorapteran Zorotypus huxleyi in Guyana (Zoraptera: Zorotypidae).  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 81(4): 394-395.

Lingafelter, S., R. Anderson, R. Timm, Z.H. Falin, M.L. Jameson, A. Newton, G. Ball, K.J. Ahn, & R. Leschen.  2006. In Memorium, James Stephen “Steve” Ashe (1947-2005).  Coleopterists Bulletin, 60(1): 1-12.

Falin, Z.H.  2004. On a misidentification of the mud dauber parasite Macrosiagon ferruginea (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) in India.  Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 101(2): 329.

Falin, Z.H.  2004. Revision of three New World Macrosiagon Hentz species (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) with a discussion of phylogenetic relationships within the Macrosiagonini.  Coleopterists Bulletin, 58(1): 1-19.

Falin, Z.H.  2002. Notes on the South American ripiphorid Macrosiagon vittula (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae).  Entomological News, 113(3): 192-196.

Falin, Z.H.  2002. Ripiphoridae. In: American Beetles, vol. 2. R. Arnett Jr., M.C. Thomas, H. Frank and P.E. Skelley (eds.) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL., 861 pp.

Kaupp, A., Z.H. Falin & P. Nagel.  2001. An annotated catalogue of fossil Ripiphoridae, taxonomic notes, and the description of a new genus and species from Baltic amber (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae: Ripidiinae).  Mitteilungen des Geologisch- Paläontologischen instituits der Universität Hamburg, 85: 165-195.

Falin, Z.H.  2001. Notes on the occurrence of Ripidius pectinicornis Thunberg (Coleoptera: Rhipiphoridae) in the continental United States and Hawaii.  Coleopterists Bulletin, 55(2): 194-197.

Falin, Z.H., L. Arneson, & W.T. Wcislo. 2001. Night-flying Sweat Bees Megalopta genalis and Me. ecuadoria (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) as Hosts of the Parasitoid Beetle Macrosiagon gracilis (Coleoptera: Rhipiphoridae).  Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 73(3): 183-185.

Selected Presentations —

Falin, Z.H. 2013.  Kansas arthropod specimen data at KU: recent efforts, talking stock, and future uses.  Annual Kansas Entomological Society Meeting, Pittsburg, KS; Apr. 13.

Falin, Z.H. 2013.  A status report on the digitization of Kansas arthropod records at KU: 15 years in and still scratching the surface.  Annual Kansas Academy of Science Meeting, Overland Park, KS; Apr. 6.

Falin, Z.H.  2012.  Brining LLAMA home: the legalities and logistics of managing the “by-catch” of a large arthropod survey. Annual Entomological Collections Network Meeting, Knoxville, TN; Nov. 11.

Falin, Z.H.  2012.  Twenty-four years in the business: my collections-based experience as viewed through NEON colored glasses. National Ecological Observatory Network, Boulder, CO; Jul. 30. Invited.

Falin, Z.H.  2012.  Catch as catch can in KS: recent informal insect survey & inventory work at the SEMC. USDA & KS Dept. Ag. Kansas Entomologists Meeting, Topeka, KS; Jan. 19. Invited.

McKenna, D.D. & Z.H. Falin, Z.H.  2011.  Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution of Ripiphorid Beetles (Ripiphoridae).  Annual Entomological Society of America Meeting, Reno, NV; Nov. 16.

Falin, Z.H.  2011.  Tales of a loan scofflaw, or, what the hell am I thinking?  Annual Entomological Collections Network Meeting, Reno, NV; Nov. 12. Invited.

Falin, Z.H.  2011.  An embarrassment of riches: The capture, dissemination and use of collections-based data in the 21st Century. Essig Museum of Entomology, University of California, Berkeley, CA; Sept. 8. Invited.

Falin, Z.H.  2011.  Catch as catch can: The research life as an Academic Staff in Kansas. Essig Museum of Entomology, University of California, Berkeley, CA; Sept. 8. Invited.

Falin, Z.H.  2008.  Best practices vs. reality: A practical guide to improving your georeference data.  Annual Entomological Collections Network Meeting, Reno, NV; Nov. 15. Invited.

Falin, Z.H.  2006.  Moving the Snow Entomological Collection 1.5km or, What a long strange trip its been. Annual Entomological Collections Network Meeting, Indianapolis, IN; Dec. 10.

Falin, Z.H.  2003.  Phylogenetic analysis and revision of the genera and subfamilies of the Ripiphoridae (Coleoptera). Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology seminar series, Lawrence, KS; Aug. 25.

Hodges, E.S. & Z.H. Falin.  2002.  Entomology Collections at KU: A guided tour with tips for illustrators. Annual Guild for Natural Science Illustrators Meeting, Lawrence, KS; Aug. 7.

Awards & Honors —

2013   KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($4,000).

2012   KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($4,000).

2011  KU Biodiversity Institute, G.W. Byers Endowment Fund ($982).

2010  KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($1,600).

2007  KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($579).

2006  KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($450).

2005  KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($940).

2001  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate Teaching Fund ($110; not disbursed due to symposium cancellation).

2001  KU Biodiversity Institute, Special Funding Request ($110; not disbursed due to symposium cancellation).

2000  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($750).

2000  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($540).

2000  KU Biodiversity Institute, Snow Entomological Collection Development Fund ($500).

2000  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($500).

2000  KU Biodiversity Institute, Snow Entomological Collection Development Fund ($912).

2000  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($693).

1999  KU Biodiversity Institute, Snow Entomological Collection Development Fund ($1,500).

1999  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($806).

1999  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($1200).

1997  University of Kansas, Graduate School Summer Fellowship ($2,000).

1996  Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Grant ($1,050).

1996  American Museum of Natural History, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund ($741).

1996  KU Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, H.B. Hungerford Award in Entomology ($500).

1996  KU Biodiversity Institute, Panorama Society Grant  ($584).

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

2011 – 2014  National Science Foundation, DBI-1057366.  A specimen-level database of the world’s bees (Apoidea) at the University of Kansas ($495,426).  M.S. Engel, C.S. Chaboo, Z.H. Falin & A.E.Z. Short.

Memberships —

American Entomological Society

Kansas (Central States) Entomological Society

Coleopterists Society

Kansas Academy of Science.