Name: Pamela Rasmussen, assistant curator of Mammalogy and Ornithology

Department: Zoology

Type of research: Ornithology, the study of birds

Date of research: Rasmussen has been working with birds since she was a doctoral student but has had an interest in them since she was a child.

Basics of research: The size of a bird's beak or how long its tail is may be the difference in two species of birds that were thought to be of the same species, Rasmussen said.

"It is often very difficult," she said. "It is a matter of if you think something is different or not."

Rasmussen measures preserved birds, called study skins, that have everything removed but their skin and feathers and some of the bones.

They were preserved in a way where, as long as they are well cared for, their plumage and measurements are the same and are stuffed with cotton.

She said some of the specimens she works with regularly are about 150 years old; some are younger.

Currently, Rasmussen is working with other scientists with species richness — various aspects of global diversity of birds all around the world.

They found "hot spots," which are places that have the highest numbers of different species.

With the data Rasmussen provided, it helped to determine that trying to preserve one species does not mean all of them will be saved.

Social impact of research: About 10 years ago, the Forest Owlet was thought to be extinct. As Rasmussen began researching the bird, she believed it still existed.

She, along with two other colleagues, traveled to India and began searching for the lost bird.

"After 12 days, we found it," Rasmussen said.

"It had been 113 years since someone's seen it."

She said she knew all of the right spots to look for it and concentrated very hard looking for that one species, searching during the day and night.

"We had pretty much given up hope, and then we saw it," she said. "It was by far the most exciting experience in my life."

Rasmussen's research helps to understand species limits of birds, which is important for other types of biological studies and conservation planning.

Difficulties of research: "Finding time to do it," Rasmussen said.

Weird/interesting fact about research: Rasmussen's work allowed her to find new species of birds — five to be exact.

The species she founded and co-founded were not known to science. She said there may be another one soon, but she is still working on it.