BE ADVISED: On Friday, May 15, the North American Mammal Hall and African Mammal Hall on Level 1 will be closed in preparation for Bug Fair. The North American Mammal Hall on Level 2 will remain open.

BE ADVISED: On Thursday, May 14, USC Commencement ceremonies at the LA Memorial Coliseum will impact traffic, parking, and wayfinding around the Natural History Museum. Please plan your visit accordingly, and consider riding the Metro E (Expo) Line and exiting at USC/Expo station.

Juliana Soto Patiño

Collections Manager, Ornithology

Juliana "Juli" Soto Patiño is the Collections Manager in the Ornithology Department. Born and raised in Colombia—the most biodiverse country for birds—Juli was inspired to pursue a career dedicated to natural history museums and ornithology. Her work has spanned extensive field expeditions across Colombia, preparation and cataloging of hundreds of specimens, and curatorial roles at institutions including the Instituto Humboldt, Universidad Nacional de Colombia and the Illinois Natural History Survey.

Beyond collections work, Juli is deeply engaged in efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in science and she is an active science communicator—leading community workshops, collaborating on citizen-science initiatives (e.g., eBird/iNaturalist), and sharing science through talks, media, and public programs. Her research and publications reflect this dual dedication to biodiversity and DEIB, ranging from studies of avian parasites to historical and contemporary perspectives on inclusion in ornithology. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

At NHMLAC, Juli will oversee the care and accessibility of the bird collection and collaborate on upcoming storage renovations and taxonomic updates.

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