Adam W. Ferguson, Ph.D.
Field Museum of Natural History
Adam W. Ferguson, Ph.D.
Adam is an evolutionary ecologist interested in the natural history, conservation, and diseases of small carnivores and other neglected small mammals. He joined the Field Museum in 2017 as the Negaunee Collections Manager of Mammals in the Gantz Family Collection Center, after living in Kenya for a 2.5-year post-doc studying genets and mongooses. Adam holds a Ph.D. in biology from Texas Tech University where he studied skunk evolution and ecology. His interest in mammals started at an early age and was nurtured by hundreds of adventures with his father across the amazing natural landscapes of Texas. He has had the privilege of working with mammals in the wilds of Angola, Botswana, Ecuador, Djibouti, Guatemala, Mexico, and across the United States.
SEE ALSO
FieldMuseum.org: Staff: About Adam
Youtube: Dissect a Skunk With Adam
Youtube: Laikipia Rabies Vaccination
Project Summary
Small Mammal and Pathogen Diversity in South Side Parks in Chicago: Implications for Human Health and Well-being
Urban green spaces are renowned for their benefits to human health and well-being. Such spaces tend to support a diverse assemblage of small mammals, including deer mice, shrews, and voles. With these small mammals come associated parasites and pathogens, which in Illinois include a suite of zoonotic diseases of health concern (e.g., Lyme disease, raccoon roundworm, and spotted fever). The project will support a collaborative team of scientists, students, and natural resource managers studying these small mammals and their associated pathogens in multiple urban green spaces on Chicago’s South Side. Results will be shared with surrounding communities to mitigate concerns and encourage support for local conservation and restoration efforts.
