Victor Gonzalez Betancourt named curator in bee biodiversity and evolution
LAWRENCE — The Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas has named Victor Gonzalez Betancourt the inaugural Charles D. Michener Assistant Professor and Assistant Curator in Bee Biodiversity and Evolution. He will begin his role in early January 2026 with a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.
“Joining this community is a tremendous honor,” Gonzalez Betancourt said. “I am committed to strengthening and expanding KU’s entomological collection, a resource that has shaped the study of insects for more than a century, while training the next generation of researchers. My goal is to build an internationally recognized research program that integrates museum science and cutting-edge tools and approaches to advance our understanding of bee diversity, phylogeny and evolution, ultimately supporting healthier ecosystems, strengthening agriculture and benefiting society.”
Gonzalez Betancourt brings extensive knowledge and experience with the KU entomology collection to his new role. He previously served as a research associate with the Biodiversity Institute and as an associate teaching professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, working with the collection and KU students for the past six years.
A specialist in bee systematics and evolution, Gonzalez Betancourt studies phylogeny, patterns of diversity and the ways bees respond to environmental stressors. His work includes assessing the decline of pollinators and understudied biodiversity hot spots in the northeastern Aegean region of Greece and in the American tropics, including Colombia and Panama.
He is the principal investigator on three National Science Foundation-funded projects designed to provide equitable access to the world’s largest bee collection and facilitate the identification of native bees.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Gonzalez Betancourt as the Charles D. Michener curator," said Nico Franz, director of the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum. "Based on his outstanding record of academic leadership and mentorship, we are ideally positioned to extend KU's globally leading role in bee biodiversity and natural history research into the future."
Gonzalez Betancourt earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá and a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from KU, where he trained under the mentorship of renowned KU entomologist Charles Michener, who died in 2015.
“KU is a global leader in biodiversity research, and the partnership between the Biodiversity Institute and the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology creates a unique environment for discovery and innovation,” Gonzalez Betancourt said.
The Biodiversity Institute is an internationally recognized center for research and graduate student education in evolutionary biology, systematics and biodiversity informatics, with curated collections of more than 11 million plant, animal and fossil specimens and 2 million cultural artifacts. It is one of 11 designated research centers that fall under the KU Office of Research.