Cost: Free for UM students/ $5 MNHC members / $10 non-members. Scholarships are available! Please contact cmorris [at] montananaturalist.org for more information.
You can add an MNHC membership at checkout.

Get spooky and see real, creepy/cool parasites up close. And meet a man who has had 21 species of parasites named after him! World renowned parasitologist, Mike Kinsella, will have a variety of specimens in slides and jars set up in our classroom for viewing. He will share his wealth of knowledge during this conversational program. The University of Montana frequently uses his expertise to identify parasites. Find out why and how!

Instructor: Mike Kinsella received a B.A. in Biology from Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky in 1963 and then entered graduate school at the University of Montana, where he got an M.A. in Zoology in 1966 and a Ph.D. in Parasitology in 1969. After a brief stint at Stauffer Chemical Company in California and a couple of postdocs in Florida, he realized he was not going to find a permanent position in parasitology and returned to the University of Montana to get a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1975. From 1976 to 1997, he worked at the Health Services Pharmacy at U of M. After retirement, he returned to his first love, parasitology, bought a couple of microscopes, and started helping people around the world in identifying parasites, especially helminths. He has helped describe 32 species of parasites, had 21 species of parasites named after him, and his current number of publications stands at 195.

COVID Precautions:

• small class limited to 15 students
• masks may be required or recommended indoors depending on CDC guidelines and Missoula numbers
• vaccinated MNHC staff and instructors

FAQ

What’s the refund policy?

The course fee is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. In light of changes to programming due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Montana Natural History Center will make exceptions to its normal refund policy. These exceptions are as follows:

Any programs cancelled by the Montana Natural History Center are eligible for a full refund.

In the event a program fee can be rolled over to a following cycle or year, that offer will be made available to the paying program participant, and a spot will be reserved for the participant.

If a program is cancelled by a participant due to reasonable health and safety concerns from exposure risk to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Montana Natural History Center will issue a full refund.

If any participant experiences major illness, injury, or loss of a family member prior to the start of a registered program the participant is eligible for a full refund.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.