Materials related to the research career of emeritus professor of entomology and expert in bee biology Dr. Robbin Thorp. The collection includes field data, correspondence and notes, meeting and conference proceedings, and publications.

Dr. Robbin Thorp (1933-2019) was a distinguished emeritus professor of entomology who taught at UC Davis from 1964-1994 and who continued to contribute to UC Davis and other research institutions until his last moments. He was born on August 26, 1933 in Benton Harbor, Michigan and earned his bachelor of science in zoology in 1955 at the University of Michigan; his master's degree in zoology in 1957 at the University of Michigan; and his PhD in entomology in 1964 at UC Berkeley. That same year, he joined the entomology department at UC Davis where he taught courses that ranged from insect classification, general entomology, the natural history of insects, field entomology, California insect diversity, and pollination ecology. Dr. Thorp also taught a 9-day intensive summer workshop from 2002-2018 that focused on bee biology and taxonomy: it was sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History at the Southwestern Research Station, Portal, Arizona. This summer course was considered the premiere native bee biology and taxonomic course.

3 linear feet

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Collection is open for research.