Greta J. Binford is a United States
arachnologist
Arachnology is the scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and harvestmen. Those who study spiders and other arachnids are arachnologists. More narrowly, the study of s ...
, specialising in studies of
spider venom.
She is a Professor of Biology at
Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. Originally chartered in 1867 as the Albany Collegiate Institute in Albany, Oregon, the college was relocate ...
in
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, Oregon.
As a child, Binford was raised on a small corn-and-soybean farm in west-central
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
.
From 1983 to 1985 she studied
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
at
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and ...
, after an abortive attempt at a degree in
veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
.
While qualifying to be a science teacher at
Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 1 ...
, she was offered the chance to study spiders in
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
's
Amazon basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Boli ...
for the summer,
and obtained a B.A. in Zoology at Miami in 1990. Afterwards, she undertook post-graduate studies at the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of D ...
from 1991–1993, obtaining an M.S. in Biology in 1993. She obtained a PhD from the
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. ...
in 2000.
She joined Lewis & Clark as an Assistant Professor in 2003, becoming Associate Professor in June 2009. She was named Oregon Professor of the Year for 2011,
and is the subject of the 2011 children's book ''Silk and Venom: Searching for a Dangerous Spider'', by
Kathryn Lasky
Kathryn Lasky (born June 24, 1944) is an American children's writer who also writes for adults under the names Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann. Her children's books include several Dear America books, The Royal Diaries books, ''Sugaring ...
and the photographer Christopher G. Knight.
She sits on the editorial board of the open-access scientific journal ''
Toxins
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...
''.
The species of spider ''
Austrarchaea binfordae'', found in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia, is named in her honour, "for her pioneering research on spider venoms and for contributing to a highly successful basal clades tour".
References
External links
*
*
Media appearances
*
Greta Binford: Spider Woman' (2007)
*
Crypto-What? 5 Things You Should Know About Oregon's Newly Anointed Arachnid' (2016)
Mediaat
Science Friday
''Science Friday'' (known as ''SciFri'' for short) is a weekly call-in talk show that broadcasts each Friday on public radio stations, distributed by WNYC Studios, and carried on over 400 public radio stations. ''SciFri'' is hosted by award-wi ...
(various)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Binford, Greta
Year of birth missing (living people)
Place of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Arachnologists
American arachnologists
Lewis & Clark College faculty
Purdue University alumni
Miami University alumni
University of Utah alumni
University of Arizona alumni