Staff
Principal Museum Scientist
and Head of Department
Leon N. Lotz MSc arachnol [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Leon obtained a BSc Agriculture degree, majoring in Animal Physiology, Nature Conservation and Zoology from the University of Stellenbosch in 1979. He then completed Military Service, serving in the Nature Conservation Section of the Northern Transvaal Command. He started his career in conservation at the Cape Department of Nature Conservation, Hartswater (Northern Cape Area Head Office - now in Kimberley) where he was second in charge of the Northern Cape Area. Leon then moved to the Kaffrarian Museum (now Amathole Museum), King William's Town, as a Collection Manager. He moved to Bloemfontein in 1987 to work at the National Museum first as Collection Manager, later progressing to Scientist and Head of the Arachnology Department. Here, he furthered his studies at the University of the Free State and obtained a BSc Hons as well as a Certificate in Introduction to self-management, job-planning, -development and general management in 1989 and an MSc in Zoology and Entomology in 1996.
Leon is a member of the following professional societies and groups: The International Society of Arachnology (ISA), the African Arachnological Society (AfrAS), the American Arachnological Society, the Biosystematics Interest Group, the South African National Survey of Arachnids and the Inland Invertebrate Initiative.
Chief Research Assistant
Trudie Peyper trudie [at] nasmus [dot] co [dot] za
Trudie Peyper grew up in Bloemfontein. She completed a B Agric degree at the University of the Free State. She started to work at the Museum in 1984 and is currently a Chief Research Assistant in the Arachnology Department.