Greg Schneider is the Collection Manager of Reptiles and Amphibians at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Since starting his career in 1986, he has overseen one of the world’s largest herpetology collections. In this interview, Greg shares a remarkable story about a special turtle, and the advice he gives to anyone entering the field.
What’s currently going on in the collections?
There’s a lot happening right now. We're actively using the herpetology collections for both research and teaching. One current project involves leaf-nosed snakes from Madagascar—researchers are X-raying them to study their diets and unusual nasal appendages. We’re also doing similar work with coral snakes, and some large-scale diet studies are underway using CT scanning and digital X-ray technology. It’s an exciting time.
Are the collections used outside of research, too?
Absolutely. For instance, we recently loaned out nearly 500 specimens for a course called Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles, taught by alum, Dr. John David Curlis. I coordinate the loans, track everything, and make sure the specimens come back in good shape. It’s a big job, but rewarding to see the collection used so heavily for education.
Are the collections still growing?
Definitely—we’re constantly expanding. Just last year, we catalogued nearly 18,000 specimens from a large donation by Oregon State University, and there are still about 40,000 specimens left to process, along with tissue samples, field notes and data, and images. We’re making steady progress.
Tell us a bit about your path to becoming a collection manager.
It all started with a childhood love of reptiles. I grew up in West Los Angeles, next to a vacant lot where I’d catch blue-bellies, alligator lizards and skinks with the neighborhood kids. When I was nine, my dad said I could have a pet—I chose a California kingsnake. My mom drove me to the pet shop every week to buy mice, and I even filmed an 8 mm movie called “Kramer Eats Lunch” featuring my kingsnake catching, constricting and eating a mouse.
At age 15, I volunteered at the Rancho La Brea Project sorting microfossils and cleaning skulls of dire wolves and saber toothed cats. As an undergrad, I did a lot of fieldwork and learned how to prepare museum specimens. I even got paid to mark and recapture limestone salamanders in Yosemite. That’s when I realized I could actually make a living doing what I loved. My Master’s work at UC Santa Barbara combined fieldwork, museum curation, and statistical analysis on rattlesnakes using mainframe computers. That computer experience helped me land the job here 40 years ago. Back then, we were already digitizing our records using the Michigan Terminal System (MTS)—pretty groundbreaking database work at the time.
What’s one remarkable specimen in the collection?
I always point to what I call the Golden Turtle. It was given to me by the widow of Leonard Woodcock after he passed away. Leonard was the president of the United Auto Workers union, but he also played a major diplomatic role as the first Ambassador to China during the Carter administration. Initially, he was sent to Vietnam and Cambodia to help recover and repatriate the remains and belongings of American POWs. The very xanthic stuffed hawksbill sea turtle was a gift from the Prime Minister of Vietnam, thanking him for his efforts.
At first, I didn’t understand why the gift was a stuffed turtle. It seemed a bit odd. But after digging into Vietnamese mythology, it all clicked. There's a story about a river god named Kim Qui, who came to an ancient Vietnamese king in the form of a golden turtle. He gave the king the wisdom he needed to reunify the country. That turtle wasn’t just a gift—it was a symbol of peace, guidance, and resolution. Leonard’s role was very similar: as a skilled negotiator, he was sent to help heal and reconcile. The Golden Turtle (UMMZ 240001) is now catalogued in our collection, and it’s one of the most meaningful objects we have.
What’s inspiring you in science right now?
Honestly, the collaboration. When I started here, there was a lot of competition—things could be pretty adversarial. That’s changed. Now, people go out of their way to help one another. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie in the herpetology division. It makes for a much more supportive and inspiring environment.
What advice would you give to someone pursuing a career in collections?
The advice I give everyone—including my kids—is this: the most important skill you can learn is how to recognize opportunity. But that’s only the first step. Once you recognize it, you also have to act on it. Take advantage of it when it presents itself. And if you do that enough, you start to see patterns—and you will learn to create your own opportunities. That’s the real key.
