Queen’s University is the only university in the world to be featured at the exhibition which is estimated to be attended by over 1,500,000 people during the 2026-2027 period.  

The work is showcased as part of the museum's exhibition on the evolution and extinction of life, which in hundreds of living organisms, tells the story of the processes that led biodiversity to grow and the causes of their current evolution and extinctions in the modern world of global change, such as habitat destruction and climate change. 

The exhibition also features the profiles of other Queen’s University researchers within this field of expertise; Dr Isabella Capellini, Dr Ross Cuthbert and Dr Geoff Gobert. 

The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to observe the processes of evolution and extinction in a brand new series of specimens, including mammals, reptiles, birds, dinosaurs and samples of ancestral humans, as well as interactive videos in which scientists (including Dr Pincheira-Donoso) will provide explanations about some of these processes in nature. 

Dr Pincheira-Donoso delivered the inaugural lecture which officially opened the exhibition. He explains: 

“I am deeply honoured to have such a role in the new exhibition of this highly prestigious institution. The National Museum of Natural History of Chile has led for centuries the development of scientific knowledge about biodiversity in the continent and has had an influential role in educating several generations about the value of ecosystems, species and the evolution of human cultures." 

Mario Castro, Director of the National Museum of Natural History of Chile says: 

“Dr Daniel Pincheira-Donoso represents a remarkable example of Chilean scientific talent that transcends borders. His outstanding career in the fields of evolution and biodiversity offers a profound and contemporary perspective on the processes that have shaped life on our planet. 

“Dr Pincheira-Donoso comes from a family with a distinguished scientific legacy: he is the grandson of Roberto Donoso-Barros, a renowned Chilean naturalist whose work established key milestones in the history of biodiversity in Chile and South America.  

“Both Roberto Donoso-Barros and Daniel Pincheira-Donoso have maintained a long and fruitful research relationship with the National Museum of Natural History, contributing significantly to the knowledge, preservation, and appreciation of Chile’s biodiversity, as well as to the growth and strengthening of the museum’s scientific collections. 

“For the National Museum of Natural History, it is a source of great pride to have Dr Pincheira-Donoso collaborating in our upcoming exhibition. His participation honors the legacy of a lineage devoted to science and strengthens our institutional commitment to bringing knowledge closer to the public through a human, rigorous, and passionate perspective.” 

Media

Media inquiries to Sian Devlin at s.devlin@qub.ac.uk