Quentin Duane Wheeler (born January 31, 1954)[1] is an American entomologist, taxonomist, author and newspaper columnist, and is the founding director of the International Institute for Species Exploration.

Wheeler was a faculty member for 24 years at Cornell University, where he earned the rank of tenured full professor.

Wheeler also previously served as the Keeper and Head of Entomology at the Natural History Museum in London from 2004–2006, and was director of the Division of Environmental Biology at the National Science Foundation from 2001-2004.Wheeler joined Arizona State University in 2006.

He was the Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment, and founding executive director of the International Institute for Species Exploration.

[7][8][9][10] Wheeler's research career has focused on the role of species exploration and natural history collections in the exploration and conservation of biodiversity; theory and practice of phylogenetic systematics and cybertaxonomy; the evolution and classification of insects, especially beetles; and public science education.