As a few of you
have heard, next month I will be moving my life from the San Francisco Bay area
to Denver, Colorado to take on the role of vice president of research and
collections at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. I am thrilled to be
joining the DMNS, one of the top-ranked natural history museums in the country.
At this pivotal moment in human history, museums of natural history have great
potential to help heal the divide that separates humans from nature, and the DMNS
is poised to take a leading role.
I have been serving on the DMNS board of trustees for a couple of years
now, and thus have had a chance to get to know this remarkable institution and its
leadership. The Museum has already committed itself to moving beyond the 19th
Century “cabinets of curiosities” approach. Rather than being simply a
destination where people go to see old stuff and absorb information, the
revolutionary new way of thinking entails two-way interactions with the
community, and a much higher degree of relevance.
When my good friend Kirk Johnson departed the VP role at the DMNS to take
on the directorship of the Smithonsian Natural History Museum, he suggested
that a move to Denver might be just the ticket, allowing me to pursue my
passion of connecting people with nature. I came to agree wholeheartedly, and
am honored that the Museum has chosen to bring me into their fold. Fortunately, along with heading up the research division, joining a talented leadership team, and working with the
local community, I’ll have the opportunity to keep doing some dinosaur research
and media work like Dinosaur Train.
So all in all, it’s a dream job for a kid who never quite grew up!
I hope to see you all in Denver as the DMNS embraces novel, exciting, and
revolutionary ways to explore and reconnect people with the natural world!
(Note that the DMNS logo is a whirlpool of sorts. Coincidence?)
(Note that the DMNS logo is a whirlpool of sorts. Coincidence?)
Top image Credit: dbetoday.com
