Museum director candidate to visit Fairbanks next week

Submitted by Kerynn Fisher
Phone: 907-474-6941
04/15/09

The first of four finalists for the director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North will visit Fairbanks next week for on-site interviews.

Keith Crandall is the chair of the biology department at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and also serves as the curator of crustaceans at BYU’s Monte L. Beam Museum. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and mathematics from Kalamazoo College, a master’s degree in statistics from Washington University and a doctorate in population and evolutionary biology, also from Washington University.

As part of his visit, Crandall will present a public seminar "Museums, Education, and Research: An Intimate Relationship" on Wednesday, April 22 at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Members of the community are encouraged to attend these free presentations to meet the candidates.

Crandall is one of four finalists to replace Aldona Jonaitis, who has served as the museum’s director since 1993. Jonaitis will continue working part-time until the transition to the new director is complete.

CONTACT: Kerynn Fisher, University of Alaska Museum of the North communications coordinator, at 907-474-6941 or 907-378-2559.