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Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew's nomination to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has been confirmed by the United States Senate. IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums.
"I am honored to have been nominated by President Barack Obama and to have received the confidence from the Senate through their confirmation process," said Dr. Matthew. "I am eager to begin my work at IMLS to help to sustain strong libraries and museums that convene our communities around heritage and culture, advance critical thinking skills, and connect families, researchers, students, and job seekers to information."
Dr. Matthew has been with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis as Chief Science Educator since January 2014. She has overseen science activity at the world’s largest children’s museum while forging and nurturing relationships with some of the world’s leading scientists, researchers, explorers, colleges, and universities. Some of those include: U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Smithsonian and major for-profit science and technology firms such as Citizens Energy and Dow AgroSciences.
During her time at the museum, Matthew says she most enjoyed developing synergistic relationships and the collaborations that resulted in, “The ability to work with The Children’s Museum teams who seamlessly weave together the arts, sciences and humanities into discovery experiences for families from all backgrounds was extremely rewarding," said Matthew. Read more about Dr. Matthew’s work at the museum in this post she authored for The Children’s Museum blog.
“Kit has done a wonderful job creating, guiding and implementing dynamic family learning experiences in the sciences at the museum,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen. “She has been a tremendous asset in developing science programs that include the humanities and arts giving STEM its necessary and important socio-cultural context. We couldn’t be more proud of her and we know she will be an incredible asset to IMLS.”
Dr. Matthew will serve a four-year term as the Director of IMLS. Trained as a scientist, Dr. Matthew’s 30-year museum career began in curatorial, collections management, and research roles at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and Cranbrook Institute of Science. She worked with a variety of collections including ornithology, paleontology, fine arts, and anthropology. She then moved into management, exhibits and educational programs development, and fundraising and marketing roles, working at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, The Nature Conservancy, the Historic Charleston Foundation, and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. She was also a science advisor for the IMAX film “Tropical Rainforest,” produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Over her 30-year career, she has been active as a volunteer to smaller nonprofits, board member, and award winning peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums’ Accreditation and Museum Assessment Programs. Her board service has included two children’s museums, a wildlife rehabilitation center, and a ballet company. Dr. Matthew received a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College, an M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
About The Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook (link is external) and Twitter (link is external).
