Student Bios

2021 Cohort

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Hi my name is Marie and I am passionate about applying inclusive design principles to all aspects of museums. I specifically work with User Experts to inform design from the beginning, ultimately making the end product more accessible to everyone. I am inspired by wonders of nature, human perception, and humor. I believe museums have the potential to be hubs for civic engagement, social change, and community building. I am excited to reimagine how museums can be more ethical in what they represent, who they serve, and what stories they tell.

2022 Cohort

Malikai is a member of the Cohort of 2022. As an Autistic activist and member of the disabled community, he is passionate about accessibility in education and the role of museums in creating a broader and more inclusive narrative surrounding education in the United States. When he’s not studying, consulting, or tutoring, you can find Malikai yelling at the Nashville Predators and soon the Seattle Kraken.

2022 Cohort

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From Southern California. Went to Whitman College for undergrad, where she worked at the Sheehan Gallery, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, and the Huntington Library. After spending a year on the east coast serving as an Americorps member, came back to Washington to spend time in the museology program! While here she has served as a course assistant, as well as an intern with the Greater Kent Historical Society.

2021 Cohort

Brandon Castle is a second year Museology student graduating spring of 2021. He is from Ketchikan, Alaska and is of the Tsimshian Nation and a member of the Ketchikan Indian Community. Brandon is interested in the intersections of Indigenous cultural heritage and museums. His graduate thesis is focused on the integration of Indigenous languages into collection management databases. Currently, he is employed with the US Forest Service as a NAGPRA assistant, assisting with the repatriation of cultural objects to Indigenous communities.

2022 Cohort

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As a current graduate student of the University of Washington’s Museology Program, I am passionate about the ability of museums and educational institutions to inform, educate and inspire the public. I want to explore avenues for public engagement with museum collections and the potential for citizen driven research, exhibition and curation. I hope to dive deeper into how data, programs and exhibits made in collaboration with community creates new meaning for institutions and communities! I received my BA in Anthropology (con. Archaeology) with minors in both Mathematics and Film Studies from the University of California, San Diego.

2021 Cohort

Kenneth Doutt has been working in the museum field since his undergraduate experience at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in History in 2012, he spent the next seven years working in rural areas of Oregon and California for the Klamath County Museum and National Park Service, respectively. During his five years with the National Park Service, he worked as an interpretive ranger at Tule Lake National Monument and Manzanar National Historic. His interests in history and better understanding his role as a white educator presenting and benefiting from positions of authority has led him to pursue a Master’s degree in Museology from the University of Washington.

2021 Cohort

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My goal in UW Museology is to learn how museums can be spaces for marginalized peoples and cultures to thrive and grow. Before joining this program, I spent several years working with Native communities to return ancestors and belongings that were held in museums. My undergraduate degree is from Brown University, where I studied anthropology, art, and political economy.

2022 Cohort

Received a Bachelor degree in Anthropology and History with a minor in Religious Studies at the University of Idaho. I worked for 5 1/2 years at the Northwest Repository. I then worked for the Bureau of Land Management as a Park Ranger in Cottonwood, Id. I love working with collections and artifacts. I also weirdly love to catalog! >< Other than that, I love anime, manga, cosplay, and DOGS!!

2021 Cohort

My job as a biologist, science communicator, and general museologist is not without challenges, but it is incredibly rewarding nonetheless. As an experienced aquarium designer, I have built aquariums displaying local marine life at museums around Washington State. In addition to my aquarist skills, I am an accomplished skeleton articulator having worked on everything from whales to hummingbirds. My goal is to work with natural history collections and help other institutions such as small nature and marine centers and large-scale aquariums and zoos better utilize their collections after they die. I am passionate about increasing science accessibility by creating dynamic community science programs that utilize my skill set and the unique skills volunteers bring.

2022 Cohort

International student from China. Information management and systems background.

2021 Cohort

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I’m from San Francisco, California (Ramaytush Ohlone Land) and actually didn’t grow up going to museums! I love nature and was inspired by an 11th grade high school camping trip to pursue and complete a B.S. in Geology at UCLA. It wasn’t until I started working at the Exploratorium afterwards that I was absorbed into the world of museums. I’m getting an M.A. in Museology at UW in hopes of working in a field filled with community, storytelling, and co-creation. I hope to be part of the movement with those in the program and emerging museum professionals to create a more equitable museum field overall.

2022 Cohort

I’m originally from Nevada City, CA and currently attend the Museology program remotely from Kansas City, MO. My original background is in graphic design, marketing, and public engagement, which I hope to translate to a job in museum interpretation and exhibits. I also have two rowdy boys: my pitbull terrier who seldom listens, Tony, and a big orange Maine Coon, Dookie. In my free time I love hiking, camping, cooking elaborate meals, and watching films.

2021 Cohort

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Kat received a Bachelor degree in Anthropology and East Asian Language and Culture at Indiana University, then spent two years working and volunteering at various museums in the Chicago, IL area as an educator. Their experiences in these three museums influenced them to pursue a Master’s degree in Museology at the University of Washington in Seattle where they currently are attending. Through their previous experience and the program they’ve become inspired in diving into ideas around anti-racism in museums, education, evaluation, and community engagement.

2021 Cohort

What Inspires me:

I’m inspired by nature, people and objects’ stories, and seeing people act on their passions and joy.

Background:

I’ve always had a love for history and learning, which is why I got my B.A. in History, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Portland. Now I am pursuing my Masters in Museology at the University of Washington because I see museums as places that provide learning opportunities for their audiences, places that share people’s stories, and as places for community gathering, sharing, and healing.

2021 Cohort

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Received her Bachelor degree in East Asian religious art history and focused in museum & exhibition studies, and a minor in Global Asian Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her experiences in various levels and forms of advocacy, education, community-building, and identity development have brought her to the University of Washington’s Museology Grad Program to further expand her understanding and practice within the context and space of the museum. Lillian’s studies and work focus on Asian American representation, community engagement, and collections care & management.