News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 9, 2010
Contact
Marie Graf,
mgraf@cmnh.org, 216-231-2070
800-317-9155, ext.3270

Digital images available

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Names Author, Educator and Distinguished Scientist as Executive Director

Cleveland, Ohio . . . The Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) announced today that Evalyn Gates, Ph.D., has been named executive director and chief executive officer of the institution effective May 17, 2010. This follows an 18-month international search chaired by A. Chace Anderson, president of the board of trustees of the Museum. The Boston firm, Isaacson Miller, provided professional counsel to the search committee.

“Evalyn Gates is the ideal professional to lead The Cleveland Museum of Natural History at this time,” commented Anderson, announcing her appointment today. “She is a distinguished scientist who understands the importance of generating broad appeal for science at a time when CMNH is looking to reinvent how we present natural history. She also has the proven leadership ability to bring scientists, educators and donors together to make this goal a reality as we begin a major expansion and renovation plan. In addition, she brings strong Cleveland ties that will benefit the Museum, University Circle and the community.”

Gates is currently the assistant director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics (KICP) at the University of Chicago, an internationally renowned research center for the study of the structure, composition and evolution of the Universe from the earliest moments of cosmic history to the present. KICP scientists are also engaged in a variety of dynamic education and outreach programs that extend its science into classrooms in Chicago and museums around the world. As part of the leadership team at KICP, Gates has been responsible for the overall management of the center and its key programs, including the prestigious KICP Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. She is also a member of the research faculty in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, with an active program of research in cosmology and particle astrophysics.

Prior to joining KICP, Gates spent seven years in a senior management role at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum. She joined the Adler as the director of astronomy in 1996 at the start of a $40 million dollar renovation and expansion of the museum and was responsible for the creation of new exhibits and shows while also directing the development of three major galleries. In 2001, Gates was named Adler’s vice president for science and education, overseeing the efforts of the Astronomy, History of Astronomy, Education, Show Production and IT Departments.

During her tenure at the Adler, Gates also established one of the first astronomy and astrophysics research groups in a museum setting. The Adler Astronomy Department now includes nine Ph.D. research scientists, several with joint appointments at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. These research positions have strengthened the ties between the institutions and facilitated innovative education and outreach programs that bring current research to students and the general public.

“CMNH is one of the finest natural history museums in the country,” said Gates. “And the opportunity to lead such an outstanding institution as it begins a major transformation is incredibly exciting. Museums have a critical role to play in the effort to improve science education in this country and CMNH, with its expansive definition of natural history and strong foundation of research and collections, is poised to break new ground in extending the role of museums at every level of science education.”

Gates’ book, Einstein’s Telescope: The Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe was published in 2009 by W.W. Norton and gives non-scientists a comprehensive look at recent developments that have overturned the understanding of the fundamental nature of the Universe and describes the radical new technique that may lead the way to the next great revolution in science.

She received her Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in 1990, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University before joining the University of Chicago in 1992. She earned a B.S. in physics from The College of William and Mary and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from CWRU.

“From the university’s perspective, Evalyn Gates is an outstanding choice to lead The Cleveland Museum of Natural History,” commented Cyrus Taylor, dean of the College of Arts and Science at CWRU and the Adelbert A. Michelson Professor in Physics and Dr. Gates’ advisor during her graduate studies at CWRU. “She is a world-class scientist who happens to be a Case Western Reserve alumna. Her leadership at the Museum presents us with an opportunity to deepen the collaborations between the university and the Museum. She is the ideal person to help the Museum explain science to the general public and why it matters.”

Gates was born in Philadelphia and raised in Batavia, New York. Her husband Eric Pelander, a management consultant, is originally from South Euclid, Ohio. They have three grown children and currently reside in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, incorporated in 1920 and noted for its collections, research, educational programs and exhibits, is one of the finest institutions of its kind in North America. The collections encompass more than five million artifacts and specimens, and research of global significance focuses on 11 natural science disciplines. Museum scientists played a key role in the discovery and analysis of the early human ancestor “Ardi” (Ardipithicus ramidus), named the breakthrough discovery of the year by Science in 2009. In 2007, a new genus and species of horned dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period, Albertaceratops nesmoi, was discovered and named by a Museum paleontologist. The Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection contains 3,100 human skeletons and 900 primate skeletons – the largest documented collection of its kind in the world. As part of its unique “living collections,” the Museum owns over 5,000 acres of natural habitats assembled over the past 30 years to preserve the bio-diversity of Northern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. The Museum continues to be a valuable resource for scientists and corporations, while offering visitors and students, from pre-kindergarten to university, the opportunity to broaden their perspectives of the natural world through exhibits, educational programs, lectures, live animal and planetarium shows. The Museum is located at 1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle, Cleveland, OH, 44106. For more information about the Museum, visit www.cmnh.org.