Our Next Speaker

Timshel Purdum - Virginia C. Ellett Deputy Director of Education, Science Museum of Virginia, “Digital Dinos--How Science "Ruined" Dinosaurs”

Timshel joined the Science Museum of Virginia in September 2018. She leads a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who help audiences of all ages discover and nurture their inner scientist.

Timshel has been active in the museum community for more than 25 years, serving as Assistant Vice President of Public Experience at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and Vice President of the Museum Council of Philadelphia. She is a peer reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services and is an Elevation Science Institute board member. 

Timshel has a B.S. in biology from the College of William & Mary and an M.A. in environmental education from the New Jersey School of Conservation, Montclair State University. A subject matter expert on a number of life and biological sciences topics, such as dinosaurs, animals, plants, fungi, and arthropods, Timshel’s passion lies in all things related to cephalopods and paleontology.   She’s been in the science education field for over 20 years and will continue to do so until they nail shut her recyclable coffin. Her favorite color is blue, her favorite number is 8 (infinity y’all) and as far as she is concerned, cephalopods rule the universe.