Koster led NC’s Museum of Natural Sciences to new heights

Last month, Dr. Emlyn Koster left his position as director of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences after six productive years. Koster had big shoes to fill following the 1990-2012 tenure of previous director, Dr. Betsy Bennett.

Following Bennett’s retirement, the search committee for her replacement faced an important task in recruiting an experienced person of national, even international, reputation in the museum field who would build upon her success. The committee chose. Koster, a senior person of talent, enthusiasm and energy with an Earth Science background, three decades of experience in the successful management of museums in Canada and the U.S. and a worldwide network of colleagues.

Koster certainly delivered as anticipated. He complemented Bennett’s achievements in the physical growth of the museum with operational advances and civic and state-wide integration, maintaining the museum as the state’s most visited attraction and school field trip destination. He strengthened the connections with area universities for joint academic appointments, so important in recruiting and keeping top research scientists to the benefit of the universities as well as the museum. He deftly managed the administrative change from being part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to being part of a new department combining Natural and Cultural Resources.

In 2014, he represented the museum and North Carolina at the White House to receive the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, a recognition of the museum as being among the top museums nationally. Koster charged ahead with bringing the museum in Raleigh to remote parts of this state by building a statewide infrastructure for the museum through a satellite branch approach, starting in Whiteville, Columbus County, and a grant assistance program with more than fifty institutional partners.

Importantly, Koster encouraged many influential innovations for the museum field, including career showcases for students with disabilities and opportunities for citizens to participate in research. His tenure saw diverse and creative special exhibits such as: “Race: Are We So Different?” Koster turned Raleigh’s hosting of this learning exhibit into a national benchmark and the foundation of a continuing resource for understanding race through the lens of science. Such special exhibits have been made affordable, and new capital projects have become feasible, through generous donations which have increased significantly during his tenure.

We should all be grateful for the tireless leadership Dr. Koster has provided and his role in advancing the international recognition of our state’s museums and its natural and cultural resources and the resulting economic impact these have. His successor will be given a marvelous legacy.

Philip B. Carter, a professor emeritus of microbiology and immunology at N.C. State University, is a past chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission for the Museum of Natural Sciences.

This story was originally published December 27, 2018 at 12:00 AM.