Picture courtesy of the University of Oxford’s website Pictured is Gavin Svenson, a native of Bemus Point who will be the next Director of the Museum of Natural History at Oxford.

Growing up, Bemus Point native Gavin Svenson has always had an interest in science, specifically biology and entomology, choosing to be an entomologist at 10 years old.

These days, his path has taken him through many different scientific careers, and has now landed him as the next Director of the Museum of Natural History at Oxford University.

Svenson currently serves as Chief Science Officer at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. He earned his Ph.D. in Phylogenetics and Systematics from Brigham Young University, Utah, in 2007, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University in 2002, and as an entomologist, is one of the world’s foremost experts on the praying mantis and his research has revealed new evolutionary patterns among the insects, prompting important changes in their traditional scientific classification. Svenson will begin his work at Oxford in September.

Cornell University is where Svenson said his interest in museum and collection based work started in the university’s Insect Lab, and for the last 10 years parts of his work has been to make museums relevant for everyone and looking at what their future role is to help people connect with the natural world. He said museums are where people can connect with the natural world and scientific information directly from scientists.

He was offered the position at Oxford after being contacted by a recruiter and going through that process. His role as Director there will be a little different than his current role at Cleveland.

“As the Chief Science Officer I play a role in the science part of the museum, but as Director at Oxford I will be in charge of the museum on a much broader scope, and the overall direction of the museum,” Svenson said. “It’s exciting to be participating in this over 100 year old institution, and most people have heard of Oxford. I want to help this institution play a role in connecting people back to the natural world on a global scale as we face the current climate calamity.”

In his role as Director, Svenson said he hopes to elevate the reputation of the museum and help guide the university to participate in environmental change and to help humanity see its role in the natural world. He hopes both the university and museum will be recognized as standing for addressing how to help the climate in this challenging time and make the museum a place for everyone.

“I think there’s a dissolution with science because people think it is just boring facts,” Svenson said. “Museums should be for everyone because it’s natural history and it is where we come from. Museums should be fun places for people to ask questions.”

Looking towards the future, Svenson said he is most excited for change and learning new things, such as understanding the strength of the museum and how to play off of that strength. He said he enjoys change and new challenges and looks forward to coming into the institution with such potential and work to do what he did in Cleveland, where he said the institution not only represents the natural history of the past 100 years but is a place that will also serve the next 100 years.

Svenson said it is an exciting opportunity for him, and an incredible honor.

“As a kid from Bemus Point who wandered the local streams and forests, this is something I never could have imagined and my 10 year old self would never have conceived,” Svenson said. “It’s a wonderful world and there are many hats that can take you in all directions and I’m fortunate that I have stayed in the science world. It’s wonderful to get to participate in this historic institution, but if you asked kid me where I would be in my 40s I never would’ve guessed. I want people to know you can pursue what you want to do because it will work out.”