Melissa Frey (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Office: Burke Museum, Room 203E, Box 353010
Phone: 206-221-7170
Email: freyma@uw.edu

While I was formally trained as a biologist, I am broadly interested in both biological and cultural diversity. Throughout my early career, I worked as a researcher and an educator in academia and government. Eventually I gravitated towards natural history museums.

As a part-time instructor in the Honors Program, I aim to connect students to the public faces and behind-the-scene spaces of natural history museums. These museum-based courses are designed to encourage interdisciplinary learning across the fields of art, culture, and science — and foster meaningful reflection on the value of diversity and community.

In addition to teaching in the Honors Program, I serve as the Collections Manager of Invertebrate Zoology at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture where I continue to pursue collections-based research and outreach. I am fascinated by the natural world, inspired by its beauty and innovation, and humbled by how much more we have to learn.