Prof. Emily MacDonald
Adjunct Lecturer in Museum Studies Museum Engagement Manager, Mayborn Museum Complex
Education
B.A. Political Science and Communication, Austin College
M.A. Museum Studies, Baylor University
Academic and Professional Interests
Emily MacDonald is the Museum Engagement Manager at Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum. As a graduate of the program, Prof. MacDonald worked at the Poage Legislative Library and at the Mayborn Museum as a Graduate Student Employee before joining the Museum as full-time staff after graduation.
While in graduate school, Prof. MacDonald worked to combine her undergraduate education in Political Science and Education with Museum Studies to study the role presidential libraries play in public approval ratings of presidents and whether the unique governance and creation of these sites misleads visitors. This thesis, "Past vs. President: Interpretation and Public Approval at the George W. Bush Presidential Library," received the Calvin Smith award for outstanding project, internship, or thesis.
During her time at the Mayborn, Prof. MacDonald worked with gallery floor staff and teen programing before moving into a management role on the Museum Engagement Team. In her new role, Prof. MacDonald oversees programming for family audiences including early childhood families, the museum’s makerspace Design Den, and bringing fun experiences to every visitor at the Mayborn. Professionally, Prof. MacDonald is interested in the way museums can engage and activate community members to take care of their communities and leave our earth a better place than we found it. This can be seen in her work with the Smithsonian Earth Optimism program, bringing climate education to area students and providing them with resources to make an impact in their community.
Prof. MacDonald has worked closely with Teen Science Café, served as a member of the program committee for the Texas Association of Museums (TAM) annual conference, and the Texas Children in Nature Network. Prof. MacDonald is passionate about the impact museums can make in communities and bringing science out of school learning to children and families.
What is your favorite museum?
"There are so many museums that I love! The Arizona Science Center was the first place that made me love informal learning and made me interested in science even when science at school was so boring to me. My favorite museum now is probably the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago! It is so interactive and it is amazing to see the science of industry of our world in such a fun way. I also love any art museum!"
Primary Courses Taught
Introduction to Museums (U)