Dr. Jack Ashby

Biography

Jack Ashby is the Assistant Director of the University Museum of Zoology at the University of Cambridge, where he is involved in overseeing diverse activities aimed at enhancing the museum's role as an academic resource and public venue. His key research interests revolve around the representation of the natural world in museums, particularly concerning historical biases and colonial legacies in natural history museums. Ashby's academic background includes a degree in Natural Sciences (Zoology) from the University of Cambridge. He began his career in Science Communication at the hands-on science centre At-Bristol before transitioning to the Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London. There, he developed the Learning Access Programme to make museum resources more accessible to non-academic audiences. Since joining the University Museum of Zoology in 2018, he has worked on various public engagement initiatives and has curated exhibitions that bridge natural history and art. His work has received notable recognition, including the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales' 2022 Whitley Award and the 2022 Clarivate Award from the Zoological Society London for his contributions to communicating zoology. Ashby is also preparing a book titled 'Nature's Memory: Scenes from the World's Natural History Museums', set to be published in 2025, which will delve into how museums represent nature and the role of collections in conservation efforts.

Research Interests