NHMU Museum Ecologist for Utah Teachers

The Natural History Museum of Utah is proud to offer Utah public and charter school teachers the opportunity to meet with scientists and explore nature through engaging in-field experiences - for free!

Program Overview

Museum Ecologist is an in-depth teacher professional development field course, offering certification in Desert Ecology and Urban Ecology for Utah teachers.  

Mission Statement: The Natural History Museum of Utah's Museum Ecologist program's mission is to inspire teachers with enthusiastic curiosity and stewardship for Utah's nature. Through the Museum Ecologist program, we grow relationships between teachers and scientists, offer unique hands-on field experiences, and explore science that teachers can take back to their classrooms. By participating in citizen science, online classes, and in-field experiences, Museum Ecologists foster their curiosity and scientific spirit. 

This new pilot program currently offers two field courses for teachers across the course of a year: 

Desert Museum Ecologist 2025

• Applications open August 7 through September 8
• Virtual classes weekly September 12 through October 17
• In Field Excursion October 17-19
• Click here to learn more!

 Urban Museum Ecologist 2025-2026

• Exact dates to be determined
• Check back for more details in November 2025

Each course requires participation in citizen science, short readings and discussions, and guest lectures with scientists. The 6 weeks of preparatory coursework culminates in field excursions led by NHMU educators. Desert Museum Ecologist includes a weekend trip to the Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa outside of Moab, Utah. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the virtual classes and field courses look like?

Each course will include 6 weeks of preparatory coursework culminating in in-person field days.

Participants will: practice using and participating in citizen science, meet with scientists, connect science standards with experience, and complete relevant short readings for moderated discussion. 

Each course begins with 6 weeks of weekly, hour-long evening Zoom classes with short readings assigned between lectures. 

This culminates in field excursions with NHMU educators, scientists, and partner organizations. The Desert Ecologist course will be three days of in-the-field experience. The Urban Ecologist course will be two days of excursions. To become a certified Museum Ecologist, you must commit to completing both the online portion and field days for each course.  

What do I get for participating in Museum Ecologist?

Upon completing the online course and in-field excursion, you will receive a certificate identifying you as a NHMU Museum Ecologist! In addition to receiving certification, Utah teachers will earn 2 USBE credits for attending each field course and resources to take back to your classroom. 

How do I register?

Applications will open three months before the field course, and will be linked from this page to a detailed description of the module. We'll update dates and registration information as soon as we know them.

Who should I contact if I have additional questions?

For questions about NHMU's Museum Ecologist for teachers, please email MuseumEcologist@nhmu.utah.edu