Summary of Interview of Alison Richard, part three

In this third part of the interview with Alison Richard, she reflects on her tenure as the director of the Peabody Museum at Yale and her subsequent role as Provost of the university. Initially reluctant to take the director position due to family commitments, she eventually accepted after spending two years on the search committee and realizing her passion for the role. Richard discusses the transformative impact of technology on natural history museums, highlighting how digital cataloging has made collections more accessible and valuable for understanding environmental changes.

She emphasizes the importance of university museums as public portals to academic life, discussing the complexities involved in exhibiting human material culture. Richard expresses a deep affection for her time at the Peabody Museum, where she collaborated with a diverse team and worked on improving storage and exhibition spaces.

Transitioning to her role as Provost, Richard describes the collaborative nature of her work with the university president and the challenges of managing a large academic institution. She reflects on the financial difficulties Yale faced when she began her tenure and how the endowment's growth helped alleviate those issues. Richard also shares her thoughts on the challenges and responsibilities of being a university leader, especially during turbulent times.

As she prepares to leave her position as Vice Chancellor at Cambridge, Richard discusses her initial reluctance to accept the role but ultimately felt compelled by the university's ambition and the opportunity to contribute. She acknowledges the importance of collaboration and the wisdom of her colleagues in driving change at Cambridge.

Richard highlights the university's success in research and teaching, attributing it to its rich history, the autonomy of institutions, and the nurturing environment that attracts exceptional talent. She expresses a desire to explore Cambridge's historical contributions and her plans to return to her research interests after her term ends.

The interview concludes with Richard reflecting on the significance of her family, particularly her daughters, and her desire to respect their privacy while acknowledging their importance in her life.

Presenters/Contributors:

Notable Quotes

— 03:40 — « To have a historical record of going back 200 years of various parts of the world carefully kept and stored away gives you a real sort of new read on environmental change from a different perspective. »
— 12:54 — « I think Cambridge is a remarkable place to be. »
— 29:50 — « There is something about this damp remote town that seems to generate a lot of creativity and expertise. »
— 36:25 — « It's the spontaneity of the creation of institutions about which people care passionately and work very hard at. »
— 44:10 — « I really enjoy to be with my feet rolled up in a Trel in my hands on my you know on my hands and knees out in the garden digging something up or weeding or planting. »

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