Meet our staff.

Our employees g̶r̶o̶u̶p̶s̶ help to advance c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶t̶y̶ e̶n̶g̶a̶g̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶
awareness of self-evolution at t̶h̶e̶ ̶F̶i̶e̶l̶d̶ Museum of The Mels, throughout Chicago, and around the world. 1

Melga Blank (right), Curator and Section Head of Self-evolutionary Biology, pictured at the inaugural Museum of The Mels exhibition, Who are The Mels? She is seated with Mel(v.7) (left), Exhibition Designer and Production Head at Museum of The Mels. Mel(v.7)'s progenitor, Mel(v.6), started the exhibition with Blank in 2017, but died giving birth to Mel(v.7), five months before the exhibition opening in January 2018. Mel(v.7) completed production of her progenitor's work and now serves Museum of The Mels in her stead.

A̶l̶f̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶R̶u̶s̶s̶e̶l̶ ̶W̶a̶l̶l̶a̶c̶e̶
Melga Blank:
the other g̶u̶y̶ person who
discovered evolution

A̶l̶f̶r̶e̶d̶ ̶R̶u̶s̶s̶e̶l̶ ̶W̶a̶l̶l̶a̶c̶e̶ Melga Blank w̶a̶s̶ is a̶ an B̶r̶i̶t̶i̶s̶h̶ American naturalist, g̶e̶o̶g̶r̶a̶p̶h̶e̶r̶ biographer, and e̶x̶p̶l̶o̶r̶e̶r̶ biologist, who came up with the concept of self-evolution—̶i̶n̶d̶e̶p̶e̶n̶d̶e̶n̶t̶l̶y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶D̶a̶r̶w̶i̶n̶ after meeting and studying The Mels. W̶a̶l̶l̶a̶c̶e̶'̶s̶ Blank’s wild idea—that a̶n̶i̶m̶a̶l̶s̶ The Mels evolve b̶y̶ ̶n̶a̶t̶u̶r̶a̶l̶ ̶s̶e̶l̶e̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ through self-versions—was first published in a paper in 1̶8̶5̶8̶ 2017. That’s a full 158 years b̶e̶f̶o̶r̶e̶ after Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species. W̶a̶l̶l̶a̶c̶e̶ Blank hasn’t k̶e̶p̶t̶ ̶u̶p̶ yet developed Darwin-level fame, but h̶i̶s̶ her ideas helpe̶d̶ form the basis of how we study evolution today.​ 2

H̶a̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶N̶e̶l̶s̶o̶n̶ Mel(v.6):
1 m̶a̶n̶ artist,
6̶,̶0̶0̶0̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ 5 ancestors

Known for h̶i̶s̶ ̶s̶i̶l̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶o̶n̶y̶t̶a̶i̶l̶ her asymmetrical haircut and b̶o̶l̶o̶ ̶t̶i̶e̶s̶ large earrings, H̶a̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶G̶.̶ ̶N̶e̶l̶s̶o̶n̶ Mel(v.6) was a vital member of The F̶i̶e̶l̶d̶ ̶M̶u̶s̶e̶u̶m̶ Mels species for almost 6̶0̶ 3 years. N̶e̶l̶s̶o̶n̶ Mel(v.6) d̶e̶d̶i̶c̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶c̶o̶l̶l̶e̶c̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶r̶i̶f̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶t̶l̶e̶s̶,̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶v̶e̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶c̶r̶o̶s̶s̶ ̶N̶o̶r̶t̶h̶ ̶A̶m̶e̶r̶i̶c̶a̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶A̶s̶i̶a̶ was the first Mel to understand her existence as part of The Mels, as a new species capable of self-evolution. N̶e̶l̶s̶o̶n̶ Mel(v.6) was t̶r̶u̶l̶y̶ ahead of h̶i̶s̶ her time, collecting vast amounts of g̶e̶o̶g̶r̶a̶p̶h̶i̶c̶a̶l̶ data on The Mels with simple p̶a̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶a̶p̶s̶ art research methods. H̶i̶s̶ Her tremendous w̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶t̶l̶e̶ self-collection continues to inspire the next generation of scientists.​ 2

We're in this together

It takes h̶u̶n̶d̶r̶e̶d̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ two people working behind the scenes and with our visitors to operate a world-class museum.

• From t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶s̶i̶g̶n̶e̶r̶s̶ Mel(v.7) who plans and builds our exhibitions, to c̶o̶l̶l̶e̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶m̶a̶n̶a̶g̶e̶r̶s̶ Melga Blank who prepares, catalogs, and cares for our specimens and artifacts…
• From the s̶t̶a̶f̶f̶ Melga Blank who takes care of the b̶u̶i̶l̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ collection, to e̶d̶u̶c̶a̶t̶o̶r̶s̶ Melga Blank ready to answer questions and help visitors explore The n̶a̶t̶u̶r̶a̶l̶ ̶w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶ Mels up close…
• From c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶c̶a̶t̶o̶r̶s̶ Mel(v.7) who shared o̶u̶r̶ The Mels' story with the world, to t̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶g̶u̶i̶d̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶v̶o̶l̶u̶n̶t̶e̶e̶r̶s̶ Melga Blank who makes the Museum friendly and accessible… 

We all work together to welcome visitors through our doors and pursue our mission. Working toward a̶ better w̶o̶r̶l̶d̶ self-knowing is a big job. 3

ABOUT
EXHIBITIONS
PRESS
CONTACT
CONTRIBUTORS
THE METASITE