Susan Wagner Joins The Morton Arboretum to Lead Education, Exhibits

LISLE, IL (October 28, 2009) - Saying she is looking forward to using advanced technology to create ever-more-outstanding visitor experiences, Susan Wagner has joined The Morton Arboretum as Vice President of Education and Information. She will oversee the Arboretum's award-winning Children's Garden, Education Program, Sterling Morton Library, Plant Clinic, exhibitions, and interpretation.

Wagner will be updating existing systems and creating new ones to integrate Arboretum information services more fully, to enhance learning and discovery.

"I love to witness that ‘aha!' moment when visitors become fully engaged and feel the drive to find out more about something they're exploring," says Wagner, who most recently was Adler Planetarium's Vice President for Exhibits and Programs.

She will be centrally involved in helping the public engage in next year's Arboretum exhibition of steel roots: inspiring, intriguing, and beautiful steel sculptures designed to enhance visitors' appreciation for the tree and landscape beauty above ground, and the awesome power and function of tree roots below ground.

Wagner also will enhance programs to help students in the Arboretum's Thornhill Education Center become more comfortable with science. Indeed, she began her 16-year career as a teacher, and also held teaching and administrative positions that focused on math and science curricula. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and Psychology from St. Xavier University in Chicago; and a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Champaign.

Recently, the American Association of Museums named Wagner a Peer Reviewer, based upon her "significant museum experience and proven understanding of the museum field," according to AAM. She is responsible for reading museums' self-studies, visiting museums to observe their operations, and writing a report on her findings.

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized 1,700-acre outdoor museum with collections of 4,117 kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants from around the world. The Arboretum's beautiful natural landscapes, gardens, research and education programs, and year-round family activities support its mission - the planting and conservation of trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Conveniently located at I-88 and Rte. 53 in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 7 a.m. Central Time until sunset. The Children's Garden is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., March through October, and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., November through February. Visit Press Room at www.mortonarb.org, call to learn more.

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