Anthropology museum names new executive
Leading anthropologist Richard Leventhal will take the helm of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology when current director Jeremy Sabloff steps down this summer.
University officials made the announcement yesterday, and Leventhal was welcomed in a reception attended by museum officials and members of the Anthropology Department.
Leventhal said he already has plans in mind for future of the museum.
"I think the museum needs to focus on Iraq," he said, asking, "Can we, as an intellectual center of the University, help explain what's going on today?"
On a more interpersonal level, Leventhal said that upon assuming his new position, "probably the very first thing is going to be to learn and to listen" to museum curators, faculty and staff.
Leventhal's current co-workers at the New Mexico-based School of American Research -- "the top anthropological think tank center in the country," according to Leventhal -- said that they will miss their president and chief executive officer.
"Richard is very nice -- we're sorry to lose him," SAR spokeswoman Jean Schaumberg said.
"Richard succeeded a president who was here for 34 years," she said, adding that "he had big shoes to fill, and he did it admirably."
-- Laura Sullivan
