Trevor Jones, a native of St. Cloud, Minn., is the new curator at the Mountain Heritage Center, Western Carolina University’s museum of Southern Appalachian natural and cultural history.

Jones was formerly curator of history at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wis. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and German at Grinnell College, and a master’s degree in history and certificate in museum studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

In his role as curator at the Mountain Heritage Center, Jones will write, design and build exhibits; oversee the museum’s collection of artifacts; and assist visitors as they learn about the region.

“I’m excited to be working at the Mountain Heritage Center during such an exciting time in the organization’s history,” Jones said. “The center is in the process of launching innovative new programs and exhibits, and I’m pleased that I can be a part of it.”

Jones has published articles on a wide range of subjects, including the role of American Indians in the Civil War, blacksmithing at the dawn of the 20th century, and the digitization and preservation of rare and fragile museum materials. Recently, his research has focused on civil liberties and World War I.

Earlier this year, Jones was chosen as the first American recipient of the Global Curator Fellowship, a new honor sponsored by the Historians’ Special Interest Group of Museums Australia, and the Curators’ Committee of the American Association of Museums. The fellowship is bestowed upon one American and one Australian each year, and as the American honoree, Jones will attend and present a research paper at the May meeting of the Museums Australia Annual Conference in Newcastle, Australia. He also will attend the May conference of the American Association of Museums in Philadelphia.

The Mountain Heritage Center, located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building, spotlights the human and natural history of the Southern Appalachian region with a wide variety of programming for adults and children, and through its exhibits and displays.

The museum is open free to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday year-round, and from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, June through October. Because the Mountain Heritage Center observes a university holiday schedule, visitors should call the museum around major holidays at 828.227.7129 to inquire about visiting hours.