PAST EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS
TEAM OF 2023/24
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR
Devin is a second year combined degree candidate from Hong Kong. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics. While working towards his MI degree in human-centred data science this year, being part of Musings allows him to stay connected to his enduring passion for heritage and museology. Outside of academic pursuits, he enjoys exploring unfrequented, historic and multicultural neighbourhoods, collecting antiquarian books and adoring progressive rock music.
ZOË TOKARCHUK (she/her)
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, COPY EDITOR
Zoë is a second year MMSt student from Vancouver, BC. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at UBC in 2017. She sees museum collections as an under-examined site of change and activism. She is interested in object stories and the people who tell them, and excited to collaborate with MUSSA members and share their insights. When she's not working on assignments, she'll be out in nature, reading a book, or knitting while watching a 4 hour video essay. Her favourite spot in Toronto is the Riverdale Farm, for the sweet goats.
COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Van is a first-year MMSt student, with a Bachelor of Arts Education from the University of Regina. His passion lies at the intersection of art, culture, and education, where he seeks to enrich learning experiences by integrating the worlds of schools and museums. He is interested in synergizing schools and museums to enhance the learning experience, believing in the transformative power of immersive education. Beyond the academic realm, Van Gonzales is the #3 ranked tennis player within his friend group, a collector of Art Books he might read one day and a sore monopoly loser. Eagerly offering his support to the program and its students, Van is thrilled to be a part of MUSSA and Musings.
TEAM OF 2022/23
NESHAN TUNG (she/her)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Neshan Tung is a second year MMst student. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary, majoring in English and minoring in Philosophy. Neshan is interested in how art galleries and music museums can adopt participatory, multi-sensory frameworks to resonate more with the public. Neshan’s interests include twentieth century art and photography, feminism, the blues and literature. In her free time, Neshan likes to make collages, write poetry and see live music.
KARA ANNETT (she/her)
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Kara Annett is a second year MMSt student. She completed her undergraduate degree in History and French Literature at the University of Alberta, where she developed an interest in cultural history and the history of women. Kara is particularly interested in how material culture can be used to tell stories and how museums can encourage interactions between the public and their collections, as well as making museums community centres. In her free time, Kara enjoys reading, painting, and figuring out which café has the best chai in Toronto.
BRIANNA DAVIES (she/her)
MUSINGS COMMUNICATION OFFICER
Brianna is a first-year Masters of Museum Studies student. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History with Minors in Material Culture and Book & Media Studies from the University of Toronto. One of her most memorable undergrad experiences was interning at Casa Loma and helping to catalogue the museum’s massive book collection! She is interested in historic house museums and how to improve queer representation within them. When she’s not at school, you can find her reading the cheesiest romance novels she can find, and hanging out in cemeteries (Mount Pleasant is her favourite!)
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
ANA VILLEGAS(she/her)
MUSINGS ABROAD
Ana Villegas is a second-year Museum Studies Master’s student, doing a collaborative specialization in Jewish Studies. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours in History degree from Trent University. Her historical focus was Modern European history, particularly in interwar dictatorships, the Holocaust, and fascism. Right now, her studies on museums focus on education, exhibition design, and interpretive planning. She is also an Associate Editor for the iJournal and works as a Creative Director in Śvās magazine. In Ana’s spare time you can find her in the Inforum reading a history book, watching a film, or learning German.
AVIGAYIL MARGOLIS (they/she)
RESEARCH COLUMN & MUSE NEWS
Avi Margolis is a second year MMSt student. They completed their undergraduate degree in Anthropology at X University. Avi has always been passionate about the importance of material culture in helping people connect with the past and the importance of making museums more accessible to the public. As a child their favourite activity for a day off school was always to visit the ROM. Avi is especially interested in the philosophy and pedagogy of museums. In their free time, they are an avid baker, knitter, sewer, reader, and occasional game designer.
JINGSHU HELEN YAO (she/her)
COLOUR THE CANVAS & CHECK-INS
Jingshu Helen Yao is a creative writer based in Toronto. Coming to Canada from China for post-secondary education, her experience inspired her to explore bilingual and multicultural practice in her writings. She is now pursuing the Museum Studies graduate program and is excited to explore new directions in academia and writing. She is interested in learning the methods in which museums can better involve Indigenous, queer, and other minority communities in Canada.
SARAH COZZARIN (she/her)
BEYOND TRADITION
To see the complete list of our past team members from before 2022/23, click here.