Collections Processing Unit
Bio
Douglas Erickson is the Chief of the Collections Processing Unit (CPU). He joined the National Air and Space Museum originally in 2002 where he gained valuable experience as an intern during his graduate program earning his master’s degree in Museum Studies at The George Washington University.
At the conclusion of the internship, he became a volunteer, which led to a two-year temporary position as a Museum Registration Technician. Then in 2008 he was hired as a permanent Museum Specialist in CPU, where he obtained his Class A Commercial Driver’s License to handle and transport many of NASM’s large artifacts. In early 2012, he was promoted to a Supervisory Museum Specialist and then in late 2013 officially became CPU’s Chief.
Several of Douglas’ duties as Chief of the CPU includes producing budgets and schedules that reflect material costs, staff hours, and outside contracts needed for collections care and exhibit installations and deinstallations; advising other agencies on technical questions relating to the handling and transportation of artifacts; and overseeing the management of the highly complex collection storage space throughout the Museum.