Dr. Melissa Aho, Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed., M.L.I.S., M.S., Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate, Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate, B.A., B.A., B.S., A.A., A.A.S., A.S., Certificate, Certificate, Diploma, and Diploma
Brief Biography
I am currently a Librarian (I have worked in a wide variety of libraries, including a newspaper library, a magazine library, a 1st – 12th-grade library, a map library, and in various college and university libraries), an Adjunct University Professor (for 18+ years I taught a variety of classes online for a few different colleges and universities), a Writer (book reviews, articles, books, etc.), a YouTuber and my channels are: Melissa Aho (books and learning) and Aviator Melissa (aviation and flying) and Podcaster (Book Talk with Melissa Aho podcast on books), an Entrepreneur, a Student Private Pilot (post-solo, but working towards my license in a fixed-wing Sundowner airplane) and working on my drone Part 107 drone license. I completed my Ph.D. in International Development at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2021. I have no idea what I will be doing tomorrow, but the first librarian on Mars sounds cool.
Slightly Longer Than the Brief Biography
My original plan was to become a high school history teacher (hello, summers off), but my love and fascination with archaeology took over and I decided to become an archaeologist. I received a B.A. in History and Anthropology (St. Cloud State University), a B.A. in Art History – my senior paper was on an Islamic chess set (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities), an M.S. in Anthropology (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), participated in some archaeological digs (in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Belize, and worked on some Egyptian pottery in a lab at the University of Minnesota), and studied Native American trading beads for my M.S. paper in Anthropology. Then I switched fields and went into libraries. I worked in a bookstore for a few years (yes, I could identify a book by its cover and yes, I did judge), and had my mother not suggested that I become a librarian it probably would have happened sooner. I received my M.L.I.S. (Library and Information Science degree) from Dominican University. After receiving a few more undergraduate degrees in GIS & Cartography and Business, I started working on an M.A. in Art History (University of St. Thomas). I originally studied mosques in Guyana (they are stunning, as are the Hindu temples), but ended up studying mosques in Minnesota for my M.A. paper in Art History. Next, I did some research on synagogues in Minnesota, libraries and library workers, social media/Twitter, elections/voting, and drones. I completed an Online Distance Learning Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities so that I could have some theory, methods, and background in online teaching and over the years worked towards and finally received my Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Learning Technologies (LT) from the University of Minnesota. For my Master’s project, I created an educational video game called “Harvey the Husky.” I completed a Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to learn more about voting and our election system. Finally, in 2021 I completed my PhD. in International Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and my dissertation was “When You Play The Game of Drones, You Win or You Die: Examining the Role of U.S. Drone Strikes in U.S. and English Language Allies Newspapers from 2008-2019.” The book based on my dissertation was published in 2024 Playing the Game of Drones: Examining the Role of U.S. Drone Strikes in U.S. and English-Speaking Allies Newspapers.
I am also a student pilot. I was working towards my private pilot’s license in a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter (helicopters are my first love), but the cost of flying helicopters was way too high, so I moved on to airplanes and joined a flying club. So now I am learning to fly a Beechcraft Sundowner (it’s kind of like your grandparent’s Cadillac, kind of big and slow-moving). My first solo was on Monday, June 18, 2012. It was a beautiful hot Minnesota day. The skies were blue and clear, with no wind, and the Anoka County Airport (KANE) was a bit busy, but the tower guys were really nice during my solo and told me that I did a good job! I currently have over 100+ hours and will someday get my license. I received The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) Completion Certificate on November 28, 2022, and am currently working on my drone Part-107 license.
I am extremely fortunate to be an alumnus of these NASA Social programs:
1) #flyNASA at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center on November 18 and 19, 2014 at Edwards, California
2) #LaunchAmerica on May 27, 2020 online
3) #CountdownToMars July 30, 2020 online
and
1) Smithsonian Air and Space Museum ‘Outside the Spacecraft’ #Spacewalk50 on January 7, 2015, in Washington, DC.
I have articles, book chapters, and over 100 book reviews published in a variety of publications. I have also presented papers in five different academic disciplines (art history, economics, elections/voting, library science, and political science) and posters in two different academic disciplines (GIS and cartography and library science) at local, national, and international conferences. I published a book in 2019 on mosques in Minnesota called A Short History of the Mosque in Minnesota and the book based on my dissertation was published in 2024 Playing the Game of Drones: Examining the Role of U.S. Drone Strikes in U.S. and English-Speaking Allies Newspapers. I also co-edited a book for librarians: The Machiavellian Librarian: Winning Allies, Combating Budget Cuts, and Influencing Stakeholders which was published in the UK in October 2013 and in the US in November 2013. For some reason, the new publisher, who bought out the old publisher, lists the publication date as 2014, so you might see it either way. Not a lot of people purchased it and fewer read it (yes, that includes my mom who did not buy it, as she got a free copy from me), but I am sure it’s bound to be a collector’s item one day – so buy it while you can. It was reviewed in Library Journal and a few other places. I was even jokingly offered the chance to review it for a publication, which I turned down. I have had a few photos published in aviation magazines, but they were uncredited. However, I have 2 aviation photos published with my name, one in 2015 and one in 2016. Having never written fiction before (writing fiction has always freaked me out), I wrote a Sherlock Holmes pastiche piece for The Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota 2016 Christmas Annual “The Personal Diary of Mrs. Martha Hudson, Housekeeper to the Famed Detective Sherlock Holmes” and that was the tipping point for writing in the Sherlockian world.
I am usually busy working, traveling, and reading (I am an omnivorous reader and try to read at least 100 books a year), and enjoy going to the movies, watching TV, and hanging out with family and friends. I am currently researching female pilots, the writing of US Presidents, and pens/ink in the world of Sherlock Holmes.
Education
Ph.D. 2021 University of Southern Mississippi (International Development) (Major: Political Development, Minor: Security Studies), Dissertation: “When You Play The Game of Drones, You Win or You Die: Examining the Role of U.S. Drone Strikes in U.S. and English Language Allies Newspapers from 2008-2019,” adviser Dr. J.J. St. Marie
M.Ed. 2016 University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Learning Technologies) (Focus Area: Online Distance Learning), Masters Capstone Project: “Harvey the Husky: An Adventure Learning Game,” adviser Dr. Matti Koivula
M.A. 2009 University of St. Thomas (Art History), Masters Paper: “Masjid An-Nur: Building Meaning in a Minnesota Mosque,” adviser Dr. Heather Shirey
M.L.I.S. 2001 Dominican University (Library and Information Science)
M.S. 1998 University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (Anthropology), Masters Paper: “Bead Color in the Upper Mississippi Valley and the American Fur Company,” adviser Dr. Bettina Arnold
Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate 2019 Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Elections Administration)
Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate 2012 University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Online Distance Learning)
B.S. 2008 Minnesota School of Business (Business Administration)
B.A. 1999 University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Art History), Senior Paper: “The Ager Chess Set,” adviser Dr. Catherine Asher
B.A. 1994 St. Cloud State University (Anthropology and History) (cum laude)
A.S. 2005 Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Geographic Information Systems (GIS) & Cartography)
A.A.S. 2005 Minnesota School of Business (Business Administration)
A.A. 1992 Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Certificate 2010 University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (Applied Business Undergraduate Certificate)
Certificate 2005 Anoka-Ramsey Community College (Geographic Information Systems (GIS) & Cartography)
Diploma 2005 Minnesota School of Business (Business Administrative Assistant)
Diploma 2005 Minnesota School of Business (Office Assistant)
Awards
2015 Minnesota Ninety-Nines Chapter Scholarship
2005 Anoka-Ramsey Community College GIS Scholarship Award
Professional Development
Continuing Education Certificates
2020 Supervisory Development Course Certificate. Leadership and Talent Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Certificate issued on June 22, 2020
2017 Boreas Leadership Certificate. Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2016 Certificate in Social Sector Leadership. Philanthropy University and the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. Seven foundation courses. March – December 2016. Certificate issued on December 28, 2016
Certificate of Achievement. edX via MITx 14.73x: The Challenges of Global Poverty instructed by Esther Duflo and Abhijit Vinayak Banergee. September 19, 2016 – December 11, 2016. Verified Certificate of Achievement issued on December 15, 2016
Specialization Certificate in Entrepreneurship. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Coursera’s “Entrepreneurship,” a 5-course specialization by the University of Pennsylvania on Coursera. February – August 2016. Specialization Certificate earned on August 29, 2016
2015 TESOL/TESL/TEFL 100-hour Teacher Training Certification Course. Oxford Seminars Online
2014 TESOL/TESL/TEFL 60-hour Teacher Training Certification Course. Oxford Seminars, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2013 Equity and Diversity Basic Certificate. The University of Minnesota, Office for Equity and Diversity, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2006 Certificate of Completion. ALCTS Fundamentals of Acquisitions Web Course. American Library Association – Association for Library Collections & Technical Services Web Course, October 16 – November 10, 2006 (WebCT format)
Selected Continuing Education
“Manuscript Workshop at HMML, May 31- June 5, 2009.” Minnesota Manuscript Research Laboratory. Sponsored by the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, Saint John’s University, and the Center for Medieval Studies, University of Minnesota. Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota. May 31- June 5, 2009
Sloan-C Workshop “Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Leveraging the Online Learning Environment.” Online Moodle Format. April 8-17, 2009
Sloan-C Workshop “Podcasting in Higher Education: Current Trends and Applications.” Online Moodle Format. March 4-13, 2009
Aviation Flight Times
Student Pilot, Helicopter (R22 Beta II), 15.5 hours
Student Pilot, Single Engine Airplane (currently flying a Beechcraft Sundowner, but I do have a few hours in a Cessna 150 & 172), 90+ hours
The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) Completion Certificate on November 28, 2022
Student Drone Pilot, working on my Part 107
Professional Organizations
The ACD Society
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Bootmakers of Toronto
The Crew of the Barque Lone Star Scion Society, Crew Member
The Explorers Club, MN’12
- Minnesota Sub-Chapter, Event Location Coordinator and Secretary, 2012 – 2013
Friend of the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the University of Minnesota
The John H. Watson Society
Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots
The Minnesota 99s, the Minnesota Chapter of Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots
- Webmaster, Minnesota Chapter, 2022 – present
- Social Media Coordinator, Minnesota Chapter
- Instagram @Minnesota99s, 2019 – 2022
- Twitter @Minnesota99s, 2014 – 2022
- Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MN99s) 2014 – 2018
- Reporter, Minnesota Chapter, 2012 – 2018; 2024 – present
- Secretary, Minnesota Chapter, 2011 – 2015
The Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota – a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars of New York
Whirly-Girls, International Women Helicopter Pilots, Auxiliary Member
Women in Aviation, International
Social Media