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Internship Topics Available
How to Apply
Students interested in placement through the general internship program are encouraged to contact the project sponsor directly using the contact information (phone and e-mail) provided to discuss details, availability, and potential placement.
Please note, there is no formal application review or notification schedule.
Only students selected for placement will be contacted.
Collections Management - Anthropological
PROJECT TITLE: Conversion of legacy collection guides to EAD format
DESCRIPTION: In an effort to enhance access to its archival collections, the National Anthropological Archives is converting all of its archival collection guides to EAD (Encoded Archival Description) format using the software Archivists' Toolkit. The intern will enter metadata from collection guides in electronic and hard copy formats into Archivists' Toolkit. At the end of this internship, the intern will gain a basic understanding of archival description.
QUALIFICATIONS: The intern must be detail-oriented and comfortable working at a computer for long periods of time. Previous experience with Archivists' Toolkit is preferred but not required.
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: Lorain Wang
Phone:
E-mail: wangl@si.edu
Collections Management - Biological
PROJECT TITLE: Gigapanning Parasitic Wasps
DESCRIPTION: Parasitic wasps are an incredibly diverse group of insects. Ranging in size from 1mm to 30mm, these stingless wasps parasitize a broad array of plant and animal hosts. The NMNH possesses one of the worlds foremost collections of these wasps, built over the past 150 years of taxonomic research. Curating these wasps is time-consuming and challenging and one way we are seeking to overcome these impediments is to use GigaPan technology. The Gigapan (http://gigapan.com) imaging system creates high-resolution, panoramic images of insect drawers. These drawer images will be posted online and annotated, after which they will be used for a variety of purposes: (1) linking to established database of types specimens such that a particular specimen may be located in the drawer in which it occurs by simple mouse click, (2) proof-of-concept cybertaxonomy projects involving taxon experts remotely curating the collection based on drawer images.
QUALIFICATIONS: Interest in Entomology. Interns will be trained in using the Gigapan rig, image annotation and upload, and linking to extant databases.
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: Mike Gates/Matt Buffington
Phone: (202) 633-4554/4552
E-mail: michael.gates@ars.usda.gov/matt.buffington@ars.usda.gov
PROJECT TITLE: Information Access, organizing the large reprint libraries of retired curators
DESCRIPTION: Over the many decades, individual curators maintained separate reprint libraries, Ostracod, Amphipod and Freshwater microcrustacean libraries. When these individuals retired or passed on the libraries were boxed up and stored. Recently they have been unboxed, but now they need to be organized alphabetically. These libraries are important for researchers and visitors around the world. Some of the literature goes back to the early -mid 1800’s. These libraries are in somewhat decent alphabetic order but over time, new literature was added to the library but just added to the boxes. Some of the reprints need to be scanned to pdf files and saved in the our Smithsonian digitized library. These are usually from very obscure or hard to find literature sources. First job will be to get a library into alphabetic order by author name and year. Second, If time allows, selected materials will be digitized and added to our online catalog, Volunteer and advisor will determine which of some of the older important pieces of literature should be scanned to pdf files. If interested there is also a physical curation project that can be worked on also to break up the boredom of just library work.
QUALIFICATIONS: Volunteers should be able to make decisions quickly and independently. A general understanding of collection policies and basic archival processing is a plus. However, familiarity with Adobe Photoshop and high resolution image scanning is a plus.
TIMETABLE: Other
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: T. Chad Walter
Phone: 301-238-1764
E-mail: walterc@si.edu
PROJECT TITLE: Pan-Smithsonian Cryo-Initiative Collection Management project
DESCRIPTION: The Pan-Smithsonian Cryo-Initiative (PSCI) aims to provide for the fully-resourced care of the Smithsonian Institution's frozen biomaterial collections through collaborative management as well as increase online access to its collections via a Virtual Biorepository. Interns will draft collections management guideline for pan-Smithsonian cryo-collections (biobank) using existing collection management policies and industry best practices. Expected outcomes: experience in museum collection management policies and biodiversity collections management procedures.
QUALIFICATIONS: Experience or coursework related to archival standards and/or life sciences laboratory operations (preferred). Experience with museum collections management (optional)
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: Piper Mullins
Phone: 202-633-4054
E-mail: mullinsp@si.edu
Media and Public Affairs
PROJECT TITLE: Pan-Smithsonian Cryo-Initiative Outreach Project
DESCRIPTION: The Pan-Smithsonian Cryo-Initiative (PSCI) aims to provide for the fully-resourced care of the Smithsonian Institution's frozen biomaterial collections through collaborative management as well as increase online access to its collections via a Virtual Biorepository. Interns will create an official presentation slidedeck and/or brochure for the pan-Smithsonian cryo-collection program. This will involve compiling sources from partner units and previous presentations. The official program slidedeck and brochure will be used in all formal program outreach and promotion. Expected outcomes include: experience in the museum public affairs and product management lifecycle and first-hand knowledge of biodiversity and genomics/proteomics research.
QUALIFICATIONS: Required: MS PowerPoint, experience writing and giving presentations Optional: Adobe Creative Suite Coursework in marketing, communications, and/or design coursework or experience preferred. Knowledge of scientific communities of practice is helpful.
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: Piper Mullins
Phone: 202-633-4054
E-mail: mullinsp@si.edu
Research Assistance - Biological
PROJECT TITLE: Curation of Freshwater Snail Collection
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this project is to assist with re-organizing and upgrading the curatorial status of a large (ca. 5,000 samples or lots) alcohol-preserved collection of freshwater gastropods belonging to the family Hydrobiidae. This Smithsonian collection is actively used for curatorial research and is also frequently queried (electronically) by the conservation community. The interns will reorganize the entire collection, top off lots that are low in (ethanol) preservative, check each lot against electronic database (KEmu) records to identify missing material and other problems, and add "drop slips" to a subset of the lots to reflect recent changes of electronic records. This project will greatly improve both the accessibility and curatorial status of this important collection. Work will be done at both the Museum Supporting Center (MSC) and the Museum of Natural History.
QUALIFICATIONS: Some experience with Microsoft Excel, invertebrate zoology, and museum collections is desireable.
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: Robert Hershler
Phone: 202-633-1747
E-mail: hershlerr@si.edu
Security and Safety
PROJECT TITLE: Material Safety Data Sheet Validation
DESCRIPTION: The intern will cross reference current chemical inventory lists at the Natural History Musuem to ensure the correct Material Safety Data Sheets are on file. Project will require the use of MS Excel and MS Word and Office.
QUALIFICATIONS: Good organizational skills and proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office applications.
TIMETABLE: Indefinite
AWARD PACKAGE: None
Project Contact Name: James R. Smith Jr.
Phone: 202-633-0068
E-mail: smithjr@si.edu
Other Links
Didn't find what you're looking for? Other individuals may be interested in hosting an intern, but are not actively recruiting for students to work on a particular project. To review our listings of people within our community, reference the following NMNH Science Department links.
The NMNH science departments maintain their own web pages, including complete community lists. To view the departments lists, visit their web sites. Here are the links:
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