Smithsonian
Institution
National Museum of Natural History
Research
Training Program
Components
of the Programs
The
Research Training Program is an opportunity
for undergraduate students to explore their interests
and talents in the natural history sciences before
making graduate school decisions. NMNH houses
by far the largest natural history collections
in the world.
The
program's philosophy is that active, inquiry-based
experiences in many different disciplines in the
natural history sciences demonstrates the excitement
of scientific research and encourages undergraduates
to pursue careers in these fields.
To
implement this philosophy, the program utilizes
the vast collections of the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History, the research laboratories
and facilities, and prominent professional staff.
Through the ten-week resident program, RTP participants
identify critical research questions, design and
conduct original research, use the library, work
in the museum collections, gather and interpret
data, and communicate results to the scientific
community.
The
major components of the Research Training Program
are:
The
Research Project
The
Schedule of Events
The
Museum Environment
NATURE
OF STUDENT ACTIVITIES
The Research Training Program provides
an opportunity for undergraduate students to explore
their interests and talents in the natural history
sciences before making graduate school decisions.
The RTP philosophy is that active, inquiry-based
experience in many different disciplines in the
natural history sciences demonstrates the excitement
of scientific research and encourages undergraduates
to pursue careers in these fields. Developing
strong personal ties with participants and maintaining
contact with alumni fosters career colleagues.
To implement this philosophy the Program relies
on the vast collections of the National Museum
of Natural History, the superior laboratories
and facilities, and prominent research staff.
Time and resources focus on students conducting
an individualized research project that emphasizes
the complete research process.
The
research project is complemented by a dynamic
ten-week curriculum of events covering the biological,
geological, and anthropological sciences through
a series of research lectures, issues discussions,
laboratory demonstrations, techniques workshops,
tours though the collections, field trips, and
social events. Equally important to the intellectual
merit of the research and curriculum, the RTP
believes personal interaction between participants
and the NMNH scientific community is the key to
long-term success.
The
Museum environment fosters a supportive atmosphere
in which established researchers share their experience,
expertise, and scientific insight with undergraduates
struggling to make career decisions, yet often
possessing the talent to become leaders in the
field. Social and professional community interaction
between students and scientists is achieved in
the newly developed Academic Resources Center
(ARC)
that provides centrally located, dedicated space
and facilities for enhancing academic services
and group dynamics.
The
details of the program, specifically how events
are implemented, requirements, and support mechanisms
are what have made the RTP effective in preparing
students for success through graduate school and
research careers.
Experience
as a Research Scientist
Helping undergraduate students develop confidence
and competence in the skills needed to become
a successful research scientist is the key component
of the Research Training Program. This includes
teaching the methods and processes of research,
providing insight into what scientists do day-to-day,
demonstrating how to work in interdisciplinary
teams to seek solutions to common questions, and
connecting students to the scientific community
as professional colleagues. Designing and conducting
an individual research project is the cornerstone
of this process.
Prior
to 1994 detailed research topics were pre-described
and advertised. Students selected specific topics
and carried out the investigation. Participant
exit interviews and alumni surveys revealed that
those students who deviated from the pre-designed
topics, specifically those who actively participated
in developing the research question, and the methods
to test it, were more satisfied with their overall
experience, had developed a better understanding
of the research process, were more likely to initiate
and carry out future projects, and had a higher
retention rate in the sciences.
Since
1994, in place of pre-designed topics, research
specialties of scientific advisors are advertised
including summaries of previous RTP projects and
abstracts from publications authored and co-authored
by RTP participants. Potential RTP mentors include
emeritus researchers and scientists employed by
affiliated agencies (e.g. U.S. Department of Agriculture,
U.S. Biological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Services, U.S. Geological Survey) who are permanently
housed within the NMNH and who are an integral
part of the NMNH scientific community.
Students select advisors based on scientific discipline,
techniques employed, and history of working with
other students. A complete listing of all students,
and the research projects they pursued, is also
available as part of the alumni
directory.
Through
searches students can identify and locate advisors
and design projects of interest across disciplines.
Together the student/mentor team determines the
direction of the research project based on the
expertise of the mentor, the facilities and collections
available, and the career goals and interests
of the student. Sometimes research projects deviate
from presumed topics resulting in co-advisors
from different disciplines, but addressing a specific
interest shared by both student and mentors.
With
guidance from the mentor(s), the participant develops
an explicit hypothesis, designs investigations
to test this hypothesis, gathers and analyzes
data, and communicates the results in the form
of manuscripts and presentations. As part of their
project, many students travel to scientific meetings,
sometimes first to observe before presenting their
research findings. Some projects include short-term
fieldwork during the program. Other projects are
followed by more extensive fieldwork, often to
a distant site, generally in subsequent summers,
and usually supported by the mentors' research
grants.
The
research project involves participants as research
collaborators in all stages of a scientific study,
and throughout the project they are expected to
provide input and contribute original ideas. The
independence of the participant in conducting
the research project varies with the scientific
maturity of the student and the nature of the
project. The relationship between student and
mentor varies from colleague to collaborator to
apprentice depending on the level of preparation
for the topic investigated.
Research in the
Biological Sciences
The
Research Training Program originated from within
the biological science disciplines, specifically
Botany, and 353 RTP participants (75%) have engaged
in biological research focusing investigations
in systematics, biodiversity topics, and biogeographical
studies. With concerns over biodiversity loss
and global change coupled by the loss of expertise
to identify and understand relationships, many
biological research topics will include description
of a new species or redefining a particular group
of organisms. Research topics in the biological
sciences generally focus on utilizing the vast
historical collections that often reveal important
information for current concerns.
For
example, RTP student Kris Helgen (2000),
working with Senior Scientist Dr. Don E. Wilson
and using the Museum collections, studied three
species of endemic raccoons from islands in the
Caribbean, and reached conclusions with startling
ramifications for conservation biology. The three
species: Procyon maynardi of New Providence
Island in the Bahamas, P. minor of Guadeloupe,
and P. gloveralleni of Barbados are accorded
conservation status of high concern; Guadeloupe
and Bahaman raccoons are considered endangered
species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN),
and the Barbados raccoon is now apparently extinct.
However, evidence from the fields of biogeography,
paleontology, zooarchaeology, and genetics have
suggested that the presence of raccoons in the
West Indies is not natural, but rather a result
of human introduction. For the first time, this
research examined morphological characters of
all known material representing the three species
for clues as to their identities. To determine
possible affinities with mainland animals, 9 craniodental
and several nonmetric characters were examined
in over 300 museum collections of raccoons from
across North America to determine their degree
of distinctness, and to possibly identify their
original mainland provenance. The three species,
which had been recognized as distinct for many
decades, were shown to be the result of rather
recent introductions from the mainland, and not
distinct species at all. This finding suggests
that their conservation status needs to be changed
from that of protected endemics to unwanted invasives.
Aside
from pure systematic studies, the museum collections
provide the basis for investigations with practical
applications. For her research topic, New Mexico
State University Sophomore, Yolanda Chacon
(2001),
working with Dr. Carla Dove, engaged in a microscopic
feather analysis of cranes, rails, and allies
(Avian Order: Gruiformes) to search for feather
characters that are unique to particular groups
of birds. These characters are used in practical
applications such as identifying bird species
that cause damage to aircraft ("bird strikes"),
identifying birds that were used in anthropological
artifacts, and in identifying prey remains to
determine the diets of other animals.
Research in the Geological Sciences
In
the geological sciences, likely studies include
petrologic studies of meteorites, pegmatites and
volcanic rocks to understand their origin, as
well as volcanologic studies of eruption histories,
and paleoecology investigations with stable isotopic
analysis (carbon, oxygen) providing an important
tool. The Program has hosted 88 geoscience projects
(19%) and 24 researchers have requested to serve
as mentors in upcoming RTP sessions.
In
the geosciences, research topics utilize not only
the vast specimen collections, but also the extensive
data stored at the NMNH, such as that gathered
through the Global
Volcanism Program, and often build upon the
investigations of previous works.
For
example, to further investigate the research conducted
by RTP participant, Arwen Vidal (1999),
Kristen
Iriarte (2002),
a sophomore from The College of William and Mary,
working with Dr. William Melson, investigated
the science surrounding a fatal pyroclastic flow
of Arenal volcano on 23 August 2000 in order to
see if it could have been predicted. By examining
the rocks associated with the event, and the seismic
signals continuously recorded at the site, they
hoped to discover the key to help warn of future,
potentially disastrous, pyroclastic flows. While
they did discover several interesting signal patterns,
and the probable cause for the eruption, no distinct
precursor was discovered. Although not pinpointing
a predictor of volcanic eruptions, this study
supported the need for further research and public
education, warning both natives and tourists against
unpredictable volcanic events.
Research
topics are often cross-disciplinary, linking the
expertise of scientific staff across disciplines
to resolve hypotheses and thereby inspiring students
to broaden their perspective, and even career
path. 
Paleontology
student Matthew Friedman (2001)
from the University of Rochester, sought to resolve
the identity of a partial fish skull and vertebral
column from the Oligocene Mancora formation of
western Peru, presumed to be a luovar. The skull
is well preserved but its taxonomic status, and
the relationship of the fossil to modern taxa,
remained unclear for many years. Though many bones
are visible in the specimen, an extremely hard
matrix conceals potentially diagnostic features
making a complete osteological analysis impossible.
To avoid potential damage to the specimen, computer
tomography scans were conducted in combination
with acid baths to dissolve carbonates, and mechanical
removal of the surrounding rock with a diamond-tipped
drill. Drawing on the expertise from mentors in
both systematic ichthyology and paleontology the
team discovered that the fossil is most closely
related to the modern order Lampridiformes. This
specimen represents the first fossil lampridiform
known from South America and provides new insights
into the environment of the Mancora formation,
now thought to include a deep-water, offshore
deposit.
Research in the
Anthropological Sciences
The
Research Training Program has hosted 29 students
in the anthropological sciences and there is active
interest in anthropology research projects. Approximately
24 scientists have requested to be considered
for mentoring students in upcoming sessions, conducting
projects that span the four sub-fields - archaeology
(including zooarchaeology), cultural, linguistics,
and physical (including human evolution and forensics).
Potential research topics range from studies of
disease in prehistoric peoples to studying skeletal
indicators which may be used in positive identification
of forensic remains; taphonomy and bias in the
fossil record to dietary differences among classes
in prehistoric cultures; and cultural diversity
of Africa and the African diaspora to the study
of dialect to reconstruct material culture.
An
example from archaeology, Anastasia Poulos
(2001),
working with Dr. Melinda Zeder, sought to analyze
the gazelle hunting by ancient peoples in the
Near East, specifically the lowland village of
Ali Kosh, dating to 7500-5600 B.C., at the dawn
of early animal domestication. Utilizing a technique
developed by Zeder for perceiving domestication
practices of ancient peoples, a collection of
gazelle was analyzed in an attempt to see if sexual
size variation is also present among gazelles
thereby indicating possible efforts toward domestication
of gazelle along with sheep and goats. The method
of sex-specific age curves to denote domestic
practices was applied to gazelle remains that
were contemporaneous and contextually related
to domesticated remains dating 10,000 years ago.
This technique indicated that the kill-off pattern
for hunting practices was very different from
the kill-off of domesticated animals. With domesticates,
young males were killed off, while females had
a higher survival rate. With the hunted remains,
older, bigger animals were killed, with what appears
to be a focus on males. This research further
reinforces the feasibility of obtaining a pattern
for domestication that can be determined empirically.
Since domestication has often been interpreted
in the archaeological record solely on changes
in obvious physical characteristics, such as size
change, there has been a long period of time at
the beginning of animal domestication, before
these characteristic changes took place, which
has not been fully recognized. This technique
allows for an earlier recognition of domestic
remains, while also shedding light on the exploitation
of other resources, such as the gazelle.
Research
projects in the anthropological sciences also
afford unique opportunities for native peoples
to engage in studies from which only they can
provide important perspective. For example, Melanie
Moanike'ala Mann (2000),
a Native Hawaiian from the University of Hawai'i
at Manoa, investigated the utilization of non-traditional
craniometrics to determine the ethnicity of human
remains. Using a three-dimensional digitizer,
landmark coordinates were recorded from skulls
of 19th century Native Americans, African Americans
and American Whites housed in the NMNH collections
to identify the best inter-landmark distances
to distinguish between populations. Seventy-eight
landmark coordinates were identified with 3,003
possible inter-landmark distances. The best coordinate
landmarks were identified through the use of stepwise
discriminate function analysis. The analysis suggested
that facial and vault landmark coordinates provide
the best discriminate functions between Indian
and Non-Indian populations with 96% accuracy.
While
her project focused on craniometrics to distinguish
between Native American remains and those from
other groups, especially Euro-Americans and African-Americans,
the significance of providing this research opportunity
is much deeper. As a Native Hawaiian, Mann comments
that her opportunities to conduct research in
biological anthropology are limited, yet she notes:
"I often find myself in a bind between being
faithful to the culture of my people and being
an academic professional. Too often native people
are discouraged from pursuing fields of interest
that may contradict their cultural beliefs, but
my participation in the Research Training Program
allowed me to open my eyes and my heart to share
my native Hawaiian cultural beliefs while graciously
accepting the teachings of supportive anthropologists
and staff throughout the Museum. I hope to someday
become the first Native Hawaiian to conduct biological
research based on human remains and to use that
research to reconstruct past lifestyles of our
people."
Fostering Career
Colleagues
 |
| RTP
intern
Gene
Hunt in 1995 working in the vertebrate
paleobiology exhibit. After his summer as
an RTP participant Gene completed his undergraduate
degree, went on to graduate school and postdoctoral
study, and in 2005 he returned to the NMNH
as a staff Research Scientist. Dr. Hunt now
serves as an advisor to RTP participants. |
To
ensure an appropriate level of guidance and support
throughout all research projects, RTP staff members
monitor each project's progress through regular
conversation and formal recording including a
written hypothesis statement, mid-term evaluation
and final reporting. Mentors are expected to interact
with their student on a daily basis, especially
during the critical stages of project development
and data analysis. The importance of sharing research
findings with professional and general audiences
is emphasized.
At
the conclusion of the ten-weeks, participants
communicate their research findings by giving
a 15-minute formal oral presentation on
the progress of their research to an audience
of approximately 40 members from the Smithsonian
scientific community.
Students
produce a research poster that is presented
through a variety of formats. To share information
as broadly as possible, including colleagues at
distant locations, a Virtual
Poster Session is held utilizing the web as
a forum. A live message board facilitates direct
communication between students and colleagues
around the world.
An
on-site poster session is also featured and beginning
in '03, research posters will be displayed for
two weeks in the Museum's public exhibition space
with students available at their posters during
a private evening session for professional guests
and a public morning session for the general audiences.
The
research projects are designed with the goal of
publication and reports are prepared in journal
style with anticipation of the findings being
presented at a scientific meeting or produced
as a published work. To emphasize the increasing
need to communicate research to general audiences,
students prepare one-page research summaries
about their research topics along with letters
of gratitude expressing their personal insights.
These are distributed widely both in paper format
and on the web.
As a mature program, the RTP has developed across
time, through trial and error, many intricate
details, that further contribute to the success
of the research project effectively preparing
students for a career in the sciences. For example,
the research process is often driven by grants
and awards to support specific initiatives. To
provide students insight into the beginning stages
of a research project, each student/mentor team
begins the process by preparing and submitting
a 2-3 page research proposal.
The
proposal serves to provide an accurate description
of the research topic including the hypothesis
to be tested, the methods and procedures planned,
the staff and facilities involved, and the budget
required to carry out the proposed research. In
addition to requesting research supplies to conduct
the project, student/mentor teams are also encouraged
to identify additional opportunities to enhance
the student's experience in the natural history
sciences and to request funds to support these
initiatives. Typical requests include travel to,
and participation in, a scientific meeting - often
to present research results; travel to a local
field site to collect more specimens or conduct
complementary experiments; and travel to another
museum to study additional specimens and consult
with colleagues. Often this is the first time
students have had to think about all the details
necessary to achieve the end results. Requesting
the use of facilities, arranging travel accommodations,
working with administrative staff to secure/purchase
supplies, and balancing commitments to ensure
quality research time are challenges which RTP
alumni identify as one of the most insightful
parts of learning to be a successful research
scientist.
Exploring the Natural
History Sciences
Complementing the research project is a diverse
curriculum designed to provide highly interactive
and interesting events while offering a solid
foundation in all areas of natural history regardless
of the selected research topic. The curriculum
encourages students to explore their interest
in the natural history sciences. To facilitate
this, students play an active role in implementing
events by introducing speakers, working with tour
guides to include species of particular interest,
and co-hosting workshops and demonstrations affiliated
with their research.
Lectures
by NMNH scientists highlight the intricacies of
their research and provide insights into topics
in similar disciplines. Examples of lecture topics
include"Recent discoveries in Marine Botany:
or how to succeed as a husband/wife research team"
by Drs. Mark and Diane Littler; "Mass Extinctions:
life and death beyond the Permian" by Dr.
Douglas Erwin; "The Lost World, Cerro de
la Neblina: or why all museum studies must include
field work!" by Dr. Roy McDiarmid; "Measuring
Species Diversity" by Dr. Jonathan Coddington;
and "The Dark Side of Mineralogy: manganese
oxides and a day at the synchrotron" by Dr.
Jeffrey Post.
Weekly
informal discussions, hosted by a panel
of experts, including many RTP alumni, are held
to present topics in an open format (e.g. research
ethics, careers in natural history, graduate school
insights, publishing and presenting, data analysis,
"What is a species?", and planning the
next RTP).
In
the laboratory, traditional and modern
methods of research are demonstrated and students
are given the opportunity to learn and experiment
with these various techniques.
Workshops
and demonstrations are offered on how to
prepare, use, and maintain museum specimens (e.g.
histology; scientific illustration; plant collecting,
preserving & mounting; insect collecting,
labeling, sorting, pinning, & spreading; "What
the bones tell;" and pottery processing).
 |
| Behind-the-scenes
tours offer an opportunity for students to
see unusual specimens up close. Heather
McCarren (2002) holds a specimen of Lodoiceae
callipyge Comm. - a member of the palm
family of plants (Palmae). Native to the Seychelle
Islands, off the East coast of Africa, these
plants produce what are considered the largest
seeds. Some can weigh up to 50 lbs. |
Behind-the-scenes
tours throughout the NMNH broaden the participant's
biological, geological, and cultural perspective
(e.g. "The Burgess Shale, and other treasures
from paleobiology"; "Maladies, mummies,
& murder: a trip through the anthropology
collections"; "See the Coelacanth: a
journey through fishes"; "Species Diversity:
bats, rats and every furry thing - Vertebrate
Zoology, mammals"; and "Meteorites,
petrology, and volcanology: the geology collections").
Tours emphasize an appreciation of the diversity
of the Earth and the role natural history museums
play in studying and preserving that diversity.
Weekend
field trips accommodate a forum to discuss
and demonstrate collection and observation techniques
on site (e.g. "Biological Sampling Techniques"
at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
and "The Calvert Cliffs Miocene formation:
paleobiology") and to learn more about scientific
research at other Smithsonian facilities (e.g.
"Genetics Research to Preserve Endangered
Species" at the Smithsonian Conservation
Research Center, and "Managing Living Collections"
at the National Zoo).
To
balance research and activities, events are confined
to Mondays and Fridays. Each event
day highlights a particular natural history discipline
and includes a feature lecture in the morning
followed by a tour of the collections and associated
discipline library. During lunch members from
the discipline gather with students for an informal
dessert social. In the afternoon students select
from a variety of workshops and demonstrations
associated with the discipline. For example, as
part of Mineral Sciences Day the electron microprobe
is demonstrated and students can learn how to
use the large rock-cutting saw.
Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Thursdays are reserved
for research.
Discussions
are conducted Wednesdays over lunch in the ARC.
Week
1 focuses on orientation activities, Weeks 4,
7, 8 and 9 of the Program schedule are reserved
exclusively for research and Week 10 for presentations.
Current-year students, as part of closing activities,
propose the preliminary schedule of next-year
activities. The schedule is finalized in April.
While
the program curriculum is full and diverse, students
are also included in the Museum's intern community
and through Smithsonian's Internship Council can
join special opportunities at featured DC attractions
including tours of the White House, sessions of
Congress and the Supreme Court, plus Smithsonian-wide
social events. In addition, as Smithsonian interns,
RTP participants receive free admission to showings
in the IMAX Theater and a 20% discount at Museum
shops, bookstores, and food vendors. With their
Smithsonian ID, RTP participants receive unlimited
access (24 hours, 7 days a week) to the Museum
public exhibits and private research areas.
Project Evaluation and Reporting
Continuously improving and adapting to change,
including understanding successes and identifying
weaknesses, is an important component of the Research
Training Program. Group discussions plus individual
interviews with participants has proven the most
valuable means to gauge effectiveness and design
future directions. However, written assessment
is the best mechanism to compare individual impact
across time.
Just
prior to beginning their appointment, participants
complete a pre-program survey to document
their expectations and career goals. Participants
then complete a similar document, post-program
survey, at the close of the session to determine
if their goals and expectations were met and if
their career aspirations changed. Instituted in
1999, these standardized
rating sheets help quantify and compare key
points.
In
addition, evaluations of students, mentors, and
program events are ascertained through standardized
score sheets. Students and mentors are evaluated
by each other at the program mid-point and conclusion.
To rate the success of activities, participating
students and teachers complete an evaluation sheet
for each event. Evaluation elements address comparisons
to program standards plus personal expectations
through qualitative factors and quantitative measures.
Since
implementing this standard evaluation, records
show that advisors have maintained a high rate
of success with an average of 69% receiving an
"outstanding" rating from their students.
In addition, Smithsonian scientists serving as
research advisors continue to be very pleased
with their RTP students, with 90% of the students
exceeding their advisor's expectations. And, the
quality of events and activities also continues
to improve, in part due to comments received during
prior year evaluations, with an average of 90%
of the activities and events conducted by the
RTP rated as successful or better.
At
the conclusion of the summer participants are
also asked to write a letter of gratitude
to their funding source. These letters, available
on the web for review, have proven very insightful
in documenting the personal thoughts and impacts
of the summer.
Students have so many influences, both prior to
their Smithsonian summer and afterward, that the
individual, long-term effectiveness of programs
such as the Research Training Program is often
difficult to quantify and evaluate. Standard recorded
measures of success include presentations and
publications, graduate study, and employment,
tracked through annual surveys. Communication
from alumni and professional colleagues also help
gauge successes and identify areas needing improvement.
Comparisons across time using evaluations are
anticipated to help assess the impact a positive
undergraduate research experience has on long-term
career accomplishments. However, alumni testimonials
maintain as the most persuasive indicator of overall
impact.
Curriculum
Summary
THE
RESEARCH PROJECT
Helping
undergraduate students develop confidence and
competence in the skills needed to be a successful
research scientist is the key component of the
program.
 |
|
RTP students work one-on-one with their research
mentor. Colleen McLinn (1998) learned
from her RTP mentor, Anthropologist Dr. Melinda
Zeder, to identify the sex and species of
ancient goat populations by looking at the
astragalus bone to help answer questions about
animal domestication. |
This
includes teaching the methods and processes of
research, providing insight into what scientists
do day-to-day, and demonstrating how to work in
interdisciplinary teams to seek solutions to common
questions. Designing and conducting an individual
research project is the cornerstone of this process.
With the guidance of a Smithsonian mentor, the
participant develops an explicit hypothesis, designs
investigations to test this hypothesis, gathers
and analyzes data, and communicates the results
in the form of an oral presentation and a written
manuscript.
Mentors
interact with their students on a daily basis
and progress is monitored through a written hypothesis
proposal, a mid-term report, and an advisor's
mid-term evaluation. At the conclusion of the
session students give a 15-minute formal, oral
presentation on the progress of their research
and prepare a final report in journal style. A
poster session is also held to share research
results with the Smithsonian professional community.
 |
|
 |
| Joana
Silva (1999) presents her research on
polychaete worms at the RTP poster session.
|
|
Andy
Farke (2000) presents his research on
estimating clade richness at the RTP oral
presentation session. |
Participants
spend approximately three days each week (Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday) during the ten week program
working on their research topic.
THE
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Complementing
the research project is a diverse curriculum of
activities and events designed to present interactive
and interesting topics while offering a solid
foundation in all areas of natural history.
 |
Field trips provide an opportunity to
demonstrate techniques. Ryan Ojerio
(1993) learned tree climbing. |
The
curriculum offers a broad range of natural history
research topics, techniques, and resources presented
as lectures, discussions, demonstrations, workshops,
tours, and field trips.
Topics
include species concepts, measuring biological
diversity, biogeography, cladistics, morphometrics,
molecular systematics, paleoecology, forensic
anthropology, global volcanism, and mass extinctions.
Through
a formal lecture series Smithsonian staff
provide personal instruction on the concepts and
methodologies used in natural history research.
Weekly discussions and seminars are held
to present topics in an open format and to acquaint
RTP participants with the different types of job
opportunities available in natural history research.
In the laboratory, traditional and modern
methods of systematic research are demonstrated
and students are given the opportunity to learn
and experiment with these various techniques.
Workshops are offered on how to prepare,
use, and maintain museum specimens.
Behind-the-scene
tours throughout the NMNH are scheduled to
broaden the participant's biological, geological,
and cultural perspective. They emphasize an appreciation
of the diversity of the Earth and the role natural
history museums play in studying and preserving
that diversity. The tours also provide an overview
of the different types of equipment and supplies
used in storing and studying museum collections.
Weekend field trips accommodate a forum
to discuss and demonstrate collection and observation
techniques on site. About two days each week (Monday
and Friday) are reserved for scheduled RTP activities.
THE
MUSEUM ENVIRONMENT
NMNH
houses by far the largest natural history collections
in the world. In addition to the formal program,
students become members of the research community
and participate in all museum activities, including
departmental seminars, special lectures by visiting
scientists, exhibits preparation, and interaction
with the public.
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