Please
note: No financial assistance, housing, or travel
are provided as part of this opportunity. Students
are responsible for making their own arrangements.
ABS
Project List
- 2006
Not
all projects are available all weeks.
Some projects require special skills and requirements.
Assessing
the Value of a Science Publication
The
Institution publishes information about erupting
volcanoes in what is currently called the Bulletin
of the Global Volcanism Network. This is available
both in black-and-white as a paper copy, and as
a pdf file, and it forms a key part of our website
(www.volcano.si.edu/) where it is typically described
as an 'activity report.' We would like to find
ways to evaluate the impact of the Bulletin on
scientists and research. The process is complicated
by the fact that the name of the publication has
changed several times since it began in 1968.
Furthermore, the publication is 'gray literature'
that often gets cited in differing ways in various
publications. We are also uncertain whether investigators
are clearly citing the data obtained from our
website. Still, we'd like to explore how we might
establish a reasonable estimate of our "citation
index." Perhaps there are other indices that
come into play in cases like this, in which case,
we would like to learn more about the options
for evaluating this publication.
In
addition, various experiments and comparative
tests can be made using citation indexing techniques.
If time is available, the student may wish to
explore some of these (see http://scientific.thomson.com/free/essays/useofcitationdatabases/linking/).
Another related publication that we support, Weekly
Reports on active volcanoes might also be the
subject of a similar evaluation (that publication
is just a few years old and only web based).
The
results of these efforts will bear upon our planning,
direction, and strategy. How important is our
work in current research and for future assessments
and understanding of planet Earth?
Staff
Sponsor: Rick Wunderman
E-mail: rwunder@volcano.si.edu
Phone: 202-633-1827 or 633-1800
Databases for
the Insect Zoo
The
student would work closely with staff to create
several data bases that would result in more efficient
and effective management of the Insect Zoo's finances,
volunteer program, and animal husbandry program.
These data bases would be created in Microsoft
Access.
Requirements/Qualifications
The
student must have experience creating data bases
and a working knowledge of Microsoft Access.
Staff
Sponsor: Nathan Erwin
E-mail: erwinn@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-1090
Archiving Assessment
of Historical Paleobiology Illustrations
The
Department of Paleobiology's scientific illustrator
is in the process of archiving and conserving
the department's historical scientific illustrations.
She would be interested in having one (or two
students working together) look at this project
and it's challenges with fresh eyes and make recommendations
(including a short 1-2 page written document)
based on their studies. Students will assist with
hands-on work as time allows.
Requirements/qualifications:
--
Interest in museum work and training in one or
more of the following areas: archives, electronic
records management, digital access management,
web skills.
-- Ability to work quietly and independently (after
an orientation to the project and collection)
and a willingness to share knowledge.
Staff Sponsor: Mary Parrish
Email: parrishm@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-1346
Contributions
to the U.S. National Herbarium: two projects
Botany
Maps: The Department of Botany has a collection
of over 10,000 maps dating from the 1860s to the
present. Volunteer help has been organizing the
maps, photographing them and entering them into
a database. Depending on the student's skills
and interests, s/he would assist in identifying
obscure maps, photographing maps, editing the
photos, entering information about the maps into
the database and/or cleaning up the database code
and web interface. The database is written in
Microsoft Access and its primary user interface
is in ColdFusion / HTML / SQL.
Ethnobotany
Research: The Department of Botany is studying
the ethnobotany of the border regions of the United
States and Mexico, using historical specimens
in the United States National Herbarium. A preliminary
step is to ascertain all available published,
archival and online resources associated with
the collecting of ethnobotanist Edward Palmer,
the government funded Mexican Boundary Survey
(1852-1855) and International Boundary Commission
(1911). The Spring Break student would assist
the project researcher is assembling and organizing
these references and, if time permits, begin the
task of extracting specific botanical and ethnobotanical
data from these references.
No
specific experience or academic requirements required
for either project.
Staff
sponsor: Rusty Russell
E-mail: russellr@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0943
Human Studies
Film Archives, Museum Support Center
Project
Description: Student would work with HSFA staff
to design an accession register database based
on criteria developed by HSFA staff. Student will
enter at least one year's worth of accessions
as a test for the effectiveness of the database.
Requirements
/ Qualifications: Experience using Microsoft Excel
a must. Knowledge of database functions and design
a plus. Knowledge of Filemaker Pro a bonus!!
Staff
sponsor: Pam Wintle
E-mail: wintlep@si.edu
Phone: (301) 238-1324
Invertebrate
Zoology Catalog Ledgers Scanning
Project
Description: Scanning of the Department of Invertebrate
Zoology catalog ledgers for the Coelenterate,
Echinoderm, Proifera and Tunicate collections
to generate jpg's of each page and a PDF file
for each volume. The ledgers are the original
record for our cataloging activities prior to
1979 when the computerization of the collections
began. Many of the catalog lots recorded on these
pages have yet to be entered in the computer even
though they represent some of our oldest collections.
The ledgers have never been copied and are at
risk for loss or damage. The ledgers represent
a valuable source of information which can be
made available to a larger audience once they
are in electronic format. Seeking 2 student for
this project to work together.
Requirements/
Qualifications: Scanning would be done in at the
National Museum of Natural History in room W209A
using the large format Zeutschel book scanner
attached to a PC. The book scanner allows us to
scan the ledger from above so you just have to
flip a page rather than having to lift the book
off the scanner turn a page and replace the book
back on the scanner as is done with a flatbed
scanner. This saves wear and tear on the book
and makes it much easier for the person doing
the scanning. Once the job is set up for each
volume one can control the entire process with
foot pedals. The requirements for the job are
basic computer knowledge, such as how to open
a program, edit data in a few fields, and a basic
understanding of subdirectory/file structure on
a computer so they can find the files they save.
We provide fully illustrated instructions and
it should take less than an hour for the person
to learn how to use the computer program that
runs the scanner. The only other requirement or
qualification is a willingness to do a job that
is repetitive and may be rather boring.
Staff
Sponsor: Linda Ward
E-mail: wardl@si.edu
Phone: (202)633-1779
The World of
Copepods Card Scanning Project
Project
Description: Started in the late 1800's by Charles
B. Wilson, this library has the world's largest
collection of literature (46,000) dealing with
the crustacean group known as copepods. One of
the unique features of this library is the collection
of approximately 40,000 3x5 cards. Every known
genus and species of copepod, including synonyms,
has been assigned one or more cards. The card
or cards for each species or genus lists every
published record for the species, and includes
information such as where the specimens were collected
and by whom, as well as the literature source.
The cards are an invaluable research resource,
and historically are interesting because some
cards were prepared over 100 years ago. Many of
these older cards are brittle and worn, and so
are in need digitization in order to preserve
the information. We propose to scan this unique
collection of cards, and then make the scanned
images available on our website "The World
of Copepods" (www.nmnh.si.edu/iz/copepod/).
We require a volunteer to use our high speed scanner
which scans both sides of the card, creates and
then saves a .jpg file to a folder on the computer.
This file then should be renamed following a specific
protocol. If time permits, we also propose to
scan some of our older and more delicate publications
whose paper is showing signs of deterioration.
Staff
Sponsor Chad Walter
E-mail: walterc@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0677
Reading German
for the Tree of Life Project
Do
you read German? Are you interested in contributing
to the Tree of Life project? We are in great need
of someone who reads German well to assist with
the Tree of Life database. The Tree of Life Project
is a collaborative effort of biologists from around
the world. On more than 4000 World Wide Web pages,
the project provides information about the diversity
of organisms on Earth, their evolutionary history
(phylogeny), and characteristics. Come help us
out.
Staff
Sponsor: Allen Collins
E-mail: collinsa@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0645
Wield the Power
of RSS
The
RSS, the Really Simple Syndication XML format
is among the fastest growing internet technologies
to distribute, expose, and share online information.
It is also growing as one of the best ways to
promote museum websites and dynamically changing
and rich museum web content. The NMNH Web Branch
seeks to take advantage of the established RSS
technologies and utilize its power and trend in
support of the new NMNH Web Site which is about
to be launched in the Spring of 2006 as well as
for the promotion of existing websites, exhibits,
and other promotional venues. The technical focus
of this opportunity is to work with the NMNH IT
Web Branch and/or internal content providers and
web managers to develop and implement the required
RSS XML templates, usage standards, guidelines,
and documentation for multiple museum RSS feeds
through which to distribute and promote museum
information. If necessary, this opportunity would
require ample research (if not already known)
into RSS industry standards and best practices
from which the museum can take full advantage.
Since the NMNH web sphere is emerging deeper into
the Smithsonian's utilization of Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy,
our Web Content Management (WCM) system, this
internship opportunity also offers the advantage
of gaining valuable experience by working with
a powerful and industry standard, enterprise wide
WCM.
This
opportunities best suited for candidates with
basic or advanced levels of web development and
especially those with a good or aspiring understanding
of XML and RSS and those that are interested in
working within an industry standard WCM. Moreover,
good communication skills, dynamic initiative,
creativity, and thorough follow-up with solid
documentation skills would also be important to
find success with this opportunity.
Staff
Sponsor: Dennis Hasch
E-mail: haschd@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0848
Power to the
Podcasters!
Podcasting,
like RSS (Really Simple Syndication), is among
the fastest growing internet audio visual technologies
to syndicate and distribute online information.
Likewise, it is growing as one of the best ways
to promote museum events and dynamically changing
and rich audio and video museum content. NMNH
seeks to take advantage of established Podcast
technologies and inexpensive tools to utilize
its power and trend in support of the new NMNH
Web Site which is about to be launched in the
Spring of 2006 as well as for the promotion of
museum events, new exhibits, online websites,
and other museum promotional venues. The technical
focus of this opportunity is to work with the
NMNH IT Web Branch and/or internal content providers
and web managers to develop and implement an easy-to-use
Podcast toolbox, establish usage standards, audio
encoding guidelines, and documentation for multiple
and/or custom museum Podcast feeds through which
to distribute and promote museum audio or visual
information. If necessary, this opportunity would
require ample research (if not already known)
into Podcast standards and best practices from
which the museum can take full advantage. Since
the NMNH web sphere is emerging deeper into the
Smithsonian's utilization of Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy,
our Web Content Management (WCM) system, this
internship opportunity also offers the advantage
of gaining valuable experience by working with
a powerful and industry standard, enterprise wide
WCM.
This
opportunities best suited for candidates with
basic or advanced levels of audio and video web
development and especially those with a good or
aspiring understanding of Podcast technologies
and associated encoding and RSS formats, and those
that are interested in working within an industry
standard WCM. Moreover, good communication skills,
dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough follow-up
with solid documentation skills would also be
important to find success with this opportunity.
Staff
Sponsor: Dennis Hasch
E-mail: haschd@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0848
Fantastic Flash
Development and Educational Flash Interactives
Flash
has been called the industry standard for creating
high-impact interactive web presentations, and
this description fits well for many museum virtual
efforts, online exhibits, and educational and
informative interactives. As with other museums
and public educational institutions, the use of
Flash at NMNH has paralleled the industry trends.
This Flash based internship opportunity offers
2 optional directions:
a)
The firsts is to work with the NMNH IT Web Branch
or NMNH Content Providers and implement a small
collection of Flash based applications that use
the "scribble" coloring book Flash interactive
application technology, which basically allows
web users to color or draw on a selection of images.
The Smithsonian has complete usage rights to these
tools and various implementations are already
in use at a few other Smithsonian museums. Specifically,
the intern(s) would assist in choosing and editing
optimal natural history related images (dinosaurs,
gems, animals, plants, etc.), work with Flash
and code configurations, upload, test, and document
the steps and procedures. An example of the "Scribble"
Flash application can be seen in use at the Smithsonian's
Postal Museum: http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/activity/coloraway/index.html.
b)
The second opportunity is to develop a less specific
Flash based interactive that would allow the intern
to come up with and implement his or her own idea
for an educational or edutainment oriented Flash
interactive that makes innovative use of our rich
online educational and collections content.
These
opportunities are best suited for candidates with
basic or advanced levels of Flash experience,
but aspiring Flash developers are also welcome.
Moreover, good communication skills, dynamic initiative,
creativity, and thorough follow-up with reasonable
documentation would also be important to find
success with these opportunities.
Staff
Sponsor: Dennis Hasch
E-mail: haschd@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0848
Internal Navigation
and Emerging Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) Development
NMNH
is among the largest and most complex museums
in the world. As the Web Branch moves forward
to support the web and online needs of our web
visitors and professional associates, we also
must provide an efficient internal (intranet)
web presence to meet the growing needs of internal
communication and information sharing. Traditionally,
the museum intranet space as been a disparate
collection of various office and departmental
spaces without a necessary logical structure that
supports the internal museum structure. Efforts
to consolidate our intranet resources into the
Smithsonian's enterprise wide web content management
system (WCM) are already underway. The Smithsonian
uses Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy among the
most powerful and industry standard WCM systems.
The focus of this opportunity is to work with
the NMNH IT Web Branch and internal content providers
to build and implement a more solid navigational
foundation and structure for museum internal resources
within the Intranet WCM and assist in the migration
of disparate intranet content sources into the
new proposed structure and system. Because new
NMNH Intranet efforts are moving to CSS functionality,
it will also be important to implement a dynamic
and changeable format for the navigation that
takes advantage of style sheet functionality,
from which the NMNH Web Branch has already started
to build and manage.
This
opportunities best suited for candidates with
basic or advanced levels of web development and
especially those with a good understanding of
CSS and those that are interested in working within
an industry standard WCM. Moreover, good communication
skills, dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough
follow-up with reasonable documentation would
also be important to find success with these opportunities.
Staff
Sponsor: Dennis Hasch
E-mail: haschd@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0848
Imaging 100 years
of Collection Acquisitions
Project
Description: NMNH's Office of the Registrar is
seeking a bright, self-motivated individual with
strong Microsoft Access skills to conduct a pilot
study on imaging and databasing its card files.
These ca. 1.1 million cards serve as the sole
index to primary documentation of more than 100
years of collections acquisitions, disposals,
and loans, in addition to associated correspondence.
The index is critical for access to the documents,
and the pilot project will be the first step towards
development of an electronic search capability
and a backup system. Successful completion of
the pilot project will position the NMNH to consider
options for full implementation of this imaging
and databasing project that might include work
by future interns and contractors.
Requirements
/ Qualifications: Persons involved with this project
must have strong Access skills, document management
skills, experience using document scanners, ability
to analyze workflow and make recommendations,
ability to enter data using a PC, and willingness
to follow office procedures regarding the handling
and organization of critical office documents.
Archival experience is a plus, as is knowledge
of old geographic names. Project will be performed
in various office settings.
Staff sponsor name: Carol R Butler
E-mail: butlercr@si.edu
Phone: 202 633 0836
History of the
Smithsonian's Bureau of American Ethnology Library
Project
Description: Investigate the history of the Smithsonian's
Bureau of American Ethnology (BAE) Library. The
BAE's focus was the indigenous peoples of the
Americas and its library held one of the best
such collections in the world. This project includes
archival research, photo scanning; and review
administrative and other archival records of the
BAE for information about its famous library.
Staff
Sponsor: Maggie Dittemore
E-mail: dittemorem@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-1638
Scholarly Publications
Exchange
The
Smithsonian Libraries and the Smithsonian Institution
Scholarly Press have recently joined forces to
publish and distribute scholarly research. Help
is needed for the Anthropology literature exchange
in preparing an updated "exchange list"
from an older, often outdated one. This involves
reviewing the older list, consulting with museum
researchers about appropriate exchange partners,
obtaining/confirming institutional addresses,
etc.
Requirements/Qualifications:
Interest in academic libraries, travel or knowledge
of institutions in some states or abroad, concern
with detail, etc. is helpful.
Staff
Sponsor: Maggie Dittemore
E-mail: dittemorem@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-1638
Digital Asset
Management
Project
Description: The student will gain experience
with the Smithsonian's Research Collection Information
System (RCIS, KE EMu), and pilot Digital Asset
Management system (Artesia TEAMs). The project
will include working with 1-2 existing file management
systems, documenting the system structure and
developing a field mapping between these systems,
the RCIS and the DAM.
Requirements / Qualifications: Students with programming
experience and specializing in electronic records
management are encouraged to participate.
Staff Sponsor: Rebecca Synder
E-mail: snyderr@si.edu
Phone: 202.633.2293
Gather Metadata
Elements
Project
Description: In working on this project the student
will gain experience with the Smithsonian's pilot
Digital Asset Management system, Artesia TEAMs.
Work will include gathering key metadata elements
for selected assets, incorporating these into
the DAM data model and uploading images and other
multi-media into the system.
Requirements / Qualifications: Students specializing
in electronic records management are encouraged
to participate.
Staff Sponsor: Rebecca Synder
E-mail: snyderr@si.edu
Phone: 202.633.2293
Museum Specimen Web Development
Project
Description: The student will gain experience
with the Smithsonian’s new Research and Collections
Information System (KE EMu), and asssist with
testing of intranet and internet query and display
functions for collections data from several departments,
particularly in the life sciences. Project includes
testing of data field mapping and proper data
output from simple and complex searches, in line
with specifications from each department.
Requirements
/ Qualifications (list anything you require/prefer
such as background courses, etc.): Students with
a background in biodiversity or other nautural
history subjects, and with some experience in
web development are encouraged to participate.
Staff
sponsor: Tom Hollowell
E-mail: hollowellt@si.edu
Phone: 202-633-0849
Archiving Crustacean Images
Project
Description: The intern will: scan crustacean
line drawings and photographs, along with some
photographic negatives and text plates, for archival
and permanent storage purposes; digital images
edited using Adobe Photoshop photo-editing program;
Images saved as TIFF files at high resolution
(mostly 600 DPI); TIFF files arranged in an organized
fashion in designated subdirectory on computer;
completed digital files burned onto CD for permanent
storage; CD's
properly labeled and organized
Requirements/Qualifications:
Computer skills: file management and organization;
burning files to CD. Basics of image scanning
(helpful, but not totally necessary). Experience
with Adobe Photoshop or any other photo-editing
program. Independent
worker
Staff
Sponsor: Rafael Lemaitre
E-Mail:
lemaitrr@si.edu
Phone:
202-633-0667
Coordinate the
Week: suggest and arrange tours, prepare a web
page
Project
Description: Located on the National Mall in Washington,
D.C. between the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument,
Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
(NMNH) inspires curiosity, discovery, and learning
about the natural world through its pre-eminent
research, collections, exhibitions, and education.
Established in 1910, today the Museum supports
an academic community of over 1,500 and is the
largest Smithsonian museum and research unit,
as well as the most visited natural history museum
in the world, welcoming over six million visitors
each year. The Museum is increasingly focused
on strengthening the visibility, value, and impact
of its science by integrating research, collections,
exhibitions and education, providing leadership
for the wider community of natural history museums.
At the center of NMNH research are the Museum's
expertly documented collections: more than 126
million natural science specimens and cultural
artifacts, the largest of its kind. Through the
Alternative Spring Break Program we will offer
students placement throughout our diverse complex,
providing a project that contributes to our mission
as well as delivers a quality learning opportunity
for the student. But, we can't invite you into
our Museum community without also providing an
opportunity for you to see some of our unique
resources kept behind public view.
We
are seeking a student to help us coordinate the
week by working with us to decide on key collections,
locations, and laboratories to visit as well as
help organize the tours. In addition to helping
us select and schedule enrichment events, the
student will also prepare a web page of the week's
activities including individual pages for each
student joining us this year through this program.
Staff
Sponsor: Mary Sangrey
E-mail: sangreym@si.edu
Phone: (202) 633-4548
Logistics
Questions
How
do you apply for the Alternative Spring
Break Program?
Students
interested in participating in the ABS
should contact (e-mail) the person listed
as the ""Staff Sponsor"
for the project they are most interested
in working on. Include in your e-mail
the name of the project you're interested
in, the dates of your spring break, and
your academic background including any
experience relevant to the project selected.
How will students be selected?
Students
selected for participation will receive
a confirmation e-mail from the project
Staff Sponsor.
How many students will be selected?
Each
week of spring break no more than 12 students
will be selected for participation in
the program.
Where will students report on the first
day of the week? Do you have advice or
directions for how to get there?
Students
selected for participation will report
to the National Museum of Natural History
(10th Street and Constitution Avenue,
NW) Constitution Avenue Lobby. Have a
security officer call Mary Sangrey (633-4548)
who will meet them in the lobby.
What time should students arrive on the
first day? And what will be their regular
working hours?
Monday
at 9:00 a.m. is preferred arrival. Regular
work hours are 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
After selected and reporting for the first
day, whom should students ask for?
Mary
Sangrey, 633-4548
What sort of attire should students wear
throughout the week?
Work
dress is casual attire. Anything easy
to work in is best. (yes, jeans are fine).
