Internship
Project List
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.
There is no formal
application form
to complete.
Please
note, there is
no formal application
review or notification
schedule. Only
students selected
for placement
will be contacted.
NMNH
INTERNSHIP TOPICS AVAILABLE
PROJECT
TITLE:
Manuscript Collections
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The National Anthropological Archives (NAA) collects field
notes, journals, manuscripts, photographs, artwork, maps,
and sound recordings. This internship provides an introduction
to processing paper collections. The intern will create folder
lists, update existing guides, rehouse collections, and perform
other preservation tasks. The intern will learn basic archival
principles of how to handle, manage, and preserve archival
materials. The NAA is located at the Museum's Support Center
(MSC), 4220 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD. The MSC is a 10
minute walk from the Suitland Station on the Green Line, or
accessible via free shuttle from the National Mall.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Neat penmanship and attention to detail is a must. The intern
must also be able to lift 30 pounds, type at least 40 wpm,
and be proficient in MS Word and Excel. Background or interest
in archives is preferred.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Lorain Wang
|
Phone:
301-238-1329
|
E-mail:
wangl@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Ethnonym Standardization Project
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The National Anthropological Archives (NAA) collects field
notes, journals, manuscripts, photographs, artwork, maps,
and sound recordings. Our collections are described in SIRIS,
the Smithsonian's online catalog. The intern will help improve
our catalog records by assisting in a project to standardize
ethnonyms that the NAA uses. This work is essential in improving
access to our collections as many culture groups are known
by multiple ethnonyms or have ethnonyms with spelling variations.
The intern will conduct research on different cultures and
update our ethnonym database.The NAA is located at the Museum's
Support Center (MSC), 4220 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD.
The MSC is a 10 minute walk from the Suitland Station on the
Green Line, or accessible via free shuttle from the National
Mall.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Strong research skills and attention to detail. Background
in anthropology preferred.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Lorain Wang
|
Phone:
301-238-1329
|
E-mail:
wangl@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Richard Kenneth Saker Collection
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Gain hands-on experience processing and digitizing the Saker
Collection; an archival collection of film and photographs
of Tibet in the early 1940s. The intern will conduct research
on collection content and context, arranging and describing
collection materials, and digitizing photographic materials
for access. In doing so, the intern will become familiar with
archival arrangement, description, and preservation of film
and photograph collections as well as gaining experience in
the technical aspects of digital image creation (flatbed scanning)
while learning about imaging standards and digital asset management.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduate students (or recent graduates) with strong research
skills who are interested in learning about the archival care
and management of mixed media collections. Undergraduates
with background in Tibetan studies may also be considered.
TIMETABLE:
Spring
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Daisy Njoku
|
Phone:
301-238-1315
|
E-mail:
njokud@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Photo
Archives
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The National Anthropological Archives collects and preserves
historical and contemporary anthropological materials that
document the world's cultures and the history of anthropology.
It's collections represent the four fields of anthropology
- ethnology, linguistics, archaeology, and physical anthropology
- and include manuscripts, field notes, correspondence, photographs,
maps, sound recordings, film and video created by Smithsonian
anthropologists and other preeminent scholars. The internship/directed
fieldwork will provide students with hands-on experience processing
archival collections of photographs, carrying out research
on collection content and context, arranging and describing
collection materials, and implementing preservation strategies.
The intern may also assist in a variety of collection management
projects. Short readings on archival subjects may be assigned.
The intern will become familiar with photographic types and
processes, archival arrangement, description, and preservation
of photograph collections, and issues in collection management.
The intern will gain insight into the application of archival
principles and practices as they pertain to photograph collections.
The National Anthropological
Archives is located at the Museum's Support Center (MSC),
4220 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD. The MSC is a 10 minute
walk from the Suitland Station on the Green Line, or accessible
via free shuttle from the National Mall.
QUALIFICATIONS:Graduate
students (or recent graduates) in archives programs who are
interested in learning about the archival care and management
of photograph archives.
TIMETABLE:
To be arranged.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Gina Rappaport
|
Phone:
301-238-1322
|
E-mail:
rappaportg@si.edu |
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There
are currently no projects available in this
topic area.
Business
Ventures
PROJECT
TITLE:
Guest Services/Business Venture
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will shadow the Director of Guests Services at
daily meetings as well as business venture-related meetings
where he/she will learn different aspects of the business
components of the Natural History Museum; i.e., shops, restaurants,
stores and theater, and gain knowledge of product development
and revenue-sharing. The intern will also assist with conducting
customer experience surveys, completing attendance and sales
sheets, and answering Visitor Comment forms.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Fall, 2009
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Donna Attaway-Dancy
|
Phone:
202-633-2662
|
E-mail:
Attawayd@si.edu |
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Collections
Management
anthropological
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
Collections Management
biological
PROJECT
TITLE:
The Frozen Zoo and Plants too: the new
NMNH Bio-Repository
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
As Museum's move into the age of DNA our collections are
changing; frozen tissue samples are now among the suite
of preserved specimens. The National Museum of Natural History
is among the leaders and our frozen tissue collection is
expanding beyond current capacity. A new Bio-Repository
is currently under construction. Samples will begin moving
into this new NMNH facility in Spring/Summer 2010. Prior
to moving to the new facilities the frozen tissue collections
from Botany, Vertebrate Zoology, Entomology, Invertebrate
Zoology, Marine Mammals will be curated. Interns will learn
how to inventory and manage collections in a bio-repository;aid
in repackaging materials for storage in liquid nitrogen
freezers; and help in adding location information to a database.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Basic biology knowledge is desirable, but not required.
A working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is a plus.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Chris Huddleston
|
Phone:
301-238-1115
|
E-mail:
huddlestonc@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Processing a small mammal collection from
start to finish
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will assist the USGS staff in the Division of
Mammals with all aspects of processing an incoming collection
of small mammal specimens, with the exception of skeleton
cleaning. Responsibilities will include inventorying, accessioning,
cataloging, and assisting with data-capture of a collection
of 75 small mammals ranging in size from shrews to rabbits.
All electronic specimen data will then be proofed and specimens
labeled accordingly. Skins will be isolated and monitored
for pests while skeletal material is numbered with the assigned
catalog numbers. Tissue samples will be labeled with the
newly assigned catalog numbers and installed into an ultracold
freezer for long-term storage. Finally, specimens will be
inspected for any sign of pests, sorted, and installed into
the main mammal collections within the National Museum of
Natural History, both here in downtown Washington and out
at the Museum Support Center (MSC) in Suitland, Maryland.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Preference will be given to applicants with a background
and/or interest in natural history collections management,
preferably mammals. Neat penmanship and the ability to write
clearly on small, delicate bones is a must. The intern will
need to be able to maintain specimens in the proper order,
handle fragile specimens very carefully, and be able to
work independently at times. The ability to climb ladders
and lift drawers overhead may be necessary. If interested
please submit a letter of interest and resume via email.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinate
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Suzanne Peurach
|
Phone:
202-633-1277
|
E-mail:
peurachs@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Insect Curation - ants, bees, and wasps
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The natural history collections of the NMNH form the basis
for all original research on the origin and diversity of
life on Earth. These collections are formed from natural
history specimens collected in the field, and these specimens
must be curated before they can be researched by Museum
scientists. Participants in this internship will learn the
art and science of scientific insect specimen curation within
the Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps), including specimen
preparation, specimen mounting, labeling, and finally, incorporation
of fully curated specimens into the US National Insect Collection.
Four significant projects are currently available for immediate
occupancy: 1) Cynipoidea of Ecuador, 2) Gallwasp parasitoid
curation and identification; 3) legacy specimen remediation;
4) labeling of backlog specimens for scientific use and
incorporation into the National Collection.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience with insects preferred, but not required.
Requires a minimum 2 month committment.
TIMETABLE:
Winter 2010.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Matt Buffington
|
Phone:
202-382-1784
|
E-mail:
matt.buffington@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Saving the Cynipid Wasp Collection
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Cynipid wasps (otherwise known as ‘gall wasps’)
are an incredibly diverse group of insects. Ranging in size
from 1mm to 8mm, these sting-less wasps create ‘galls’
on plants such as roses and oaks. The NMNH possesses one
of the world’s foremost collections of these wasps,
built over the past 150 years of taxonomic research. Unfortunately,
this national treasure is in crisis, a result of being neglected
for the past 50 years. Participants in this internship will
learn the skills needed to address an aging yet important
insect collection, ranging from disposing of dirty, broken
drawers and foam bottom trays, to re-labeling crumbling
identification tags and updating the current names used
for species.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience with insects preferred, but not required.
Requires a minimum 2 month committment.
TIMETABLE:
Winter 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Matt Buffington
|
Phone:
202-382-1784
|
E-mail:
matt.buffington@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Madagascar Insect Biodiversity Project
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, just
off the coast of Africa. This island boasts 5% of the world's
total plant and animal life. Our collaborative work on Madagascar
biodiversity, coordinated by the California Academy of Science,
is one of the largest insect inventory project ever undertaken.
Participants in this internship will learn the art and science
of scientific insect specimen curation within the Hymenoptera
(ants, bees and wasps), including specimen preparation,
specimen mounting, labeling, and finally, incorporation
of fully curated specimens into the US National Insect Collection
and California Academy of Science.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience with insects preferred, but not required.
Requires a minimum 2 month committment.
TIMETABLE:
Winter 2010.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Mike Gates
|
Phone:
202-382-8982
|
E-mail:
Michael.gates@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Wasps
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
For more than 30 years the Scanning Electron Microscopy
Lab (SEM Lab) has assisted researchers at the Museum to
explore and understand our world at the microscopic level.
The SEM Lab is a multi-user, biological imaging facility
available to all the researchers at NMNH. It supports the
research interests and conservation efforts of NMNH scientists
by providing state-of-the-art instrumentation, training
in its use, and assistance in preparing samples for study.
The results are first-rate science as well as stunning views
of the natural world that surrounds each of us. Qualified
individuals will be trained in the use of the SEM as well
as learn a basic understanding of wasp morphology, micro-dissection
and classification.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience with insects preferred, but not required.
Requires a minimum 3 month committment.
TIMETABLE:
Winter 2010.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Mike Gates
|
Phone:
202-382-8982
|
E-mail:
Michael.gates@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Fish Fintasies: Scanning Fish Illustrations
and Images
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Division of Fishes seeks an intern to help scan selected
illustrations from the Fish Illustration Collection. The
Fish Illustration Collection is located at the Museum Support
Center (MSC) in Suitland, Maryland (a free shuttle service
is provided from the Natural History Building) and contains
original art, photographs and other visual works depicting
various fish species found throughout the world. The collection
spans a time of more than 150 years and contains images
that document live fish characteristics, such as color and
other external anatomical features that may not be distinguished
in preserved specimens. Interns will reproduce original
works in digital format for a myriad of imaging products
including access to our images using our specimen database.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Interns should have an attention to detail, an interest
in biological science, and ability to handle fragile museum
objects. Additionally, interns should be able to scan images
into digital format (tiff and jpg) using Adobe Photoshop,
and have a working knowledge of database software, e.g.
Microsoft Access.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Lisa Palmer
|
Phone:
301-238-1734
|
E-mail:
palmerl@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Reformatting Fish Radiographs: Digitizing
Radiographic Negatives
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Fish Division seeks interns to scan radiographs from
the Fish Radiograph Collection. The collection is located
at the Museum Support Center (MSC) in Suitland, Maryland
(free shuttle service is provided from the Natural History
Building) and contains 25,000 radiograph plates imaged from
our fluid-preserved specimen collection. The radiograph
collection dates from 1950's and has images from thousands
of fish species ranging from the primitive & slimy hagfish
to complex but endearing puffers. Interns are needed to
reproduce the plates in digital format, create a spreadsheet
to record metadata, and if time allows, insert the images
into the multimedia module of KeEmu.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Interns should have an attention to detail, interest in
biological science, ability to scan images into digital
format using Adobe Photoshop and working knowledge of Microsoft
Excel.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Lisa Palmer
|
Phone:
301-238-1734
|
E-mail:
palmerl@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Digital Imaging of Ants for Online Identification
Guide
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Staff of USDA's Systematic Entomology Lab, housed in the
Natural History Building, routinely receive insect specimens
for identification from ports of entry into the United States.
This service is a critical component in preventing accidental
introductions of invasive pests into the US. The majority
of the specimens identified by the USDA’s Hymenoptera
Unit consist ants. As a result, Research Entomologists in
the Hymenoptera Unit have begun work on a fully illustrated,
multiple entry online key (using LucID v. 3.4 software)
to help speed up the identification process. The intern
will prepare ant specimens for imaging with one of two high
performance digital imaging stations to produce images for
the key. In some instances post-imaging manipulation with
Photoshop may be required. Training will be provided in
the use of the imaging equipment.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Interest in photography/digital imaging, image processing,
and microscopy strongly encouraged. Experience with the
Adobe Creative Suite of image enhancement software a plus.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Matt Buffington
|
Phone:
202-382-1784
|
E-mail:
matt.buffington@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Fabulous Fish: Illustrations and Images
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The National Museum of Natural History is seeking interns
and volunteers to work with the Fish Illustration Collection.
The Fish Illustration Collection is located at the Museum
Support Center (MSC) in Suitland, Maryland and contains original
art, photographs and other visual works depicting various
fish species found throughout the world. The collection spans
a time of more than 150 years and contains images that document
live fish characteristics, such as color and other external
anatomical features that may not be distinguished in preserved
specimens. Interns and volunteers are needed to: rehouse the
illustrations following preservation procedures; perform a
detailed cataloging and inventory of the collection using
a database; and reproduce original works in digital format
for a myriad of imaging products.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Interest either in biological science, art history, paper
conservation, or digital imaging. Experience is helpful but
not necessary.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Lisa Palmer
|
Phone:
301-238-1734
|
E-mail:
palmerl@.si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Biosystematic Database of World Diptera
(BDWD).
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Flies, mosquitoes, gnats, etc., members of the insect order
Diptera, represent 10% of the known diversity of life, some
150,000 species, and are of critical importance to us as they
are disease vectors, pollinators, model organisms for research,
biological control agents, and plant pests. Their classification
and names are essential for information management. Be a part
of the team building a modern online index to these flies.
Become acquainted with all aspects of our BDWD and then finalize
a twig on our tree of knowledge for flies. Some work may be
boring, such as data entry or filing of papers, but local
field work to collect and document flies will add variety.
See us on the web at http://www.diptera.org/
and under Names.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
F. Christian Thompson
|
Phone:
202-382-1800
|
E-mail:
thompsonf@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Scanning worms onto the internet!
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will scan literature dealing with taxonomy and
biology of worms in the phylum Nemertea. The NEMERTES web
site is intended to serve as a relatively comprehensive knowledge-base
for specialists, other professionals, and students interested
in an important but understudied phylum of marine worms. Much
of the most important literature is old and difficult to access.
We are providing access to that by scanning and posting it
as PDFs. Nemertean worms are predators and occupy all marine
habitats, as well as some terrestrial and freshwater habitats.
Despite their ecological significance and potential importance
in understanding animal evolution, this particular phylum
of worms tends to be ignored because they are very difficult
to work with and to identify, and getting access to existing
information is exceedingly difficult. Consequently, there
are few specialists and becoming one is very difficult. The
Nemertes web site is intended to make information more widely
and more easily available, so that beginning specialists can
train themselves effectively and specialists as well as non-specialists
can work more efficiently with these worms. The site is built
around a comprehensive literature database indexed and linked
to a taxonomy database, which in turn is linked to image,
glossary, and geographic locality databases. There already
are several hundred PDFs associated with this literature.
These PDFs have become the most appreciated part of the site.
This is an opportunity for someone to make a significant contribution
to advancing access to our knowledge about the world¹s
biological diversity.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience with scanning, Windows and Mac OS would be advantageous
but not necessary.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
|
Name:
Jon
Norenburg
|
Phone:
202-633-1783
|
E-mail:
norenburgj@si.edu
|
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Preparing a List of Plant Species
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) calls for
a preliminary assessment list of the conservation status of
all known plant species. The student will use specimen data
from the U.S. National Herbarium to investigate and analyze
preliminary conservation assessments on select plant families.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Gary Krupnick
|
Phone:
202-633-0940
|
E-mail:
krupnickg@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Biographical History of Crustacean Research
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will: convert a collection of ~ 400 portraits,
biographies, and associated references archived in our "Gallery
of Carcinologists" to electronic format for subsequent
web posting on the IZ website; scan portraits, photographs,
negatives and biographical text using flat-bed, auto-feed
and/or book scanner for archival and permanent storage purposes;
edit digital images using Adobe Photoshop photo-editing program;
save images as TIFF files at high resolution (mostly 600 DPI);
save text files as PDF files; arrange all files in an organized
fashion in designated subdirectory on computer; files backed
up daily; burn completed digital files onto CD/DVD for permanent
storage; label and organize CD/DVD properly; cross-check
portraits scanned with database listing and file folders;
update database.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Computer skills: file management and organization; burning
files to CD/DVD; basics of image scanning; experience using
scanning equipment; experience with Adobe Photoshop or any
other photo-editing program; experience with MS Excel and/or
MS Access files; independent
worker.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rafael Lemaitre
|
Phone:
202-633-0667
|
E-mail:
lemaitrr@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Botany of the United States Exploring
Expedition: 1838-1842
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Interns will work in the US National Herbarium on a longstanding
project to document the botanical collections of the US Exploring
Expedition. Individuals may conduct research online, and in
libraries and archives to resolve gaps in the specimen data.
Interns may also catalog specimens that have already been
located, using information from journals and correspondence
to enhance data records. Additional work may include physically
conserving these 170-year old specimens, transcribing historical
documents, and mapping the itinerary.
Sure we've all heard about the journeys of Captain Cook and
Lewis & Clark but have you ever heard about the US Exploring
Expedition? Between 1838-1842, Charles Wilkes commanded 6
vessels, 346 men, and 9 "scientifics" in an around-the-world
voyage of exploration and discovery. Along the way, they collected
tens of thousands of plant specimens in places such as South
America, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, Fiji, Samoa, Australia
and the Philippines … and they discovered Antarctica!
The Smithsonian Institution's natural history collections
claim their roots in the wealth of specimens brought back
by these intrepid explorers. And yet a comprehensive narrative
of the Botany of the US Exploring Expedition has not yet been
done. This project focuses on the botanical story of the expedition
from its historical and scientific perspectives. The project's
goals include enumerating the entire collection, conserving
each specimen, and producing a web presentation that integrates
specimens and historical documents, such as publications,
correspondence, manuscripts, field notes, and journal entries,
into a precise resource on the Botany of the US Exploring
Expedition.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Must have a strong interest in working directly with museum
collections, especially with regard to botanical specimens.
Must possess strong research skills. Must be able to work
independently and demonstrate a commitment to achieving project
goals. Must be detail oriented and highly motivated. Careful
handling MUST be applied in working with fragile, historical
specimens. Knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access
required. Knowledge of geographical information systems (GIS)
a plus. A minimum of 24 hours per week is required. Individuals
best suited to the project are team oriented and good communicators.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rusty Russell
|
Phone:
202-633-0943
|
E-mail:
russellr@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Plant Species Image Collection
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The plant
Image Collection (PIC) numbers over 32,000 color images
of named plants. This library of photographic images is intended
for public as well as professional use. In order to make searching
easier for non-scientists, common names and other terms need
to be added to the database. One intern is needed to research
common names of plant species in a variety of online sources
and update the database with these terms. Additional help
with creating digital images and organizing the image resources
may also be needed..
QUALIFICATIONS:
Good research skills, careful and accurate
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rusty Russell
|
Phone:
202-633-0943
|
E-mail:
russellr@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Herbarium Curation - Filing Plant Specimens
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
In this project interns will file mounted plant specimens
into the U.S. National Herbarium collections. Precise organization
is critical to the effective management of almost five million
plant specimens that have collected around the world for more
than 200 years. Herbarium specimens are generally mounted
on 11x17 sheets of archival paper and filed according to a
specific classification.
QUALIFICATIONS:
The intern must be able to handle delicate specimens carefully,
should have an appreciation of filing specimens properly,
and should be interested in plant classification. The intern's
knowledge of geography will improve by using references.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Debbie Bell
|
Phone:
202-633-0924
|
E-mail:
belld@si.edu |
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PROJECT TITLE:
Floristic Changes in the Santa Rosa/San
Jacinto National Monument
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Department of
Botany has a cooperative project between the U.S. National
Herbarium, the Riverside Municipal Museum, and the U.S. Forest
Service to document and map changes in the flora of the Santa
Rosa/San Jacinto National Monument area in Riverside County
using thousands of historic specimen records and modern botanical
collections. Herbarium specimens from this locality have been
assembled and the data for each needs to be collected in electronic
form. Some digital images will be created. Most importantly,
the general locality information needs to be translated in
georeference points in order for it to be interpretable by
GIS. Information obtained from this project will contribute
to improved public education and land management priorities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience with MS Excel, and understanding of how to locate
and interpret geographical coordinates.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rusty Russell
|
Phone:
202-633-0943
|
E-mail:
russellr@si.edu |
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PROJECT TITLE:
Botany/Herbarium Curation Projects
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Assist with a variety of collections management tasks relating
to botanical specimens, including (but not limited to) sorting
National Cancer Institute herbarium specimen vouchers, filing
newly mounted or return loan specimens, mounting cryptograms
or phanerogam specimens, processing outgoing exchange, etc.
Some of the work will be at the Museum Support Center (MSC)
located in Suitland, Maryland and some will be at the Herbarium
located on the National Mall. The number/variety of tasks
will depend on whether the student is interested in interning
full or part time and the number of weeks available. Tasks
are suitable for part or full time person and for long or
short amounts of time.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Linda Hollenberg
|
Phone:
202-633-0937
|
E-mail:
hollenl@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Arizona Flora Pilot Project
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
A collaboration between the University of Arizona, the National
Park Service and the National Museum of Natural History
is directed at completing a specimen level catalog of plant
specimens, collected in Arizona, that are housed in the
U.S. National Herbarium. Using published references interns
will locate specimens in the herbarium, create a digital
data record, and possibly enhance the record with data obtained
from secondary sources. In some instances interns must reconcile
the scientific name of the specimen with modern treatments
and perform minor curation of the collection. Some specimens
will be compared to the original collecting journals and
other online databases to ensure accuracy. Two interns needed.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be proficient in MS Access. Should also be able to
locate and interpret geographical coordinate data.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rusty Russell
|
Phone:
202-633-0943
|
E-mail:
russellr@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Documenting Historical Expeditions
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Many important historical journeys, expeditions and voyages
produced botanical collections that were deposited in the
U.S. National Herbarium of the National Museum of Natural
History. In order to highlight these important events, one
page websites are being produced that tell the story of
the Plant collecting activities. Interns will conduct research
into various expeditions and acquire information, images
and map data. Specimens that tie into the story will be
located within the herbarium. Then interns will produce
a carefully constructed one page presentation of this information.
Two interns are required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Excellent writing skills and good research capabilities
are important.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Rusty Russell
|
Phone:
202-633-0943
|
E-mail:
russellr@si.edu |
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Collections
Management
geological
PROJECT
TITLE:
Meteorite Impact Crater Lectures
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will assist in the production of a series of
technical and popular lectures by Dr. Bevan M. French on
meteorite impact and the geology of terrestrial meteorite
impact craters. The lectures (approximately 6) are intended
for both scientific and general audiences both inside and
outside the Smithsonian. The intern will focus on converting
approximately 450 Kodachrome slides to digital files, as
well as construct appropriate directories, archive the master
digital files, produce duplicate Powerpoint files, and assist
with their arrangement into Powerpoint presentations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Competence and familiarity with digital scanning methods,
for converting 35-mm (2" x 2" mounts) Kodachrome
slides into digital files and with the archiving, modification,
and assembly of such files into packages to support Powerpoint
presentations. An interest in astronomy, planetary geology,
or meteorite impact events would be helpful but is not necessary.
The education plan for the intern in this internship includes
tutorials about the scientific and popular aspects of terrestrial
meteorite events, the geology of their resulting craters,
and the detailed material being included in the lectures.
TIMETABLE:
The project will require about 80-160 hours, but the internship
can be either 2-4 weeks full time (40 hrs/wk), or part-time
over a longer period. Schedule and timing are flexible.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Bevan M. French
|
Phone:
202-633-1326
|
E-mail:
frenchb@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Fossil Plant-Insect Associational Studies
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The duties of this project are variable and can include
any or all of the following tasks. First, is the core task
of entering of fossil insect data from the primary literature
into a relational EndNote database using targeted key words.
The purpose of this task eventually is to provide raw data
for an analysis of insect diversity during the past 420
million years. Second, is the digital photography of fossil
insect herbivore damage to plants, particularly insect-damaged
leaves, for preparation of plates and figures to accompany
manuscripts. Third, is the searching for plant and insect
specimens in Paleobiology's Third Floor and elsewhere, such
as the Botany herbarium, for photography and study. Fourth,
is the search for journal articles and books in the Smithsonian
libraries necessary for completion of various projects on
the fossil history of plant-insect associations, and in
particular to add to the EndNote data-base described above.
Last, are seasonal or unanticipated tasks, such as processing
of summer field specimens from shipped crates into the Department's
paleobotany and paleoentomology collections.
QUALIFICATIONS:
First-year knowledge of basic biology and geology is important.
In addition, familiarity with modern (or possibly fossil)
insects and plants is welcomed. Elementary knowledge or
experience in data-entry for the EndNote database and ExCel
spreadsheet is preferable, but can be learned from an introductory
tutorial.
TIMETABLE:
A minimal commitment of one full day per week for at least
one year is highly desirable. Hours are flexible, at the
discretion of the student and supervisor, but need to be
linked to a particular day or blocks of hours within each
week.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Conrad Labandeira
|
Phone:
202-633-1336
|
E-mail:
labandeirac@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Digital Imaging of the National Cleared
Leaf Collection - Paleobotany
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Smithsonian's Department of Paleobiology holds the largest
collection of cleared and stained leaves in the world - more
than 20,000 slides - that are mainly used as reference for
botanical fossils. The leaves have been chemically cleared,
then their veins have been stained red to make them easier
to study. We are currently taking digital images of the leaves
so that they can be made accessible over the web to scientists
anywhere in the world.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience with digital photography.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Scott Wing
|
Phone:
202-633-1361
|
E-mail:
wings@si.edu |
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Education
and Outreach
PROJECT
TITLE:
Naturalist Center Collections Management
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Smithsonian’s Naturalist Center in Leesburg, Virginia
is a natural history museum collection/reference facility
for the serious student or amateur naturalist, ages 10 and
above. At the Naturalist Center, you step into the world
of a scientist, where 36,000 natural history and anthropology
specimens are available for public study, five days a week,
Tuesday through Saturday. The Center is located in Leesburg,
Virginia. Our collections are in need of tender care, from
fossils to mammals bones. With thousands of hands getting
into these collections a year, specimens need to be inventoried,
organized, relabeled, dusted, and entered into a new database.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Collections management interest and understanding. Desire
to work with a high degree of accuracy and patience.
TIMETABLE:
Semester—or whatever amount of time experienced intern
had to offer.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Helene Lisy
|
Phone:
703-779-9712
|
E-mail:
lisyh@si.edu
|
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Naturalist Center Invertebrate Zoology
Collections Organization
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Smithsonian's Naturalist Center, in Leesburg, Virginia
has several thousand uncatalogued sea shells and hundreds
of wet specimens (stored in alcohol) from a wide range of
invertebrate phyla. Intern(s) will sort gastropods and pelecypods
into family groups and store these alphabetically by family
in storage area of Naturalist Center. Other invertebrate phyla
will be identified to genus or family level. These specimens
will then be added to Center collections or used in programming
for The Sant Ocean Hall.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Collections management and invertebrate zoology interest and
understanding. Desire to work with a high degree of accuracy
and patience. Interns need a car—or need to live in the
Leesburg area where there is limited public transportation.
TIMETABLE:
Semester—or whatever amount of time experienced intern
had to offer.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Helene Lisy
|
Phone:
703-779-9712
|
E-mail:
lisyh@si.edu
|
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Insect Zoo / Butterfly Pavilion Animal
Care
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will assist with the plant care and daily care
and maintenance of the many species of insects, spiders, crustaceans,
millipedes and centipedes on and off display in the Insect
Zoo and Butterfly pavilion. The intern will have the opportunity
to learn about the care of these creatures first-hand by imagining
and completing a project mutually agreed upon by the intern
and Museum staff. The intern will also interact with museum
visitors, maintain clean conditions in the exhibits and lab,
and work with staff to ensure safe handling and containment
of the insects in the Insect Zoo and the Butterfly Pavilion.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dan Babbitt
|
Phone:
202-633-1089
|
E-mail:
babbittd@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Insect Zoo Animal Care Database Design
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will work with Insect Zoo and Information Technology
staff to design and populate a database to record the daily
care and maintenance of the many species of insects, spiders,
crustaceans, millipedes and centipedes on and off display
in the Insect Zoo. This work is essential to caring for the
thousands of critters who call the Insect Zoo home. The intern
will have the opportunity to apply skills in database design
and management to contribute to an essential function of the
Museum.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience and skill in creating databases using standard
"off the shelf" database software packages (e.g.,
Access, FileMaker). Some background in animal care or the
biological sciences preferred, but not required.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dan Babbitt
|
Phone:
202-633-1089
|
E-mail:
babbittd@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Educators' Guide Development
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Using existing educators' guides from NMNH, other Smithsonian
Museums, and peer science and natural history museums, the
intern will work with the Education and Outreach Office to
develop and test an educators' guide model and template, focusing
on the Butterfly Pavilion as a test case. The Museum is currently
imagining new ways to provide meaningful resources to K-12
teachers. The intern will have the opportunity to learn about
current approaches to Educators' Guides, but also to think
creatively to expand the options available to teachers and
their students.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Coursework toward a degree in Education or Museum Studies,
with an interest in teaching or communicating the life sciences
desirable. Strong written and verbal communications skills,
an entrepreneurial approach, and creative ideas for museum
resources.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dan Babbitt
|
Phone:
202-633-1089
|
E-mail:
babbittd@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Forensic Anthropology Lab Educator
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will assist in the development and implementation
of classes for students in grades 4-12 and interact with drop-in
visitors to guide them through educational activities during
public hours in Forensic Anthropology Lab. The Forensic Anthropology
Lab is a hands-on educational facility where visitors work
to solve a realistic forensic case using real human bones
and the same tools and technology that forensic anthropologists
use.
Internship tasks include assisting with the set up, break
down and general maintenance of Lab activities for public
and school audiences; helping to revise and evaluate current
activities; creating new activities that can be used in the
Forensic Anthropology Lab; and conducting administrative tasks.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Coursework in Museum Studies, Museum Education, or Education
required; a background in Physical or Forensic Anthropology
preferred. Intern must have an eagerness to learn and the
ability, interest, and flexibility to work in a highly interactive
educational setting with visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Gale Robertson
|
Phone:
202-633-1085
|
E-mail:
robertsong@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Education Program Prospecting and Funding
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
intern will work with the Office of Education & Outreach
and the Office of Development to identify and research foundations
with a potential interest in supporting education programs,
such as the Volunteer Program. The intern will also draft
and modify program descriptions to appeal to different foundations.
This is an excellent opportunity to sharpen skills in positioning
educational programs to have maximum appeal for different
organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Excellent written communication and online research skills.
The ability think creatively about programs and draw connections
between museum programs and potential corporate and foundation
funders.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Bill Watson
|
Phone:
202-633-1127
|
E-mail:
watsonb@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Visitor Studies Research and Evaluation
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will contribute to the development of evaluation
studies to collect data about the ways Museum visitors use
programs and exhibits and about their impact, pilot test data
collection instruments, and collect and analyze data for evaluation
studies. This internship is an excellent entrée into
the world of visitor studies and evaluation in museums and
will provide opportunities to learn and participate in all
aspects of visitor studies, potentially including presentation
and publication.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Excellent oral and written communication skills. Excellent
research skills, including literature review, data collection,
and some data analysis. Master's or Doctoral level coursework
in Museum Studies, Museum Education, or Education strongly
preferred.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Bill Watson
|
Phone:
202-633-1127
|
E-mail:
watsonb@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Discovery Room Education Programs Internship
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Discovery Room Public/School Programs Internships immerses
the student in the Discovery Room's two main programs: open
hours and school programs. During open hours, visitors (mostly
families) explore the objects and activities in the room at
their own pace and guided by their own interests. Interns
guide the visitors through the activities. School Programs
are offered to students in K-8th grade. Occasionally there
are students or classes with special needs. Programs include
small group work which is where the intern will interact with
students. The intern will:assist the teaching of school programs
to include interacting with students in grades K-8; assist
with the set up, break down and general maintenance of the
school programs; interact with visitors during open hours
to guide them through educational activities; create an educational
product that can be used in the Discovery Room; conduct administrative
tasks such as correspondence or creating packets for educators;
participate in outreach opportunities that may arise to communicate
Discovery Room offerings to educators in the Washington, DC
area; assist with the creation and maintenance of a social-networking
product such as a fan page on Facebook. This internship is
based at the Discovery Room, a hands-on learning environment
for families and school groups. The public programs/school
programs internship work will be conducted in the Discovery
Room and in an office. The intern will have the opportunity
to consult with Museum educators, collections staff and scientists.
While the internship is not overly physical, it does require
being on ones feet for continuous periods of time and moving
some furniture.
QUALIFICATIONS:
This internship requires you are available at least one morning
Tues-Thurs. between 9:30-12:00 pm and during one open hours
session Tues-Thurs in the afternoon or Friday either morning
or afternoon. Seeking an undergraduate or graduate student
who has completed coursework or is currently enrolled in courses
in museum studies or museum education and has a background
in science. A successful intern will come to the program with
clear goals, an eagerness to learn, the flexibility to work
in a large institution, excellent organizational skills; good
communication skills; ability and interest in working with
the public in an education setting with families and students
in grades K-8th grade. Interns are supervised by the Manager
of the Discovery Room, but work in a team environment with
other staff, volunteers and interns.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Gale Robertson
|
Phone:
202-633-1085
|
E-mail:
robertsong@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Discovery Room Collections Internship
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
During this multi-year project, the Discovery Room's educational
collection is being assessed, catalogued (objects identified,
given numbers and put into an excel file) and organized in
a new collections area. The outstanding tasks for this project
include completing the identifying, cataloguing (assigning
numbers to objects or batches of objects) and organizing the
collection in a new storage space. This internship completes
the final phase of the project and includes collections maintenance
and learning how to use a collection in an educational setting.
The intern will: identify and catalogue objects; organize
an existing collection in a newly created storage space; maintain
the objects in the collection and the collection catalogue;iIntegrate
objects in the collection into an educational program, product
or setting. This
internship is based at the Discovery Room, a hands-on learning
environment for families with children and school groups.
The collection internship will be located in a collection
area (storage), office and in the Discovery Room. The intern
will have the opportunity to consult with Museum collections
staff, educators and scientists. The intern will also work
in the public space (Discovery Room) to learn how collections
are used for teaching and learning. While the internship is
not overly physical it does require lifting boxes and containers
of potentially heavy objects such as rocks and fossils and
climbing a stepladder.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Seeking an undergraduate or graduate student who has completed
coursework or currently enrolled in courses in museum studies
with background knowledge of biology, geology and/or anthropology.
A successful intern will come to the program with clear goals,
an eagerness to learn, the flexibility to work in a large
institution, excellent organizational and cataloging skills;
good communication skills and computer skills; ability and
interest in working with collections; be a self-starter and
work independently. Interns are supervised by the Manager
of the Discovery Room, but work in a team environment with
other staff, volunteers and interns.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Gale Robertson
|
Phone:
202-633-1085
|
E-mail:
robertsong@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Arctic Studies Center Annual Newsletter
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Since 1993, the Arctic Studies Center (ASC) has produced an
annual newsletter for donors, supporters and colleagues that
reviews the Center’s research initiatives, fieldwork,
exhibits and publications. The newsletter is currently distributed
to approx. 1500 subscribers, and is posted on the ASC
website. We are looking for a student with an interest
in circumpolar studies who can both assist in the production
of the 2008 newsletter (deadline: Feb. 2009) and more importantly,
lead an effort to produce a comprehensive index of all past
editions. This would be an ideal project for someone with
superior writing/editing skills and an interest in archives
development or scientific history.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Proven writing/editing skills and experience in desktop publishing
preferred.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
William Fitzhugh
|
Phone:
202-633-1887
|
E-mail:
fitzhugh@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Production of archaeological field reports
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Arctic Studies Center (ASC) is looking for interns with
a background in archaeology and experience working with desktop
publishing and graphic design software. If you have an interest
in either the cultural history of Mongolia or historic archaeology
in coastal Quebec, and would also like to refine your skills
in Adobe programs like PhotoShop, Illustartor and InDesign,
we would love to work with you on the production of our annual
field reports. We aim to produce technical field reports that
both adequately document our archaeological research, and
appeal to general readers interested in learning more about
the ASC’s initiatives in these diverse regions. Completed
reports are submitted to provincial authorities and are posted
on the ASC website: http://www.mnh.si.edu/arctic/html/pub_field.html
.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience working with Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator
or InDesign is preferred.
TIMETABLE:
Fall and Spring
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
William Fitzhugh
|
Phone:
202-633-1887
|
E-mail:
fitzhugh@si.edu |
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Exhibits
and Public
Programs
PROJECT
TITLE:
Butterfly Pavilion Photography Contest
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Intern will work closely with the Museums information technology
staff to plan, organize and format a photography contest for
the Museum's Butterfly Pavillion via a Flickr site, and assist
with establishing the official rules and methods of evaluating
the winner(s). The Natural History Museum hosts more than
200,000 visitors annually in the Butterfly Pavilion. The exhibit
provides an up-close and personal experience with butterflies
in a recreated lush rain forest and tropical environment.
Guest/visitors are amazed at the array of live butterflies
there for their enjoyment. Little girls dress up in butterfly
attire and numerous guest/visitors take photos using personal
cameras, cell phones or PDA.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Intern must be proficient in Microsoft Office 2007, Excel,
Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking media.
TIMETABLE:
Spring, 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Donna Attaway-Dancy
|
Phone:
202-633-2662
|
E-mail:
Attawayd@si.edu |
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Facilities
and Operations
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
Information
Technologies
PROJECT
TITLE:
NMNH Forces of Change Website
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Interns will work directly with the staff and collections
of the National Museum of Natural History to update and
refresh the content on the Forces of Change web site (http://forces.si.edu/).
Intern will review current site content for broken links
and outdated content. Intern will create a report detailing
the results of their survey and propose ways of refreshing
and updating the site content. Intern will create a list
of 30 "tweets" related to the site that can be
released through the Museum's twitter feed. Intern will
also help prepare features highlighting the environmental
science research and collections of the National Museum
of Natural History. New web features (short essays or blog-style
entries) should detail important environmental and conservation
research and expeditions conducted by the museum, the scientists
involved, and key objects from the collections (particularly
type or extinct species). Work will include picture research,
archival research, and preparing research reports.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Familiar with web and new media, background in science or
history. Should be detail oriented and highly motivated.
Careful handling of original source material is required.
Knowledge of website creation is a plus.
TIMETABLE:
Flexible; January through May 2010. Requires at least 3
week committment. This project is NOT available for one
week spring break program.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
|
Name:
Siobhan Starrs
|
Phone:
202-633-1143
|
E-mail:
starrss@si.edu |
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- - - - - -
PROJECT
TITLE:
NMNH Forces of Change Web Promotion
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Interns will work directly with the staff and collections
of the National Museum of Natural History to create a strategy
for the ongoing promotion and viral marketing of the Forces
of Change web site and associated content. Marketing strategy
would be employed from May 2010 through May 2011. Intern
will review current site content. Create a report that documents
the site strengths and weaknesses, and identifies the sections,
content areas, or components for ongoing marketing. The
Intern will research existing blogs, science media outlets,
and other online and print marketing avenues. Create a strategy
document to market the Forces site, drive up site traffic,
and increase site visibility. Potentially research new content
topics based on research findings. Work will include picture
research, archival research, and preparing research reports.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Familiar with web and new media, background in science or
history. Should be detail oriented and highly motivated.
Careful handling of original source material is required.
Knowledge of website creation is a plus.
TIMETABLE:
Flexible; January through May 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
|
Name:
Siobhan Starrs
|
Phone:
202-633-1143
|
E-mail:
starrss@si.edu |
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- - - - - -
PROJECT
TITLE:
NMNH Forces of Change Sixty-Second Science
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Interns will work directly with the staff and collections
of the National Museum of Natural History to create twelve
"sixty-second science" features for the Forces
of Change site. The features will include all or some of
the following components: a podcast interview with a Smithsonian
scientist, a blog-style interview with scientist, photographs,
and/or a blog/essay regarding a cutting edge science topic.
To create these components, interns will conduct on-line,
publications, and museum research to identify stories for
12 features. Interns will interview and meet with Smithsonian
scientists as they are conducting their research. Interns
will report out on their findings through regular research
reports. Interns will create interview questions and conduct
podcast and other interviews. Work will include research,
writing, and podcasting.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Familiar with web and new media, strong written and verbal
communication, science writing/communications background,
familiarity or comfort conducting interviews and with podcasting.
Should be detail oriented and highly motivated. Knowledge
of website creation is a plus..
TIMETABLE:
Flexible; January through May 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
|
Name:
Siobhan Starrs
|
Phone:
202-633-1143
|
E-mail:
starrss@si.edu |
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- - - - - -
PROJECT
TITLE:
NMNH 100th Anniversary Website project
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Interns will work directly with the staff and collections
of the Smithsonian Institution Archives to help prepare
features highlighting the history of the National Museum
of Natural History. In connection with the museum's centennial,
the archives is contributing short essays on important research
and expeditions conducted by the museum, historic figures
who worked at the museum, and key objects from the collections.
Work will include picture research, archival research, scanning/digitizing,
data entry, and other duties.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Background in history, as well as experience with scanning
and database programs. Should be detail oriented and highly
motivated. Careful handling of original source material
is required. Knowledge of website creation is a plus
TIMETABLE:
Flexible; January through April 2010
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Heather Ewing
|
Phone:
202-633-5910
|
E-mail:
SIHistory@si.edu |
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- - - - - -
PROJECT
TITLE:
Biodiversity Multimedia Internship
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL; http://www.eol.org) is seeking
student interns to assist with the development of multimedia
content and associated web tools. Recent life science graduates
and undergraduates with experience in the creation, management,
and online dissemination of biological images, videos, or
sounds are encouraged to apply. Depending
on skills and interests, intern projects can include:Finding
high quality biodiversity multimedia collections online
and recruiting new EOL multimedia contributors; Participating
in the administration of the EOL Flickr
group; Developing EOL multimedia interest groups on
other social networking sites; Participating in quality
control for EOL multimedia materials; Creating/adapting
scientific multimedia materials for educational use; Assisting
in the development of tools for collecting, annotating,
and disseminating EOL multimedia content; Providing technical
and logistical assistance to EOL multimedia contributors;
Writing and editing technical support materials (web pages,
slide presentations, screencasts, podcasts) for EOL multimedia
users and contributors; Participating in the development
of best practices for EOL multimedia management; Evaluating
the development of the EOL multimedia collection and its
use by different user communities. The
Encyclopedia of Life (EOL; http://www.eol.org) is a free,
online collaborative encyclopedia intended to document all
of the 1.8 million living species known to science. The
project is an unprecedented partnership between the scientific
community and the general public, with content compiled
from existing databases and from contributions by experts
and citizen scientists throughout the world. EOL aims to
build one "infinitely expandable" page for each
species, including text, images, videos, and sounds. The
Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History
hosts the EOL Secretariat and Species Pages Group. Interns
may work on site at the National Museum of Natural History,
or they may work remotely at their home institutions. In
either case, they will have regular contact with EOL staff,
scientific, and amateur contributors. EOL staff will provide
training in relevant multimedia technologies, practices,
and policies. Reliable internet access and the ability to
participate in remote video conferences is essential for
off site interns.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Undergraduate or graduate student or recent life science
graduates. Experience working with visual or sound media
is required. Candidates must have excellent communication
skills and must be reliable, self-motivated, and capable
of working independently.
TIMETABLE:
Internships can begin at any time throughout the year. Interns
should plan on working 8-20 hours per week, for a minimum
of 12 weeks.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Katja Schulz
|
Phone:
202-633-0105
|
E-mail:
schulzk@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Technical Writing Internship
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL; http://www.eol.org) is seeking
student interns to help with the writing of high priority
species pages for special EOL projects and program areas.
Recent life science graduates and undergraduates with excellent
literature research and writing skills are encouraged to
apply. Interns will be able to specialize in a given group
of organisms. Students interested in marine organisms, plants,
and arthropods are particularly encouraged to apply. Internship
activities include:" Managing multiple writing/research
assignments; Surveying available online resources for a
given species; Conducting literature research and communicating
with subject area specialists; Drafting, writing and editing
species pages; Using and testing the EOL data entry tools
Interns may work on site at the National Museum of Natural
History, or they may work remotely at their home institutions.
In either case, they will have regular contact with EOL
staff who will provide training in relevant technologies,
practices, and policies. Reliable internet access and the
ability to participate in remote video conferences is essential
for off site interns. The
Encyclopedia of Life (EOL; http://www.eol.org) is a free,
online collaborative encyclopedia intended to document all
of the 1.8 million living species known to science. The
project is an unprecedented partnership between the scientific
community and the general public, with content compiled
from existing databases and from contributions by experts
and citizen scientists throughout the world. EOL aims to
build one "infinitely expandable" page for each
species, including text, images, videos, and sounds. The
Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History
hosts the EOL Secretariat and Species Pages Group.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Undergraduate or graduate students or recent life science
graduates. Candidates must have excellent writing skills,
must be able to work independently and efficiently, and
must be willing to meet project deadlines.
TIMETABLE:
Internships can begin at any time throughout the year. Interns
should plan on working 8-20 hours per week, for a minimum
of 12 weeks.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Katja Schulz
|
Phone:
202-633-0105
|
E-mail:
schulzk@si.edu |
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- - - - - -
PROJECT
TITLE:
NMNH Goes Social!
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Intern(s) will work with a variety of NMNH offices to help
investigate, maintain, and add appropriate museum content
to our "spaces" on existing (or new) social media
websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Flickr.
This project may require some basic and independent research
into the best practices and standards of mainstream Web
2.0, as well as what other museums and cultural institutions
are doing within these media. This project work will take
place onsite at NMNH in Washington, DC using either a Mac
or a PC. The modern online tools and facilities that incorporate
Web 2.0 features are already gaining great traction with
educational organizations and institutions. While NMNH already
has some content online in from a few offices and programs,
we are not even scratching the surface of our potential
for joining the social networking and Web 2.0 communities.
Here is an opportunity to help the Museum in the early stages
of this new development.
QUALIFICATIONS:
well practiced use of the web, basic online resources, and
hosted web services; demonstrated knowledge of current trends
in web 2.0; good communication skills, attention to detail
and the ability to follow through on projects in a timely
manner, dynamic initiative, creativity, and documentation
skills; ability to work in a team environment as well as
independently as necessary. Candidate must be proactive
and productive with limited oversight and supervision.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dennis Hasch
|
Phone:
202-633-0848
|
E-mail:
haschd@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
INOTAXA Project
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
We seek the assistance of a student(s) interested in developing
parsing scripts to accommodate the variation in structure
and format of one subset of data in taxonomic literature
(e.g., names of organisms, their synonyms or lists of specimens
studied) and testing whether it is possible to 'teach' a
computer to recognize the structure and choose the correct
script for that format.
The
INOTAXA project will enable researchers, policy advisors,
educators, and the general public worldwide to better access
to published taxonomic data. INOTAXA (INtegrated Open TAXonomic
Access) is a model for global access to the data and information
necessary for understanding the world's biota. It will be
a web workspace in which taxonomic descriptions, identification
keys, catalogues, names, specimen data, images and other
resources can be accessed simultaneously according to user-defined
needs. It was conceived and identified as a priority by
a number of major museums and herbaria determined to demonstrate
the potential of combining information, literature and research
data held within their collections. This project will further
develop and expand the results of the pilot in a key research
and public policy arena. The future of taxonomy lies in
effective use of the internet. The taxonomic webspace we
are building in INOTAXA will include access to, and easy
upload of, digitized taxonomic descriptions and other information
currently literature-based, images, and specimen, nomenclatural
and geographical data. It will deliver information in user-defined
ways, reduce repeated entry of the same data, be user-friendly
and allow local caching and data analysis by appropriate
web tools. It will be based on a distributed data model,
using agreed community standards. INOTAXA will make data
available in ways that are usable and analyzable by taxonomists,
ecologists, conservationists, policy advisers, and students
of all ages. While the project is focusing first on an interface
for taxonomists (in order to improve and speed taxonomic
work to provide better data to others), the same data can
be used in interfaces that will be appropriate to the other
users of taxonomic data, including the Encyclopedia of Life
project. The project will use the tools and technology of
the "Semantic Web". The
Biodiversity Heritage Library currently coordinated
by Smithsonian Institution Libraries, will result in a massive
amount of biodiversity literature freely available in digital
form. Availability, does not mean that it will be easy for
those who need it to find it because keyword searches of
the entire text will be nearly the only way to access information.
While very useful, keyword searches have serious drawbacks,
including potential for provision of either too much or
too little information, vocabulary sensitivity, and difficulty
of collating data from many sources. Making the data optimally
usable by taxonomists and others will require a working
system using Semantic Web technology such as INOTAXA to
parse the data, make it fully searchable and interoperable
with other biodiversity data sets. The next major aim of
this project is to show that it is possible to build a 'library'
of parsing scripts (computer programs which will take existing
text and divide it into the logical pieces for searching
that have been identified during the INOTAXA project and
incorporated into taXMLit) which, when combined with Artificial
Intelligence, will allow a taxonomists to automatically
convert a taxonomic work to the taXMLit schema and incorporate
it into INOTAXA. To date, we have only a small part of that
'library', which we have used successfully to parse one
volume of the Biologia Centrali-Americana.
QUALIFICATIONS:
A strong background in computer programming (especially
Java, since existing scripts are written in Java) and the
use of artificial intelligence/machine learning is required.
Knowledge of fields of biology and biodiversity is preferred,
but not necessary.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Anna Weitzman
|
Phone:
202-633-0846
|
E-mail:
weitzman@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Contributions to the development of the
on-line Ocean GeoPortal Website
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Ocean GeoPortal comprises the online spatial educational
and research arm of NMNH's Ocean Initiative - a joint venture
with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). The Ocean GeoPortal will encompass the geo-referenced
portion of NMNH's 33 million marine specimens from eight
of the museum's divisions (Invertebrate Zoology, Fish, Mammals,
Amphibians and Reptiles, Minerals, Botany, and Paleobiology).
These large data sets may be combined for display and analysis
(based on fields of taxonomy, location, depth, collector,
ship, expedition, etc) with environmental data sets from
our partners at NOAA, in addition to any world-wide or site-specific
data sets from our collaborators (NASA, USGS, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institute, Scripps, Monterey Bay Research
Institute, National Geographic Society, New England Aquarium,
other Smithsonian research units and other academic institutions
with marine programs). We plan to provide extensive data
bases for outside scientists to harvest spatial data through
the GIS Portal Toolkit (GPTK) software. Through customization
of the GeoPortal, we also plan to provide educational materials
developed by collaborators, including static and interactive
maps for K-12 and the general public to access and learn,
as well as incorporating on-line lessons and virtual field
trips into customized versions of ArcIMS and GPTK, along
with links to the planned Google Ocean. Internship opportunities
with the Ocean GeoPortal include:
1.
Content Development Support - this will involve assisting
the scientific and educational implementation from existing
NMNH and related Smithsonian spatial databases, as well
as from spatial databases, FTP, and internet mapping web
sites for inclusion in the GeoPortal. This opportunities
is best suited for candidates that have some experience
or academic interest in conducting research and especially
web based research and metadata creation. Good communication
skills, dynamic self starting initiative, and the ability
and creativity to work independently as well as in a team
environment would also be important to find success with
this opportunity.
2. Content Creation / Web Writing - this will involve researching
and writing metadata summaries. It will also involve some
level of web research to find appropriate databases among
SI, partner, and collaborator resources that best support
or complement the offering. This opportunity is best suited
for candidates that have some experience or academic interest
in general, lay, and web writing on educational, science,
or related marine subjects. Good communication, dynamic
self starting initiative, creativity and the ability to
work independently as well as in a team oriented environment
would also be important to find success with this opportunity.
3. Technical Management Support and Content Migration -
this will involve more design oriented and technical participation
by working with and helping to coordinate the project core
team and development contractors to help in the creative
design, navigation, format, build and implementation processes.
It will also involve working with the GeoPortal web content
templates and associated software facilities to help migrate,
load, or serve existing and/or new GeoPortal content. Qualifications
include having demonstrated experience with internet mapping
web design and database development using industry standard
tools (ArcGIS, ArcSDE, ArcIMS), systems, and techniques.
Good technical skills, dynamic initiative, and the ability
and creativity to work independently would also be important
to find success with this opportunity.
QUALIFICATIONS:
At least a junior in college with experience and academic
or career interest in the above opportunities, familiarity
with geographic information systems, internet mapping, marine
biology and/or possesses a strong interest in museum studies,
web research and writing or the other above mentioned technologies
and web applications. Able to commit at least 10 hours per
week.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Daniel Cole
|
Phone:
202-633-0747
|
E-mail:
coled@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Power to the Podcasters!
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Intern(s) will develop and implement an
easy-to-use Podcast toolbox, establish
usage standards, audio encoding guidelines,
and documentation for museum Podcast feeds.
Podcasting is among the fastest growing
internet audio visual technologies to
syndicate and distribute online information
and is growing in popularity as one of
the best ways to promote museum events
on the NMNH Web Site. The intern will
also gain valuable experience by working
with a powerful and industry standard,
enterprise wide WCM.
QUALIFICATIONS:
basic or advanced skills in audio and
video web development; good or aspiring
understanding of Podcast technologies
and associated encoding and RSS formats;
good communication skills, dynamic initiative,
creativity, thorough follow-up, and good
documentation skills.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dennis Hasch
|
Phone:
202-633-0848
|
E-mail:
haschd@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Fantastic Flash Development
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Flash is considered the industry standard
for creating high-impact interactive web
presentations and is well suited for many
museum virtual efforts, online exhibits,
and educational and informative interactives.
This Flash-based internship opportunity
offers 2 options:
1)
Fantastic Flash Development – scribble:
The intern will implement a small collection
of Flash-based applications that use the
"scribble" coloring book Flash
interactive application technology, which
allows web users to color or draw on a
selection of images. Specifically, the
intern will 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.
2)
Fantastic Flash Development – interactive:
The intern will design and implement their
own idea for an educational or entertainment
oriented Flash interactive that makes
innovative use of our rich online educational
and collections content.
QUALIFICATIONS:
These opportunities are best suited for
candidates with basic or advanced levels
of Flash experience, but aspiring Flash
developers are also welcome.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dennis Hasch
|
Phone:
202-633-0848
|
E-mail:
haschd@si.edu |
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Laboratory
Techniques
PROJECT
TITLE:
Isolation and bar coding plant DNA
samples
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will work on isolating plant DNAs from various
forms of tissue samples, checking the amount and integrity
of the DNAs and amplifying and sequencing DNAs with specific
bar coding gene primers. An Excel spreadsheet matching
bar codes to voucher and other information would be produced.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience with automatic pipettors and/or gel electrophoresis
preferred.
TIMETABLE:
On-going, 10-40 hours per week.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Elizabeth (Liz) Zimmer
|
Phone:
301-238-1118
|
E-mail:
zimmerl@si.edu
|
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- - - - - -
Media
and Public Affairs
PROJECT
TITLE:
Animalium Bibliography Reconciliation
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
This turn-of-the century important index to species names
has been completely digitized and re-keyed. The multiple
bibliographies need to be fully reviewed to point to the
proper, full titles of the books and periodicals listed.
This entails reviewing Smithsonian's integrated library
catalog system (SIRIS run on Sirsi/Dynix software) and the
OCLC Worldcat database to find the bibliographic record
that matches these publications. The titles that are the
most relevant to taxonomic naming of species will be prioritized
for scanning in the international project: Biodiversity
Heritage Library (BHL).
QUALIFICATIONS:
Comfortable in working with databases (MSAccess experience
is a plus), attention to detail, interest in bibliographic
description, foreign language reading skills desirable.
TIMETABLE:
This is an on-going project.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Courtney Shaw
|
Phone:
202-633-1675
|
E-mail:
ShawC@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Webliography of African-American Scientists
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Do you have an interest in learning more about African American
scientists? In this project you will work under the mentorship
of Smithsonian librarians to research information and create
annotations for bibliographic entries of scientists for
a website to be linked to the new African-American Art Museum.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Computer skills, esp. EXCEL helpful.
TIMETABLE:
Summer.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Courtney Shaw
|
Phone:
202-633-1675
|
E-mail:
ShawC@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Science News Writing Internship
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Participants will work on science news and feature stories
for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History,
as well as related press materials including news releases
and backgrounders. These internships require a strong background
in journalism and an interest in science. The working environment
is collegial, creative and collaborative. NMNH’s Office
of Public Affairs is constantly dealing with high paced
stories, new discoveries, and leading scientific research.
QUALIFICATIONS:
College graduate, Master’s candidate, writing experience
required.
TIMETABLE:
Flexible; 3 month minimum.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Kelly Carnes
|
Phone:
202-633-2950
|
E-mail:
carnesk@si.edu |
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ROJECT
TITLE:
Public Affairs Intern
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Primary projects include: acting as liaison between media
and museum scientists, working with VIP's, local, national,
and international film and television crews, maintaining an
extensive media database of all museum media references, writing
and updating press materials including news releases fact
sheets, and web copy, as well as general administrative office
tasks. Emerging projects include broadcast and print digitization,
podcasting, and participation in new media platforms such
a social networks sites. Experience with social media and
audio/visual editing software preferred, but not required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Undergraduate level. Strong communications skills and excellent
knowledge of Microsoft Office.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite. Dates are flexible but typically coincide with
academic semesters. Minimum commitment of 20 hours per week
for at least 3 months required.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT:
Name:
Kelly Carnes
|
Phone:
202-633-2950
|
E-mail:
carnesk@si.edu |
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Project
and Program Management
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
Research
Assistance
anthropological
PROJECT
TITLE:
North American Indian Research
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Research projects on the general subject of historical photography
and North American Indians ethnology. Some of current projects
include publication of a work by Alice C. Fletcher titled
Life Among the Indians: Camping with the Sioux and Omaha,
1881-1882; and a publication on Northwest Coast Indian architecture
from Wrangell, Alaska. Also, research on individual photographs
selected for the Handbook volumes including discovery of who,
what, where and when of the image. Each image is a mini research
project. Bringing the historical context back to the image
is challenging and exciting detective work. For examples of
this work see web sites: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/wrensted
and http://www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/redcloud
QUALIFICATIONS:
No courses or background required. Accuracy and attention
to details is required. Anthropology or American History with
interest in Native Americans would be helpful.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Joanna Scherer
|
Phone:
202-633-1962
|
E-mail:
schererj@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Arctic Studies Sharing Knowledge
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Alaska Office of the Arctic Studies Center (National
Museum of Natural History) is accepting applications for
anthropology internship positions for the Sharing Knowledge
Project. The types of positions are: 1) Web site records
assistant;
2) Web site illustrations assistant; 3) Documentary films
assistant. At the Arctic Studies Center office in Anchorage,
Alaska, Native people, scholars and museum associates work
together on a broad range of collaborative research, exhibitions
and education programs. Openings for interns are available
to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Open
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Dawn Biddison
|
Phone:
907-929-9208
|
E-mail:
BiddisonD@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Arctic Studies Anthropology Internships
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The Alaska Office of the Arctic Studies Center (ASC) is
accepting applications for anthropology internship positions.
The following positions are available for the Sharing Knowledge
website The Alaska Office of the Arctic Studies Center (ASC)
is accepting applications for anthropology internship positions.
The following positions are available for the Sharing
Knowledge website :
1)
Web site records intern: Creation of object records on Alaska
& Eastern Siberia Native material culture: editing,
formatting & upload of object images; collection &
entry of museum catalog information; formatting & upload
of text.
2)
Web site illustrations intern: Acquisition, formatting,
caption-writing & upload of archival photographs and
illustrations of Alaska & Eastern Siberia Native peoples.
3)
Documentary films intern: Research and analysis of archival
film resources of Alaska & Eastern Siberia Native peoples
at Anchorage-based organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Open
AWARD
PACKAGE:
Limited-pay position. Limited funding is available through
ASC for one position in 2009; applicants who have scholarly
or working experience with Alaska Native cultures and have
a B.A. or M.A. or are a graduate student may applyNone
CONTACT
Name:
Dawn Biddison
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Phone:
907-343-6131
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E-mail:
biddisondd@ci.anchorage.ak.us |
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Research
Assistance
biological
PROJECT TITLE:
Proboscis evolution in long-tounged
flies
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
This project seeks to understand potential coevolution of
long proboscides (mouth parts) in long-proboscid fly pollinators
with the flowers they pollinate in South Africa. Specifically,
it examines the geographic correlation in morphology between
the long-tongued fly, Prosoeca ganglbauerii and the
long-tubed flower, Zaluzianskya microsiphon using
both macro- and microevolutoinary methods. The intern will
participate in the measurement, databasing and analysis
of flies for this project.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Some experience dealing with insect specimens and collections
is desirable. The intern must be good working with small,
delicate objects. Computer skills, including a basic understanding
of MS Excel is necessary. Must be willing to learn how to
use the project database. An interest in plant-insect interactions
and or insect morphology is a plus.
TIMETABLE:
About one month
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Shelah Morita
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Phone:
202-633-1008
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E-mail:
moritas@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Translation of Scientific German (XIX
Century) text
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Translate to English (or Spanish) scientific text describing
species of beetles written in XIX Century German. Does not
have to translate all the text, just important sections
under each species. Total number of species requiring translation:
approximately 40-50. More species need translation, as the
author was quite prolific, but 40-50 are currently the most
pressing.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Proficient in German. Familiarity with insect morphology.
TIMETABLE:
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
M.L. Chamorro-Lacayo
|
Phone:
202-633-1020
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E-mail:
chamorrom@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Parasitic wasps rule the world –
local diversity in an undercollected habitat
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will set up and service malaise traps to passively
and non-destructively sample parasitic Hymenoptera fauna
along a beach, brackish, freshwater marsh habitat on the
Chesapeake Bay. These traps are serviced every two weeks,
the residues collected are sorted to higher level taxonomic
groups in Hymenoptera with select groups targeted for dehydration,
labeling, identification, and imaging.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Courses in Entomology, Botany, Ecology, plus general field
and lab experience desirable; ability to operate a canoe
on open saltwater and creeks advantageous.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Michael Gates
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Phone:
202-382-8982
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E-mail:
michael.gates@ars.usda.gov |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Comparative leaf and spathe anatomy
in the genus Commelina (Commelinaceae)
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Commelina is the largest genus of the plant family
Commelinaceae. Although it occurs worldwide, it is especially
diverse in tropical Africa, where more than half of its
170 species occur. The African species occur in a great
diversity of habitats. The leaves and spathes (leafy bracts
that enclose the flowers and fruits) in Commelina
species are similar in their development, but each has a
different function. The question that we are asking is whether
species that grow in drier habitats show a greater differentiation
between the leaves and spathes than species that grow in
moist habitats. To answer this question we will use leaves
and spathes of plants that are being grown in the Botany
Department Research Greenhouse. The emphasis will be on
plant anatomy and microtechnique. The techniques to be used
will include paraffin-embedded sections, whole leaf (and
spathe) clearings, epidermal scrapes, and scanning electron
microscopy. All techniques will be taught as part of the
project, but previous lab experience is advantageous
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Bob Faden
|
Phone:
202-633-0971
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E-mail:
fadenr@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Do it with nemerteans
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
If you are interested in or, even better, you have experience
with marine invertebrates, worms, histology, molecular phylogenetics,
biomechanics, photomicrography, digital imaging, 3-d reconstruction,
computer programming (esp. MySQL, PHP, Filemaker), illustration,
web site development, bioinformatics, or a mix of these,
we would like you to try doing it with nemerteans! We also
urgently need people to do scanning and computer translation
of literature, and bibliographic and other kinds of data
entry for our website at http://nemertes.si.edu.
Help our worms be all that they can be. Thank you for considering
us. --the nemertinator.
QUALIFICATIONS:
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
Name:
Jon Norenburg
|
Phone:
202-633-1783
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E-mail:
norenburgj@si.edu |
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Research
Assistance
geological
PROJECT
TITLE:
Cathodoluminescence of pegmatitic
quartz – a case study of the Himalaya pegmatite,
San Diego County, California
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of the project is to examine quartz crystals
that have been collected from miarolitic cavities of the
Himalaya pegmatite, California and using CL techniques
the student will look for evidence of magmatic growth
zoning, replacement textures, recrystallization and post-magmatic
alteration that may be preserved in the quartz. Quartz
is ubiquitous in granitic pegmatites, forming throughout
the crystallization history of unzoned and zoned bodies.
Miarolitic cavities (pockets) generally occur during the
final stages of pegmatite consolidation and are the main
source of specimen- and gem-grade quartz crystals. Although
the quartz often forms as near-perfect crystals, their
growth history is poorly known but can be evaluated using
cathodoluminescence (CL).
QUALIFICATIONS:
Background and course work in geology.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Michael Wise
|
Phone:
202-633-1826
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E-mail:
wisem@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Trace element variations in pegmatitic
muscovite from the Jacumba pegmatite field, California.
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will analyze muscovite from the Jacumba pegmatite
field, San Diego County, California to assess the variation
in trace element concentrations. The chemical data will
be used to evaluate perceived differences in two different
pegmatite groups within the pegmatite field. Muscovite
is an important and common mineral phase that occurs in
simple to complex granitic pegmatites. The major element
chemistry of muscovite is relatively invariant, however,
substitution of trace elements (e.g., rubidium, cesium,
lithium, etc.) do frequently occur and can be highly variable.
In fact, the trace-element signature of muscovite can
be used to estimate the degree of chemical complexity
in the pegmatite and also serve as an exploration tool
for rare-element mineralization (e.g., tantalum and tin).
QUALIFICATIONS:
Background and course work in geology.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Michael Wise
|
Phone:
202-633-1826
|
E-mail:
wisem@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Investigation of the cause of green
albite in granitic pegmatites
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will conduct chemical and X-ray analysis of
green albite from two Maine pegmatites with the goal of
explaining its color and origin. The bladed variety of
albite known as cleavelandite is fairly common in pegmatites
that exhibit advanced rare-element enrichment. It is typically
white but occasionally displays a light blue color. A
few pegmatites in Maine contain the highly unusual olive-green
colored cleavelandite. The cause of this color is unknown
but is suspected to be related to post-pegmatitic processes.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Background and course work in geology and chemistry.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Michael Wise
|
Phone:
202-633-1826
|
E-mail:
wisem@si.edu |
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PROJECT TITLE:
Classification of granitic pegmatites
using K-feldspar trace element chemistry
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
The intern will analyze a suite of pegmatitic microcline
for their Ga content and test the validity of this hypothesis.
The classification of pegmatites into geochemical families
is currently based largely on the identification of accessory
minerals which represent moderate to extreme accumulation
of rare elements that help define the LCT and NYF families.
Accessory index minerals are typically used for distinguishing
between the two geochemical families because they are
easily identifiable and offer a good sense of rare-element
enrichment that can be gained without having to conduct
chemical analyses. This approach works reasonably well
for the more evolved LCT-types, but difficulties arise
when dealing with many “barren” pegmatites from
LCT and NYF affiliations which may lack sufficient accessory
phases needed for classification. It has been recently
suggested that the Ga content of microcline can be used
as discriminant for LCT- and NYF-type pegmatites.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Background and course work in geology.
TIMETABLE:
Indefinite
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None.
CONTACT
Name:
Michael Wise
|
Phone:
202-633-1826
|
E-mail:
wisem@si.edu |
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PROJECT
TITLE:
Cities Under the Sea (CUSP) Program
 PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Geoarchaeological study of submerged Greek and Roman ancient
sites in the Mediterranean (Egypt and Calabria, Italy).
QUALIFICATIONS:
Junior and Senior undergraduate students, Graduate students,
and Post-doctoral level candidates, preferably with a
science and archaeology double-major and/or training.
TIMETABLE:
Minimal Internship stay for 12 full weeks (3 months) at
NMNH in Washington, D.C.; internships can be extended
for up to 12 months. Can start in Fall, or Winter-Spring
or Summer periods.
AWARD
PACKAGE:
None
CONTACT
Name:
Jean-Daniel Stanley
|
Phone:
202-633-1354
|
E-mail:
stanleyd@si.edu |
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Science
Administration
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
Scientific
Illustration
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
Security
and Safety
There
are currently no projects available in this topic area.
|
Quick
Links
Intern Resources
Still
have Questions?
- Send
an e-mail to: sangreym@si.edu
|
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 links:
How
to Apply
The
best way to secure an internship through the NMNH
General Internship Program is to contact the project
sponsor directly.
Students
interested in any of the internships listed here
are encouraged to contact the project sponsor
directly using the contact information (phone
and e-mail) provided to discuss details and potential
placement.
Upcoming
opportunities
for Internship Application Review
|
Spring
Internship Fair
1 April 2010
|
|
Fall
Internship Fair
1 October 2009
|
Only
students selected for placement will be contacted.
|
