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INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS HOW TO APPLY HOW
TO SUBMIT A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Information for principals
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Smithsonian
Institution
National Museum of Natural History Research
Experiences for Teachers 1 July 2002 - 2 August 2002 A total of 21 teachers are anticipated to participate in research experiences in the DC area, including 7 in the '02 session of the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) at the Smithsonian Institution. SCHEDULE
OF EVENTS
2002 Last updated: 13 May 2002 * * * PRE-EVENTS * * * * Friday, 17 May 2002 * 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. : OPTIONAL SPECIAL EVENT Location:
National Museum of Natural History Sponsor: Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS) Topic: Smithsonian Teachers Night
There will be shopping, entertainment, demonstrations, performances and exhibitors. You can shop at National Museum of Natural History Stores, Freer, and Sackler Gallery Shops. Entertainment will include IMAX® Screenings in the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX® Theater (6:45, 7:45, and 8:45 pm) and a Jazz Café (dinner available for purchase). And much more! The evening will feature demonstrations including:
At Smithsonian Teachers’ Night, you can:
Web Links - check it out!
For
more information, including accessibility * * * ARRIVAL * * * * Monday, 27 May 2002 (Memorial Day Holiday) * 8:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. : REQUIRED PROGRAM ORIENTATION - host: Mary Sangrey
Forms to be completed:
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* Tuesday, 28 May 2002 * 8:30 - 9:15 a.m. : GROUP PHOTOGRAPH - host: Mary Sangrey Location:
NHB front steps Photographers: Don Hurlbert / Jim DiLoreto (phone: 202-633-9116). *Includes only the Smithsonian RET Group.
All RET participants will meet with their research team for detailed orientation to their specific research facilities, to complete registration forms, and to obtain signatures. Department Orientation includes:
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Location:
Director's Office Topic: Director's Social. An informal gathering of residents from the NMNH community plus members from funding organizations and other special guests. Light refreshments available.
- - - ITEMS DUE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Forms due to be turned in during registration:
Teachers: Review and copy forms and test the e-mail system.
* Saturday, 1 June 2002 * 8:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. : OPTIONAL FIELD TRIP - host: Chad Schennum * * * Advisors and their families are welcome. * * *
Location: Scientists Cliffs, Maryland Guides:
Dave
Bohaska (phone: 202-357-2052) and Bob Purdy (phone: 202-357-1525). Topic: Paleobiology - Calvert Cliffs formation *Includes only the Smithsonian RET Group. Itinerary:
Located on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay, the "Calvert Cliffs" were formed over 15 million years ago when all of Southern Maryland was covered by a warm, shallow sea. The cliffs dominate the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay extending for more than thirty miles; from Fairhaven (Anne Arundel County, MD) to near Drum Point (Calvert County, MD). They are considered the best marine Miocene (Miocene Epoch, 25 million to 6.5 million years ago) deposit in the world. Three formations are recognized in the cliffs; from oldest to youngest, the Calvert, Choptank, and St. Marys Formations. These have been further subdivided into Members and Beds. Because of the gentle dip (about 11 feet per mile) of the deposits to the southeast, different Beds are exposed at different localities, containing different sediment types and fossils. Over 600 species of fossils have been identified from these cliffs including the "Maryland State Fossil" Ecphora gardnerae gardnerae Wilson. The most visible fossils are mollusk shells, with some beds so densely packed that they are described as "shell beds." The most popular fossils are the sharks' teeth. Other fossils include microscopic plants and animals, macroscopic plants, corals, barnacles, crabs, sand dollars, sea urchins, bony fish, rays, crocodiles, turtles, birds, terrestrial mammals, and marine mammals. Many fossils have Calvert Cliffs as their type locality and some have been found nowhere else.
* Thursday, 13 June 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : OPTIONAL FIELD TRIP - host: Angela Skeeles Location:
Smithsonian
Conservation Research Center (CRC) * Saturday, 29 June 2002 * 8:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : OPTIONAL FIELD TRIP Location: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) * * * WEEK 1 * * * * Monday, 1 July 2002 * -
- - Vertebrate Zoology - - -
Location:
Academic Resources Center Meet
in the ARC to welcome the 7 teachers joining the group! To follow their
schedule of activities and events visit: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/rtp/ret/ret_schedule02.html 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. : BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR Location:
Academic Resources Center Speaker: Nate Erwin Topic: Behind-the-Scenes at the Insect Zoo
Live spiders, centipedes, millipedes, and insects reside year-round in our Insect Zoo. See the care and keeping behind-the-scenes of this popular public exhibit. Web links: http://www.mnh.si.edu/museum/VirtualTour/Tour/Second/InsectZoo/index.html
10:00 - 10:45 a.m. : LECTURE - host: Dave Ramjohn Location:
Anthropology Seminar Room Speaker: Susan Jewett Topic: The Coelacanth
Fishes
Tour |
Fishes
Library Orientation
Location:
Anthropology Seminar Room Tour Guide: Susan Jewett (phone: 202-357-3300) and Jeff WIlliams (phone: 202-357-3059) Topic: The U.S. National Fish Collection See many different specimens from the Division of Fishes collections including cleared and stained specimens, interesting species from the ocean depths, and the NMNH coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae - a rare and ancient fish known only from the fossil record until a living specimen was collected off the coast of South Africa in 1938 and described the following year by Professor J.L.B. Smith.
noon - 12:30 p.m. OPTIONAL ORIENTATION Instructors: Courtney
Shaw (phone: 202-357-4696) Topic: Fishes Library Introducion Tour the Fishes Library and learn how to utilize the facilities. On special display, and for your unique review, will be examples from the Fishes rare book collection.
12:30 - 1:00 p.m. : LUNCH BREAK PLANNING SESSION Location:
Academic Resources Center Topic: Planning the 12 July 02 NMNH Open House for Smithsonian Science Interns We've visited CRC and SERC and will soon travel to the Zoo for a special behind-the-scenes tour of their facilities. Our turn to host the Smithsonian science interns is fast approaching - 12 July 02. We'll gather for 30 minutes over lunch (PIZZA provided!) to plan our events for the day.
Location: Mammals
Library Instructors: Courtney
Shaw (phone: 202-357-4696) Topic: Mammals Library Introducion Tour the Mammals Library and learn how to utilize the facilities. On special display, and for your unique review, will be examples from the Mammals rare book collection.
1:30 - 4:15 p.m. : COLLECTION TOUR - hosts: Angela Skeeles (Group 1) and Murilo Carvalho (Group 2) Location:
Mammals Library
* * * Note: All Teachers MUST see Mary TODAY to take an assessment exam required by JHU. The exam takes one hour to complete. * Tuesday, 2 July 2002 * 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : ORIENTATION Teachers will report to AAAS for all-day orientation
* Wednesday, 3 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : ORIENTATION Teachers will report to AAAS for all-day orientation
* Thursday, 4 July 2002 * Holiday
* Friday, 5 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH Join
your research team at the Smithsonian for orientation to NMNH and introduction
to your research topic. * Saturday, 6 July 2002 * OPEN
* Sunday, 7 July 2002 * OPEN * * * Week 1 Notes * * *
* * * WEEK 2 * * * * Monday, 8 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH OPTION
Location:
Panda Plaza Host: Kelly Cauthorn, the Education Specialist at SNZP - Conservation & Research Center Topic: Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the National Zoo A special tour for
all Smithsonian interns! We will meet at 10am in the Bus Lot / Panda Plaza
area by the Info Booth and begin a behind-the-scenes tour of the National
Zoo.
* Tuesday, 9 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Wednesday, 10 July 2002 * 9:00 - 9:45 a.m. : OPTIONAL DEMONSTRATION Location:
Academic Resources Center Speaker: Chad Schennum, Museum Technician, Department of Systematic Biology, Vertebrate Zoology, Mammals. (phone: 202-357-2150). Topic: Getting Started: preparing power point presentations Learn how to prepare a power point presentation and then how to easily to transform your slides into a poster format. 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. : OPTIONAL DISCUSSION Location:
Academic Resources Center Speaker: Sally Shelton (phone: 202- 786-2601) Topic: Collections Management: one hundred twenty four million and counting, caring for the national collections
Although techniques for many of these operations are unique to each department or division, the goal is common to all: to acquire and conserve specimens and objects that are appropriate to the museum's mission, to capture collections data (and by today' standards, that means electronically), and to provide appropriate access to our collections and their data (today that means both physical and electronic access).
11:15 - 11:45 a.m. OPTIONAL ORIENTATION Location: Anthropology
Library Instructors: Maggie
Dittemore (phone: 202-357-4696) Topic: Anthropology Library Introduction Tour the Anthropology Library and learn how to utilize the facilities. On special display, and for your unique review, will be examples from the Anthropology rare book collection.
11:45 - 12:15 p.m. : LUNCH BREAK 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. : OPTIONAL SOCIAL Location:
Anthropology Seminar Room Topic:
Meet the NHB Anthropology Community Dessert will be available. Members from the NMNH Anthropology community will gather to discuss their research interests.
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. : COLLECTION TOUR - host: Adam Freeburg Topic: The Physical Anthropology Collections Tour Guide: Dave Hunt (phone: 202- 786-2501) The Department of
Anthropology's See "The Terry Collection," "Mummy Storage," and "The Conservation Lab." Meet "Soap Man" and the shrunken heads. Web Links:
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Thursday, 11 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
Location:
Academic Resources Center Topic: Poster Stuffing Pizza Party What is "Poster Stuffing?" Now an established tradition, it's the RTP Class of '02 chance to "connect" to the up and coming RTP Class of '03 by preparing the recruitment mailing to 7,500+ destinations around the world. Label sets are available for each RTP participant. Sets contain about 240 address labels. The goal is to attach labels to envelopes provided before the social including stamping "AIR MAIL" on envelopes going to non-US destinations. Yes, sets may be traded to accommodate preferences in geographical locality. During the social, final mailing preparation (stuffing Year 2003 posters in the pre-prepared envelopes) will be completed and envelopes mailed. Pizza
will be served at the conclusion of the event to celebrate completion! * Friday, 12 July 2002 * 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : NMNH OPEN HOUSE RTP and RET interns and teachers will host Smithsonian's science interns from SERC, NZP, and CRC for a behind-the-scenes view of NMNH research and collection.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featured Neblina's tepui neighbor, Roirama, in his famous book "The Lost World." Neblina and Roirama are remnants of an ancient plateau that covered much of what is now the northern end of South America. Over millions of years, the plateau was worn down by wind and water, leaving a series of flat-topped mountains or "tepuis." Each tepui is an austere "island" marooned in a sea of lowland forest and savanna. As a result, the tepui inhabitants were isolated from the rest of the world resulting in many unique remnants from a time long since passed possessing characters which offer clues about evolution patterns and curiosities about features whose significance have yet to be learned. An RTP classic! You can't miss Roy's famous lecture about the adventures of field research, the search for (and discovery of?) living dinosaurs, and the answer to the important question: "Would you like blueberries with your oatmeal this morning?"
* Saturday, 13 July 2002 * OPEN
* Sunday, 14 July 2002 * OPEN
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* * Week 2 Notes * * * * * * WEEK 3 * * * * Monday, 15 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Tuesday, 16 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Wednesday, 17 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH * Thursday, 18 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH * Friday, 19 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Saturday, 20 July 2002 * OPEN
* Sunday, 21 July 2002 * OPEN * * * Week 3 Notes * * *
* * * WEEK 4 * * * * Monday, 22 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : WORKSHOP - CANCELED Location:
Anthropology Seminar Room Topic: Discover Smithsonian Education Educators from the NMNH Office of Education will offer personal and behind-the-scenes insight into Smithsonian's educational resources, programs, and projects. Web Links:
4:00 p.m. to be turned in to the RET Office
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* Tuesday, 23 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Wednesday, 24 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
*
Thursday, 25 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH 4:00 p.m. to be turned in to the RET Office
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* Friday, 26 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RESEARCH
* Saturday, 27 July 2002 * OPEN
* Sunday, 28 July 2002 * OPEN
* * * Week 4 Notes * * * Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 * * * WEEK 5 * * * * Monday, 29 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RET EVENT Information and details available from AAAS/JHU
* Tuesday, 30 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RET EVENT Information and details available from AAAS/JHU
4:00 p.m. to be turned in to the RET Office
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* Wednesday, 31 July 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RET EVENT Information and details available from AAAS
noon: to be turned in to the RET Office
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* Thursday, 1 August 2002 * 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. : POSTER SESSION - host: Jerry Sachs Special Assistant to the Director, National Museum of Natural History and Ross Simons, Associate Director for Research and Collections, National Museum of Natural History Location:
NMNH 3rd Floor Rotunda Join the RTP students, their research advisors and members from the Smithsonian community to discuss research topics.
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. : SOCIAL - host: Jerry Sachs Special Assistant to the Director, National Museum of Natural History and Ross Simons, Associate Director for Research and Collections, National Museum of Natural History Location:
Director's Office Topic: RTP Closing Reception An informal gathering of residents from the NMNH community plus members from funding organizations. Light refreshments available. 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. : RET POSTER SESSION: Location:
AAAS
Schedule a 15 minute exit meeting to turn in necessary information and close your appointment.
To be turned in to the RET Office
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* Friday, 2 August 2002 * 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : RET EVENT Information and details available from AAAS
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Join
Us for an After-Hours Open House for Educators. Register at the door.
No pre-registration is necessary. Admission is FREE. 
10:30
- 10:45 a.m. Site Orientation
About
the Scientists Cliffs Site: 
The
cliffs and beaches have been collected and studied from Colonial times
to the present. 
The
Calvert Cliffs region is also home to two Federally threatened species
of tiger beetle; Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis (Northeastern Beach
Tiger Beetle) and Cicindela puritana (Puritan Tiger Beetle) which
live on the broad, sandy beaches at approximately ten locations in Virginia
and Maryland including four populations in Calvert County. 
11:00
a.m. - noon
: COLLECTION TOUR - host: David Ramjohn
Location:
Fishes
Library
The
taxonomic and geographic scope of the collection spans the globe, with
especially strong representation from North America, Central America,
northern South America, Africa, and southeast Asia.
The
Division of Birds houses and maintains the third largest bird
collection in the world with over 620,000 specimens. 
Additional
collections include egg sets, nests, and mounted skins. We are continuing
to add about 1,500 specimens a year, many of them skeletons and fluid
preserved anatomicals. 
The
Division of Amphibians and Reptiles is the smallest but one
of the fastest growing of the four divisions in the Department of
Vertebrate Zoology. 
Collections
management activities are many and varied, as are the people that comprise
this staff. Three areas, however, are common to all departments and account
for a large portion of the activities. They are collections care, maintenance
and conservation; specimen/object processing (including physical processing
and identification)
and cataloging; and "transaction management" which includes
lending specimens to other institutions, processing those borrowed by
our curators, donating, acquiring, and exchanging specimens or objects,
and other related activities. 
Location:
Anthropology Seminar Room
Crammed
into a helicopter with many weeks worth of supplies the team of biologists
leave Caracas for base camp in the middle of the Venezuelan jungle. In
the distance, half-hidden in the fog and rain is Cerro de la Neblina,
discovered in 1953(!), the fabled "mountain of the mist," a
world of virtually unexplored peaks and canyons laden with scientific
mysteries. 
3:00
- 4:00 p.m.
OPTIONAL SOCIAL