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Last Updated: 29 April 2004 Smithsonian
Institution Research
Training Program 29 May 2004 - 7 August 2004 A total of 24 students and teachers are anticipated to join the RTP Class of '04. Including 2 students from the Notre Dame partnership program, 2 high school students participating in the RAMHSS program, and 2 high school teachers joining the RET program. Schedule
of Events |
Poster |
Program
Summary Following are some notes especially for students selected to participate in the '04 RTP. Much of the information has already been provided though e-mail and mailings. However, we will continue to post new information as questions arise. What are the apartment assignments? Apartment assignments can be anticipated on 15 March 2004. View
the preliminary listing at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/rtp/students/2004/apartments04.html Where will students be housed?
The
Reserve at Eisenhower Phone: (703) 751-4100 Apartments have been
prepaid by the RTP and come completely furnished. Compensation for RTP
students who do not select Smithsonian provided housing is not available. What are the apartments like? All apartments are four person occupancy, two bedroom, two bathroom units.
Alexandria's newest and most prestigious apartment community offering first class amenities with concierge style services. Relax by the sparkling pool with fountains. Grab your morning coffee at the Cyber Cafe or try your hand at a game of Tennis on the rooftop. Currently, five, fully furnished, two bedroom (two bathroom), four person occupancy apartments have been reserved for the '04 summer session. What do the apartments include? We have selected the "Basic Intern Package" with furnishings including:
What is the apartment property like? The features of The Reserve at Eisenhower property includes: Community Features
Where are the apartments located? The
Reserve at Eisenhower Phone:
(703) 751-4100 For questions contact: Debbie Lynch or available property manager. Do the apartments include a telephone? A telephone is being provided for your use but you will be responsible for your long distance telephone charges. There is unlimited
local telephone service and voicemail for your convenience. When can I check into my apartment? Apartments will be available Saturday after 10:30 a.m. 29 May 2004 and occupancy will run through Saturday 7 August 2004 (check-out is before 10:00 a.m.). Do not arrive prior to Saturday unless you are prepared to provide your own accommodations until the May 29 move-in. How long can I stay in the apartment? Occupancy runs through Saturday, 7 August 2004 and you MUST check out by 10:00 a.m. on this date. How to I get to DC? Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to/from the apartment complex. An airline flight into Washington National (Reagan) Airport then taxi to The Reserve is an easy efficient option. Other airports in the area include Dulles and BWI (Baltimore Washington International). A train to Union Station then taxi or subway ride to Van Dorn metro stop will require some walking but is also a good option. The bus will also deliver to Union Station where you can proceed to The Reserve via taxi or subway. Will someone be available to meet me at the airport or at the apartment? Students are generally responsible for getting to The Reserve Apartment Complex via the best method that fits your needs and budget. Once arriving at The
Reserve, a property manager will provide you with a packet that includes
keys to the apartment, mailbox keys and access cards for entrances throughout
the complex. How do I get from The Reserve to the Natural History Building? Although many students have appreciated bringing their cars with them to DC, and there is free outdoor parking available at The Reserve, there is no parking available anywhere near the Smithsonian so you should plan on taking public transtransportation to/from the Museum. You will be responsible for daily commuting cost to and from the Smithsonian. Commuting cost is about $5.00 per day (or about $500 for the 10 week internship). There are three basic commuting options: the bus, the metro rail, and taxi cabs. For information and a Metrorail map visit: http://wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfmHowever, in summary, these are the options:
Where will I be stationed? All '04 RTP participants will be located in Smithsonian's Natural History Building. The building is located on the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. The street address is 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. For those of you who know the different Smithsonian buildings, Natural History is "the one with the elephant" in the lobby on the mall side. Should I bring my computer? You can, but this is not a requirement. The apartments do NOT come furnished with a computer, but do have computer hook ups. At your office work station, we have requested that advisors make arrangements for you to have access to a computer. However, not all research advisors have an extra computer for intern use so we have reserved seven (7) common use computers to be shared by all NMNH academic appointments in the Academic Resources Center (ARC). What should I wear at the Smithsonian? Dress at the Smithsonian is informal. Casual clothing that is easy to work in is best (yes, blue jeans are fine!). Keep in mind that Washington summers tend to be very hot and humid but the collection areas are maintained at cool temperatures to preserve the specimens so you may want to include a sweater or long sleeve shirt in your packing. Students also wonder about what to wear during the presentation session. The answer: that's up to you. But, we suggest including one "professional" outfit in your packing. In addition to your presentation there may be other events, where old jeans and a stained t-shirt might not be a good idea. What are the typical work hours? Although work hours vary for different individuals, you are expected to be in attendance for eight hours each day, Monday through Friday. Your research team may require a special schedule but for the most part, people are here for the official hours of 8:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. We will expect you here during the core period of 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. You are always welcome to come earlier and/or work later (including weekends) on Program activities or other projects that interest you. As an official associate of the National Museum of Natural History, you will be given the privilege of unlimited access to the Museum which includes 24 hour access, seven days a week. Should I bring my car? Public transportation in the DC area is a safe, easy and convenient means to get around. Your own transportation is not necessary. However, previous RTP groups have suggested that, if possible, bringing your car is a good idea so as to explore the sites around the DC area. What can I expect from the RTP curriculum? As a program reserved exclusively for undergraduates, our curriculum is designed to help you to explore your interests in natural history research and career options before you make your graduate school and career decisions. Through participation in the Research Training Program, and with the guidance of a mentoring Smithsonian science advisor, you will learn how to design a research project, how to develop the protocol to test your research question, and how to communicate your results through oral and written presentation. However, the research project is only one aspect of the program. We also incorporate into the ten-week program a rigorous schedule of required lectures, discussions, workshops and tours to share insights into the research efforts of our professional staff and to highlight how to use, learn from, manage, and maintain the 125 million specimens of the NMNH including the great variety of ways museum collections can contribute to solving multi-discipline research questions. Like learning to unlock the wealth of information available from a library, you will learn about the research and collections of anthropology, botany, entomology, geology, invertebrate zoology, mineral sciences, paleobiology, and vertebrate zoology. In addition to the formal program there will be a lot going on this summer at the Smithsonian and in Washington, DC. How is the curriculum structured? The RTP is based on a weekly schedule of project time and program events. Out of the standstandard five working days per week, three full days are designated as "research days" (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) and two half days (Monday and Friday) are reserved for learning collections procedures, attending lectures, participating in tours, and laboratory demonstrations. Our lectures this summer will vary depending on the topic of the talk, from casual lunch time discussions to formal presentations. In general, there will be two lectures/discussions per week during the first half of the program and all students are required to attend and participate. If you would like to learn about a specific Smithsonian curator's research or have an interest in a particular topic, please let us know and we will try to accommodate your request. Watch for the regular schedule updates on the web at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/rtp/students/2004/schedule04.html What are the student requirements as part of the curriculum? Each RTP participant will be responsible for hosting at least one of the curriculum events - more details about this will be available at a later time. As part of the lecture series, at the close of the Program, you are required to give a 15 minute oral presentation about your project to the Smithsonian research staff and your fellow Program participants. In addition, we will host a scientific poster presentation session for you to display your research in "poster format" and this will also be presented on the web. For an example, see presentations from last year virtual poster session. And, we hope you take the initiative to publish the results of your research in a scientific publication. Assistance and advise for your presentations and publication are available to you from your Project Advisor. Please take advantage of their expertise from the very beginning. Should I contact my research advisor before arriving? Yes! We encourage you to contact your advisor ASAP to define and refine your project hypothesis and to design the research protocol. To ensure that all supplies and equipment are available, and to conserve precious time, we strongly suggest that you and your advisor (through e-mail and telephone contact) have your project well thought out at least three weeks prior to your arrival. A description of the project your advisor is proposing is posted at our web site. However, we encourage you and your advisor to coordinate efforts to design a research investigation that incorporates your career goals with your advisor's current projects - the web site listing is just a concept of one option. After talking to your advisor, please send via e-mail a revised, more thorough description of your proposed project for posting at our web site. This preliminary description from you is due (via e-mail, please) by 31 March 2004. What are the guidelines for developing our research project? The research project must be suitable for a eight week research period and effectively utilize the Smithsonian collections and facilities. The research project should be hypothesis testing and address a natural history research question. Most advisors have already given this considerable thought and will be presenting several ideas for you to select from. Please consider your own research goals and interests when deciding a topic but do not try to undertake projects that are too ambitions or too far removed from your advisor's expertise. Remember, you and your advisor together are responsible for developing a challenging research topic and then successfully completing it in the time allowed. What can I do to prepare for my research project before the RTP begins? We suggest that you begin to prepare for your project prior to your arrival by asking your advisor to explain the research topic in detail including the techniques which will be used, the types of laboratory facilities and equipment available, and how this specific project fits into their "overall" research program. You may also consider asking your advisor to provide background readings and inquire about other things you can do to prepare before you arrive in DC. The ten weeks go by very quickly and with all the other RTP activities there are only about 24 days of actual research time. From "day one" you will need to be efficient in your use of time to glean all the benefits from your association with the Smithsonian. What do the different funding sources mean? Students have been assigned to a particular funding source based on several key matching points, including restrictions of the grant. Although students participating in the '04 RTP have different funding sources tagged to their appointment, the program requirements are the same. What does the award package include? Official notification of your award will be mailed directly from the Smithsonian's Office of Fellowships (OF). Although subject to change, we are recommending that your award package include: housing accommodations, stipend ($3,000), and either a transportation allowance ($500) or provided travel. Specific information about your award can only be provided by the Office of Fellowships (OF) after you officially accept this appointment. No money will be available before your arrival. Travel allowance and stipend payments will be direct deposited into your bank account. No payments will be made directly. Further details about this, including the forms for "direct deposit," will be sent to you from OF. Expect your official award letter from OF sometime in mid May. Note: Final payment will not be released until all Program requirements have been met - don't say we didn't warn you! If I need to do banking in the area, what are some of the local DC banks? Here's a quick reference of some of the banks in the DC area.
Is
my stipend considered taxable income and how will this be managed? Your award (stipend and transportation) is taxable income and must be will be reported to the IRS. Payment of US tax is the personal obligation of each awardee, and all funds provided under this appointment may be subject to tax. In general, taxes are not withheld from awards made to US citizens, permanent residents, or those considered to be US residents for tax purposes. Awards to non-U.S. citizens, however, ARE subject to withholding of taxes. Determination of tax status of non-U.S. Citizens, and calculation of any taxes to be withheld from this award will be made at the beginning of the appointment. In some cases the payment of the award may be delayed due to calculation of tax withholding requirements. During registration you will receive important documents and guidance about how to claim your award. Non-US citizens will need to pay special attention to these details! Please contact the OF (phone: 202-275-0655) directly if you have questions about this or would like further information about the classification of your award. More about how your award is managed as far as TAXES - this is important! You will be awarded an internship appointment, not employed position. Therefore, you will NOT receive a tax form W2. Smithsonian's Office of Fellowships (OF) will send a very informal Financial Statement of Income to all fellowship and internship appointments. These will be sent sometime after the first of the year. Please remember that this statement is not an attachment to your tax form 1040/1040EZ form. The Smithsonian Institution, as the grantor of your award, does not have to report your earnings to the IRS. The grantee, you, are responsible for reporting this award on your tax form. If you used any of
the funds for tuition during the calendar year you can exclude the amount
that you paid out of the amount awarded to you. You should enter this
award (or the portion after tuition) on the same line you would enter
"wages, tips, compensation, etc....." If you earned more than
the internship award, that is other income, you should enter at the left
of the dollar amount the amount you received as a fellowship. See sample
here: I'm a foreign student, how do I get a visa? Foreign students - you are responsible for obtaining your own visa but help is available from the Smithsonian Office of International Relations (OIR). Foreign students studying in the U.S. already have some sort of visa and usually don't need any additional immigration assistance from the Smithsonian to enable participation in an internship but are encouraged to check with their school's foreign student advisor to see if other paperwork is needed. With certain exceptions, every foreign national who wants to come to the U.S. must first obtain a visa from an American embassy or consulate. The exceptions are 1) Canadians, and 2) people entitled to use the Visa Waiver Program. For foreigners who need a visa, not just any old visa will do. RTP interns need either the F-1 (student) or J-1 (exchange visitor - trainee) visa The Smithsonian Office of International Relations (OIR) is responsible for issuing I-20 and IAP-66 forms for foreigners coming to any other Smithsonian unit. In OIR, these forms are generally prepared and signed by Raymond Seefeldt as "Responsible Officer" of the Smithsonian's exchange visitor program, or "Designated School Official" of the Smithsonian's student visa program. The forms list biographic data about the traveler, information concerning the activities to be performed and, most importantly, the amount and source of funding that will be available for the person's support. Please note that I-20 and IAP-66 forms can be faxed to the traveler. The student must have the signed original before he/she can apply for a visa. So the forms are normally sent by regular international airmail or Federal Express. Canadians do not need visas to enter the U.S. for any temporary purpose. But this does not excuse them from meeting other requirements applicable to the immigration category they're seeking to use. In other words, Canadian RTP students still need Form IAP-66 to enter as an exchange visitor, Form I-20 to enter as a student, etc. In summary, information
will be provided by the Smithsonian's Office of International Affairs
to assist you. Under policy from the State Department, foreign undergraduate
students seeking an academic appointment at the Smithsonian are to be
issued the new "J-1 trainee" visa instead of the previous "F-1
student" visa. If you have questions about this, contact International
Affairs Officer Raymond Seefeldt (phone: 202-357-2519 e-mail: rws@si.edu). What are the "terms" of participation? The National Museum of Natural History Research Training Program operates under a specific set of guidelines. As a participant, you will be expected to observe these guidelines to successfully graduate from the Program.
* We especially remind all student participating in the Research Training Program that the collections must remain very secure areas. Visitors and guests are not welcome "behind-the-scenes" without prior approval. Through participation in this Program you will be shown many valuable, fragile and scientifically important collections. Although we understand your excitement and desire to share these discoveries, visitors and guests (including yourself) must contact the collections manager for prior approval before entering any area outside of your own responsibility. What is the first day like? We will hold RTP orientation on Monday, the Memorial Day Holiday - yes, that's right! Although the rest of the Smithsonian staff will have the day off, we host RTP orientation while everybody else is at home so we take our time, give you a chance to explore the building, and answer your questions before things get too busy. To officially register, report to the Smithsonian's Natural History building Monday, 31 May 2004. Enter the building through the Constitution Avenue entrance (10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.). We will be expecting you at 8:45 a.m. Please be prompt! We can not proceed until everyone is present. Because the museum does not open to the public until 10:00 a.m., you must meet the guard at the door at 8:45 a.m. so you can be issued a visitors badge. This badge will allow you temporary (one day only) admittance into the research sections of the building. To begin your authorization into the building, please sign the guard's registry. They will have a listing that includes your name and will ask that you exchange a photo ID for a temporary badge. At 9:00 a.m. you will be escorted to the Academic Resources Room where the registration meeting will take place. During our meeting we will take some time to get to know each other, answer questions, and if needed, solve any problems that may have come up. What is security like at the Museum? The National Museum of Natural History is a secured facility. Everyone entering the building must have their bags inspected by a security officer. In addition, we recently moved into a new phase of building security. The number pad access locks previously in place at NHB that open doors and operate elevators to behind-the-scenes areas have been phased out. In their place are card activated locking mechanisms on all doors and staff elevators. To gain access behind-the-scenes RTP interns will be issued a special electronic Access Card. Entry into each area is recorded and monitored. Can I receive Academic Credit for the RTP? The Smithsonian is
not a degree granting institution and therefore can not independently
award academic credit. However, some student have sought, and receivedv
credit for their RTP internship and we will cooperate with your school
or university as best possible but suggest that you begin the process
early and notify us of any special terms or conditions. Do we have program events on weekends and holidays? Offices of the Smithsonian are closed during Federal holidays including Memorial Day and Independence Day (Fourth of July). However, RTP orientation WILL be conducted Monday, Memorial Day. While some optional field trips may be schduled during the weekend, for the most part, RTP participants have no scheduled events or program obligations on Saturday or Sunday. What happens if I'm injured while performing the duties of my internship project? The Smithsonian Office of Risk Management has determined that Smithsonian interns officially registered with the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS), including all RTP participants, are covered under the Federal Employees Information Compensation Act. Is there a fitness facility near the Museum? A physical fitness
facility is located in the National Air and Space Museum (NASM). Smithsonian
interns with cards issued by the Occupational Health Services (OHS) division
of the Office of Environmental Management and Safety (OEMS) may use the
facility on week- days during their non-duty hours, on weekends, and on
holidays. Interns who want to
use the facility must obtain approval of their physician on form 51- 1434,
available in either the National Museum
Return the completed
form to the NMAH health unit. After the form has been reviewed and approved,
a physical fitness facility card will be To enter the facility,
an intern must sign the register and give his or her physical fitness
facility card and Smithsonian ID badge to the NASM security office. The
NASM security office is located in the east side of the parking lot on
the basement level, Room P704. The telephone number is 202.357.1391. In
exchange, an access key and a locker lock and key will be provided. Intern
identification will be returned when the lock and keys are returned. Users
must pay to have lost locks and keys replaced. In addition to access behind-the-scenes, what else is my Smithsonian ID used for? On presentation of
a valid Smithsonian ID, interns will be given a 20 percent discount
in Smithsonian Museum Shops. Each shop features items related to the
museum's collection, including books, posters, and crafts. One complimentary IMAX ticket per week per valid Smithsonian ID badge will be issued for film screenings at the Lockheed Martin IMAX@ Theater at the National Air and Space Museum and the Johnson IMAX@ Theater at the National Museum of Natural History, and for selected programs at the Einstein Planetarium at NASM. Schedules, locations,
and show times are available at http://www.smithsonian.org/imax
or by calling 202-633-4629. What are some of the other cultural activities in the area, especially for students? Special student rates are available for selected concerts, films, and many other activities that are sponsored by The Smithsonian Associates (TSA) Resident Program. You are encouraged to apply for grants to attend selected courses offered by the Associates. Many non-smithsonian
museums in Washington offer reduced or complimentary admission to those
with Smithsonian ID. For more details, contact The Smithsonian Associates
on the Web at Can we get into the Holocaust Museum? Complimentary tickets
for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (not part of the Smithsonian)
are available from the Interns with a valid Smithsonian intern ID can send an e-mail to interninfo@scems.si.edu if you wish to receive tickets. Alternatively, contact the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum at http://www.ushmm.org. What library facilities are available? Interns are encouraged to take advantage of the twenty branches of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL), which house 1.5 million volumes, 40,000 rare books, 15,000 current journals, and 2,000 manuscripts. You will find reference materials, indiv!dual subject files, journals, books, and audiotapes on every museum topic. However, unlike most university lbraries, the Smithsonian libraries are only open Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. The Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) is the online catalogue of resources held by the Institution's libraries, archives, and other specialized research centers.
You will also have access to the Library of Congress and Washington-area public libraries.
Books can only be used on the premises. All patrons using the Library's reading rooms and/or collections must have a user card with a photo on it. User cards can be obtained at the reader registration station in Room lM140 of the Madison Building (Independence Avenue, SE, between 1st and 2nd Streets) by presenting a driver's license or passport, and completing a brief self-registration process. Are there cafeterias and other food services near the Museum? There are both public and staff only cafeterias at most Smithsonian Museums. Here is a listing of the main locations: SMITHSONIAN STAFF CAFETERIAS
NON-SMITHSONIAN
DINING NEARBY
What are some of the local resources to find out what's happening around DC? Washington abounds
in free and inexpensive activities! The following reference may be helpful:
African American Civil War Memorial In addition, many
young professionals enjoy after-work relaxation in these entertainment
districts. These include:
In addition, there are many sports and recreation sites in the DC area.
The Washington-Baltimore area is home to many professional sports teams: Mystics (wnba) Wizards (NBA) Capitals (NHL) DC United (MLs Soccer) Redskins (NFL) Ravens (NFL) Orioles (MLB).
How will I ever remember all this? No need. During orientation you will be provided a with an easy reference booklet titled "Internship Orientation Guide for the Smithsonian" prepared by the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS) office under the direction of Tracie Spinale. Complements to SCEMS and Tracie for compiling much of the leisure activity references for you! |
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