Projects:

1. Assessing the Value of a Science Publication (One Student)
The institution publishes information about erupting volcanoes in what is currently called the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network. This is available both in black-and-white as a paper copy, and as a PDF file, and it forms a key part of the Web site where it is typically described as an "activity report." The museum would like to find ways to evaluate the impact of the bulletin on scientists and research. The process is complicated by the fact that the name of the publication has changed several times since it began in 1968. Furthermore, the publication is "gray literature" that often gets cited in differing ways in various publications. The museum is also uncertain whether investigators are clearly citing the data obtained from its Web site. Still, the museum would like to explore how it might establish a reasonable estimate of its "citation index." Perhaps there are other indices that come into play in cases like this, in which case, the staff would like to learn more about the options for evaluating this publication. In addition, various experiments and comparative tests can be made using citation indexing techniques. If time is available, the student may wish to explore some of these. Another related publication, Weekly Reports on active volcanoes, might also be the subject of a similar evaluation (that publication is just a few years old and Web-based only). The results of these efforts will bear upon planning, direction, and strategy. How important is the work in current research and for future assessments and understanding of planet Earth?


2. Discovery Room Collections (One Student)
The intern will organize and catalogue the collection of the museum's Discovery Room as well as identify unknown objects utilizing the expertise available from the museum's research and collections staff. The Discovery Room is a unique educational facility for families and students. The room features activities using real Museum objects and interactive, hands-on experiences that allow visitors to explore the natural world at their own pace, guided by their own interests and sense of wonder. The Discovery Room serves two primary audiences: families and school groups. Activities in the room for the families (during public hours) and school groups (during reserved times) are designed and developed by museum staff and incorporate objects from the Discovery Room collection. The Discovery Room collection is composed of about 1,000 objects representing anthropology, botany, entomology, invertebrate zoology, mineral sciences, paleobiology and vertebrate zoology (birds, fishes, mammals, reptiles and amphibians). The objects are deaccessioned, gifts or purchased items. Not all the objects are catalogued and not all the objects have been identified.

Qualifications are undergraduate or graduate students in science or museum studies or graduated students with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and experience in the fields of science or museum studies. Applicants should have an interest in science and museum studies; 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.


3. Contributions to the U.S. National Herbarium
1. Botany Maps (One Student)
The Department of Botany has a collection of over 10,000 maps dating from the 1860s to the present. Volunteer help has been organizing the maps, photographing them and entering them into a database. Depending on the student's skills and interests, s/he would assist in identifying obscure maps, photographing maps, editing the photos, entering information about the maps into the database and/or cleaning up the database code and web interface. The database is written in Microsoft Access and its primary user interface is in ColdFusion / HTML / SQL.

Participant Comments

"I organized, cataloged, and digitized part of the map collection in the Botany Department. The best parts were all of the perks of working or volunteering at the Smithsonian: tours of departments, lectures, and tours of special exhibits. I have a new awareness of what the Smithsonian does, that there is so much research that goes on and how they encourage learning among their staff.

"The organization was one that encouraged us to learn things and take advantage of what they had to offer. They were ready to answer any questions I asked or find someone who could. My official supervisor, Rusty Russell, was nice and very accommodating of my requests. The person I worked with most directly, Jim Harle, was eager to show me all of the things the Smithsonian had to offer and was willing to let me take over tasks and suggest changes in how he worked. He was very flexible and a wonderful person to introduce me to the organization. I most enjoyed getting to spend time in D.C. seeing the sights (including some you never get to see, backstage at the Smithsonian) while spending time with friends."


2. Ethnobotany Research (One Student)
The Department of Botany is studying the ethnobotany of the border regions of the United States and Mexico, using historical specimens in the United States National Herbarium. A preliminary step is to ascertain all available published, archival and online resources associated with the collecting of ethnobotanist Edward Palmer, the government funded Mexican Boundary Survey (1852-1855) and International Boundary Commission (1911). The Spring Break student would assist the project researcher is assembling and organizing these references and, if time permits, begin the task of extracting specific botanical and ethnobotanical data from these references.


4. Discovery Room School Programs (One Student)
The intern will assist with the NMNH Discovery Room School Programs including taking reservations, scheduling, teaching, and evaluating School Programs, as well as developing and testing new archaeology lessons on Egypt and Mali. The Discovery Room School Programs are hands-on, object-based, curriculum-based lessons for grades K-7 in the Discovery Room at the National Museum of Natural History. These free lessons are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from October through May. Teachers may make reservations for groups of 15-60 students. For groups of 15-30 students, lessons take place from 10:15-11 a.m. For groups of 31-60 students, two back-to-back lessons take place from 10:15-11 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m. for up to 30 students in each class. Lesson topics include Discovering Dinosaurs, Classifying Shells, Animal Coverings, Insect Survival, Identifying Minerals, and Exploring Ecosystems. All lessons are aligned with Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., state standards of learning.

Qualifications are advanced undergraduate or graduate students in education; also graduated students who have a minimum of a bachelor's degree and some teaching experience. Applicants should have understanding of inquiry-based, object-based learning; interest in developing curriculum and designing programs to best meet student/teacher needs; good social and interpersonal skills; excellent organization and communication skills; ability and interest in working with students; and enthusiasm.


5. Future Female Scientists Program (One Student)
The intern will assist with planning, scheduling, applications, and administration of the Smithsonian Future Female Scientists Program, an educational outreach program run through the National Museum of Natural History's Office for External Affairs and Public Programs. This program will bring 25 high school girls from the Washington, D.C., metro area to the Smithsonian on March 8-9 for a two-day program highlighting females in science. The target audience is junior and senior students in high school who are interested in pursuing science in college and as a career. Students will be matched with female scientist sponsors, and will learn from these women through workshops, hands-on activities, and visits to research divisions. The objectives of this program are to provide students a valuable opportunity to meet female scientists with different roles; to learn about diverse academic paths and experiences that lead to a career in science; and to practice science skills through hands-on activities. Anticipated, measurable outcomes are that participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the many roles, academic paths, and skills of female scientists after their unique, enriching experience here. This pilot project will be evaluated and used as the basis for development of an annual program for high school girls.

Qualifications are undergraduate or graduate students in science or education or graduated students with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and experience in the fields of science or education. Applicants should have an interest in science and education; good social and interpersonal skills; excellent organization and communication skills; ability and interest in working with students; and enthusiasm.


6. Human Studies Film Archives, Museum Support Center (One Student)
Student will work with HSFA staff to design an accession register database based on criteria developed by HSFA staff. Student will enter at least one year's worth of accessions as a test for the effectiveness of the database. Qualifications are experience using Microsoft Excel (a must), knowledge of database functions and design a plus. Knowledge of Filemaker Pro a bonus!


7. Archiving and Document Scanning and Database Management for the Wilson Copepod Library (One Student)
Intern will use a high-speed scanner to scan and archive copepod information cards. The scanner scans both sides of the card, creates and then saves a JPG file. This file is then renamed following a specific protocol and attached to an Access database. The Wilson Copepod Library was started in the late 1800s by Charles B. Wilson, and is the largest collection of literature dealing with the crustacean group known as copepods in the world. One of the unique features of this library is the copepod species 3x5 card collection of approximately 40,000 cards. A card exists for every known genus and species including synonyms. Each card records who published on the species, the year and what pages referenced this species. It is an invaluable resource, with many cards over 100 years old, these cards have been added to and maintained up to the present. Many of the older cards are becoming brittle and worn and this resource needs to be digitized and converted to JPGs. This unique collection will then be made available on the Web at the World of Copepods. The library also has many very old books and papers that need to be placed in archival Mylar envelopes, labeled, and filed back into the collection. Some of the more delicate older publications will need to be scanned before deterioration of the paper results in its loss. At the end of the project the Genera database on the web will be updated with these pdf files making the information available to all researchers in the world. Credit for this work will result with the student's name appearing on the World of Copepod Web site

The student should have basic knowledge of the Access and/or Excel databases, an interest in archival processing, and electronic record management. Knowledge in Web development would be helpful but is not required.


8. Wield the Power of RSS (One Student)
The RSS, the Really Simple Syndication XML format, is among the fastest growing internet technologies to distribute, expose, and share online information. It is also growing as one of the best ways to promote museum websites and dynamically changing and rich museum web content. The NMNH Web Branch seeks to take advantage of the established RSS technologies and utilize its power and trend in support of the new NMNH Web Site which is about to be launched in the spring of 2006 as well as for the promotion of existing websites, exhibits, and other promotional venues. The technical focus of this opportunity is to work with the NMNH IT Web Branch and/or internal content providers and web managers to develop and implement the required RSS XML templates, usage standards, guidelines, and documentation for multiple museum RSS feeds through which to distribute and promote museum information. If necessary, this opportunity would require ample research (if not already known) into RSS industry standards and best practices from which the museum can take full advantage. Since the NMNH web sphere is emerging deeper into the Smithsonian's utilization of Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy, our Web Content Management (WCM) system, this internship opportunity also offers the advantage of gaining valuable experience by working with a powerful and industry standard, enterprise wide WCM.

Qualifications are basic or advanced levels of Web development and a good or aspiring understanding of XML and RSS and an interest in working within an industry standard WCM. Moreover, good communication skills, dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough follow-up with solid documentation skills are important to find success with this opportunity.


9. Power to the Podcasters! (One Student)
Podcasting, like RSS (Really Simple Syndication), is among the fastest-growing Internet audiovisual technologies to syndicate and distribute online information. Likewise, it is growing as one of the best ways to promote museum events and dynamically changing and rich audio and video museum content. NMNH seeks to take advantage of established Podcast technologies and inexpensive tools to utilize its power and trend in support of the new NMNH Web Site which is about to be launched in the spring of 2006 as well as for the promotion of museum events, new exhibits, online Web sites, and other museum promotional venues. The technical focus of this opportunity is to work with the NMNH IT Web Branch and/or internal content providers and web managers to develop and implement an easy-to-use Podcast toolbox, establish usage standards, audio encoding guidelines, and documentation for multiple and/or custom museum Podcast feeds through which to distribute and promote museum audio or visual information. If necessary, this opportunity would require ample research (if not already known) into Podcast standards and best practices from which the museum can take full advantage. Since the NMNH Web sphere is emerging deeper into the Smithsonian's utilization of Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy, our Web Content Management (WCM) system, this internship opportunity also offers the advantage of gaining valuable experience by working with a powerful and industry standard, enterprise wide WCM.

Qualifications are basic or advanced levels of audio and video Web development and especially a good or aspiring understanding of Podcast technologies and associated encoding and RSS formats. The position is suited for those who are interested in working within an industry standard WCM. Moreover, good communication skills, dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough follow-up with solid documentation skills would also be important to find success with this opportunity.


10. Fantastic Flash Development and Educational Flash Interactives
Flash has been called the industry standard for creating high-impact interactive web presentations, and this description fits well for many museum virtual efforts, online exhibits, and educational and informative interactives. As with other museums and public educational institutions, the use of Flash at NMNH has paralleled the industry trends. This Flash based internship opportunity offers two optional directions:


1. Fantastic Flash Development: Scribble Flash (One Student)
Work with the NMNH IT Web Branch or NMNH Content Providers and implement a small collection of Flash-based applications that use the "Scribble" coloring book Flash interactive application technology, which basically allows Web users to color or draw on a selection of images. The Smithsonian has complete usage rights to these tools and various implementations are already in use at a few other Smithsonian museums. Specifically, the intern(s) would assist in choosing and editing optimal natural history related images (dinosaurs, gems, animals, plants, etc.), work with Flash and code configurations, upload, test, and document the steps and procedures. An example of the "Scribble" Flash application can be seen in use at the Smithsonian's Postal Museum.


2. Fantastic Flash Development: Independent Flash Development (One Student)
Develop a less-specific Flash-based interactive that would allow the intern to come up with and implement his or her own idea for an educational or edutainment oriented Flash interactive that makes innovative use of our rich online educational and collections content.

These opportunities are best suited for candidates with basic or advanced levels of Flash experience, but aspiring Flash developers are also welcome. Moreover, good communication skills, dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough follow-up with reasonable documentation would also be important to find success with these opportunities.


11. Internal Navigation and Emerging Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) Development (One Student)
NMNH is among the largest and most complex museums in the world. As the Web Branch moves forward to support the Web and online needs of its Web visitors and professional associates, it also must provide an efficient internal (intranet) Web presence to meet the growing needs of internal communication and information sharing. Traditionally, the museum intranet space has been a disparate collection of various office and departmental spaces without a necessary logical structure that supports the internal museum structure. Efforts to consolidate the intranet resources into the Smithsonian's enterprise-wide Web content management system (WCM) are already under way. The Smithsonian uses Interwoven TeamSite/OpenDeploy among the most powerful and industry standard WCM systems. The focus of this opportunity is to work with the NMNH IT Web Branch and internal content providers to build and implement a more solid navigational foundation and structure for museum internal resources within the Intranet WCM and assist in the migration of disparate intranet content sources into the new proposed structure and system. Because new NMNH Intranet efforts are moving to CSS functionality, it will also be important to implement a dynamic and changeable format for the navigation that takes advantage of style sheet functionality, from which the NMNH Web Branch has already started to build and manage.

These opportunities are best suited for candidates with basic or advanced levels of Web development and especially those with a good understanding of CSS, and for those who are interested in working within an industry standard WCM. Moreover, good communication skills, dynamic initiative, creativity, and thorough follow-up with reasonable documentation would also be important to find success with these opportunities.


12. Museum Specimen Web Development (One Student)
The student will gain experience with the Smithsonian's new Research and Collections Information System (KE EMu), and asssist with testing of intranet and Internet query and display functions for collections data from several departments, particularly in the life sciences. Project includes testing of data field mapping and proper data output from simple and complex searches, in line with specifications from each department.

Students with a background in biodiversity or other nautural history subjects, and with some experience in Web development are encouraged to participate.


13. Invertebrate Zoology Illustration Archive (One Student)
Fine and elaborate illustrations of invertebrate animals are being cleaned and safely stored using archival sleeves and boxes. A database in FileMaker Pro is maintained with details of each illustration. The museum has more than 2,000 illustrations stored and cataloged but fewer than 10 percent have been scanned. These illustrations represent a period of about 50 years when the department of Invertebrate Zoology was full of researchers doing taxonomic work and needing accurate drawings to publish along with the description. While these drawings can be seen here where they are stored, having them in digital form would allow much greater access. The museum needs someone to scan these drawings.

The intern must be neat, clean, and careful. Must be able to handle the drawings without touching the image and to keep the scanner and work area free of dirt. Accurately naming the image with its scientific name and burning groups of images onto CD is part of the job.