Established with the aim of increasing the outreach of Florida Museum programs across the UF campus, this internship award program seeks to support undergraduate students by facilitating their work on museum-based internship projects.
Internships are to be focused on gaining experience in collections work, laboratory analysis,and/or fieldwork. Awards supporting up to 80 hours of work during one semester will be funded.
Eligibility:
Undergraduate students, including graduating seniors, enrolled at the University of Florida who can demonstrate how their involvement will expand the museum’s reach.
Students should not have had previous paid museum experience or been in this internship before. Prior voluntary service does not disqualify.
Application Deadline:
Apply by 11:59 PM ET on Monday, July 8, 2024
Awardee Agreement:
Successful Awardees will meet with their mentor and agree on project activities and work schedule soon after the start of classes. A progress report and summary, including project-related photos, will due near the end of the semester. Students will also be expected to give a lightning talk presentation about their internship experience.
Please review these examples of recent project reports of students in the program.
Before applying, please review the application to familiarize with the questions and all necessary information. Student without prior museum experience and those with previous unpaid museum experience are encouraged to apply. Students will select from a list of available projects (see below).
Once you have your information ready, click “Apply here”. Please note that we only accept applications submitted via UF qualtrics at the following link PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL YOUR APPLICATION
Funding for this internship program was provided by the Department of Natural History, Department of Exhibits and Public Programs, and iDigBio.
Fall 2024 Museum Internship Projects
Project mentor: Nicolas Gauthier Lab/Collection: AI for Bio/Cultural Diversity PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The AI in Bio/Cultural Diversity lab is looking for creative students who want to learn how to use supercomputers to study our species’ role in Earth’s past, present, and future. We make maps and models of how climate, environment, and society interact, focusing on topics like food production, biodiversity, pandemics, warfare, and cultural evolution. Current projects include research on past societies of the US Southwest, Mexico, Tibet, and Mediterranean, but regional focus is open to student interests. Skills needed: Creativity and an interest in archaeology, climatology, or biodiversity. No experience required. Skills to be gained: Students will gain experience working with maps and spatial data using applications like Google Earth and develop basic coding skills for analyzing and visualizing spatial data. Semester: Spring, Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Elise LeCompte Lab/Collection: Anthropology Collections PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The intern will continue the important work related to the Museum’s compliance with NAGPRA, including assisting the project mentor with collection management tasks associated with NAPGRA-eligible collections. This will include updating inventories, researching object records to confirm legal ownership and provenance, editing and adding object records to the collections database, rehousing objects to conform to tribal requests, and digitizing collections records, as well as other activities as needed. Skills needed: Attention to detail, ability to follow directions. Interest in working with archaeological and ethnographic collections desired, but not required. Skills to be gained: Knowledge of the legal and ethical principles and practices needed to care for indigenous and community collections. Professional museum collections management skills, including addressing issues such as decolonization and collaboration with indigenous communities. Semester: Fall
Project mentor: Andrea Torvinen, Neill Wallis, Ashley Rutkoski Lab/Collection: Ceramic Technology Lab PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Students will assist in digitizing archaeological data from sites across Florida and the broader Southeast. Tasks will include scanning excavation forms, combing through archaeological reports, digitizing profile drawings, collecting contextual information, and recording basic qualitative and quantitative data on archaeological features. The goal of the internship is to have students become familiar with the process of digitizing archaeological data, gain experience with some of the software used, and think about how legacy data can be used to inform us about the past. Skills needed: No collections experience is necessary but completion of introductory course in archaeology is required. Attention to detail and an ability to work independently are preferred. Skills to be gained: Individuals will gain experience with reading and synthesizing information from archaeological reports and publications, recording metric attributes of archaeological features, as well as data management. Semester: Fall
Project mentor: Jerald Pinson, Sarah Fazenbaker Lab/Collection: Digital Engagement/Science Desk PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Feature story on research conducted at the museum or on a specific facet of a collection. The intern will be provided with a range of options from various collections for them to choose from. Alternatively, the intern may develop their own feature story project with guidance, if they have a specific interest. Those with an additional interest or experience in sciart, photography, and/or videography are also encouraged to apply. Skills needed: An interest and demonstrated proficiency in popular science communication. Skills to be gained: Writing, interviewing, interpretation of scientific literature, graphics, and WordPress. Semester: Spring, Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Alberto Lopez-Torres Lab/Collection: EPP Education Department PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This position is with the museum’s education team. It will focus on expanding outreach programming for Shands Children’s Hospital by developing and delivering natural history-themed education programs. Shands outreach programs are designed to provide unique in-person science programming for hospital patients and their families. Students in this position will help deliver educational programs and will develop new themes and activities to complement existing programs. Activities will allow participants to explore the Florida natural history concepts by engaging in hands-on project-based activities during one-hour outreach sessions. Students will also help curate specimens and artifacts from our education collections with the help of museum staff to determine what content can be used to enrich the Shands outreach programs. Skills needed: Writing skills, experience interacting with elementary & middle school students. Skills to be gained: Students will gain written and oral science communication skills; will learn how to develop and deliver science education programs Semester: Fall (afternoon availability is required, especially Mondays between 1-4pm)
Project mentor: Amanda Hall Lab/Collection: Florida Archaeology PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Students will assist with assessing North Florida archaeological museum collections to meet NAGPRA compliance deadlines for the Palmer Mound site. Tasks will include inventorying and recording artifact collections, and digitizing site documents to create site summaries for affiliated tribes. Skills needed: No previous experience is necessary, but the work requires respectful handling of Native American objects of cultural patrimony and various museum documents. Must use discretion, be organized, detail oriented, and work well independently. Previous experience working with Native American cultural materials is helpful, but not required. Skills to be gained: Hands-on experience working with museum artifact and document collections, experience in identifying and describing archaeological artifacts /indigenous cultural materials, and experience in repatriation efforts. Semester: Fall
Project mentor: Alan Franck, Lucas Majure Lab/Collection: Herbarium (Botany) PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Digitizing the plant diversity of the world – To understand plant diversity and target conservation needs, the herbarium is digitizing its collection of about a half-million specimens. Priorities include the orchid family, historic Florida specimens from the 1800s, and the Caribbean flora. We have a very unique collection from these families and areas, some of which needs meticulous curatorial work. Students are encouraged to focus on a particular plant group or geographic area of interest. Skills needed: Interest in plant diversity would be desirable Skills to be gained: curation and digitization of plant specimens, including databasing, photography, mounting, and filing, as well as various interesting tidbits about plant species that we work with. Semester: Spring, Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Bert Foquet, Akito Kawahara Lab/Collection: Kawahara Lab PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Kawahara lab is looking for creative students that can help bridge the gap between Kawahara lab researchers and the general public. This will include generating a timelapse video of caterpillars spinning silk and designing/constructing a museum exhibit showcasing silk diversity in butterflies and moths. Both will be used during outreach events and will be showcased in the Florida Museum of Natural History. Skills needed: Creativity and one of the following: experience with raspberrypi cameras, drawing/painting, sculpturing. A passion for working with insects is desired but not required. Skills to be gained: Insect rearing, setting up raspberrypi cameras, making a museum exhibit Semester: Fall
Project mentor: Bert Foquet, Akito Kawahara Lab/Collection: Kawahara Lab PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Silk proteins have been well studied in the silkworm Bombyx mori but their full diversity in other species of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) is mostly uncharacterized. In collaboration with the Stoppel lab at the UF chemical engineering department, we are characterizing silk diversity in a variety of both terrestrial and aquatic caterpillars by studying gene expression, silk gland morphology, and silk characteristics. Students will help with insect rearing, collecting, and preparing samples for microCT and histology. Depending on their interest and skillset, they could help with other parts of the project as well. Skills needed: Experience with insect rearing is desired but not required. Skills to be gained: Insect rearing, insect dissections, insect collecting, sample preparation Semester: Spring, Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Jonathan Nations Lab/Collection: Mammalogy PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Despite the attention given to many charismatic mammal species, there is still so much we do not know about mammalian biology. For example, Dr. Jon Nations recently found a bone in the shoulder joint of Southeast Asian shrews that is currently unknown to science. This bone fits neatly between the clavicle (collar bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). Does this bone serve an adaptive purpose? Does its presence allow for more flexibility in the shoulder? And where did it come from? To answer these questions, we first need to understand how it fits into the musculoskeletal system. The student intern will use previously acquired 3D CT scan images of two shrew specimens along with digital imaging software to identify which shoulder muscles are, and are not, attached to the bone, illuminating its role in shoulder movement. This project is a key component of describing the bone in a scientific journal. The student intern will generate data and figures for the manuscript, and serve as a co-author. Skills needed: Curiosity Skills to be gained: Processing, visualizing, and presenting CT scan data, learning about the anatomy, morphology, and movement of small mammals, writing skills and serving as co-author on a scientific manuscript, presenting a scientific poster at a research event. Semester: Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Verity Mathis Lab/Collection: Mammalogy PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Curation of the Mammal Collection: students will assist in the data checking, curation, and inventorying of the mammal collection Skills needed: attention to detail, organizational skills Skills to be gained: experience working with mammal collections and their data, experience in the Specify database Semester: Spring, Fall
Project mentor: Andrea Torvinen, Amanda Hall Lab/Collection: North Florida Archaeology PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Students will assist with assessing archaeological museum collections to meet NAGPRA compliance deadlines for sites located in Northeastern Florida. Tasks will include inventorying and recording artifact collections, and digitizing site documents to create site summaries for affiliated tribes. Skills needed: No previous experience is necessary, but the work requires respectful handling of Native American objects of cultural patrimony and various museum documents. Must use discretion, be organized, detail oriented, and work well independently. Previous experience working with Native American cultural materials is helpful, but not required. Skills to be gained: Hands-on experience working with museum artifact and document collections, experience in identifying and describing archaeological artifacts/Indigenous cultural materials, and experience in repatriation efforts. Semester: Spring, Summer, Fall
Project mentor: Steven R. Manchester Lab/Collection: Paleobotany PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Photographing and describing 40 to 60-million year old fossil leaves. Skills needed: background or interest in botany. Skills to be gained: photography, methods of identification of fossil leaves and inference of past climate. Semester: Spring
Intern Testimonials
“An invaluable opportunity to familiarize yourself with careers in scientific fields that often go unnoticed, gain research experience with a supportive mentor, and overall a great way to gain new experiences you might not receive anywhere else”
“My internship experience was a valuable one. I was able to gain hands on experience in artifact preservation and the techniques and measures taken to maintain cultural artifact collections. I had fun too and was able to meet new friends and mentors that will go beyond this experience.”
“This internship gave me a chance to gain a better understanding about the processes to acquire new items for collection and the work done to care for a collection”
The Florida Museum Undergraduate Internship Program (FMUIP) Committee organizes the internship program.
The Florida Museum Undergraduate Internship Program Committee:
Adania Flemming (Grad student member)
Shyla Davidson (iDigBio)
Amy Hester (EPP)
Steve Manchester (NH chair)
Gil Nelson (iDigBio)
Larry Page (NH member)
Mariela Pajuelo (NH member)
Juliette Rubin (member)
Alberto Lopez Torres (EPP)