Research and Collections at the New York State Museum is focused on curating collections and encouraging their use for research and education. Our responsibilities are: cataloging and inventorying the collections, facilitating their use by outside researchers, conducting original scientific research using the collection, and educating the public through public programs and exhibits.
This intern will be overseen by NYSM Paleontology and Geologic Open File staff and will be one of three interns working on the Sarah Hall Project. This intern will be responsible for finding information about Sarah Hall in the NYS Archives for the purpose of creating a biography of her.
The Sarah Hall Project
Sarah Hall was the wife of James Hall, the second and longest serving State Paleontologist of New York. One of his most lasting achievements was publishing the 13-volume set called Palaeontology of New York, which describes and illustrates the fossil life discovered in New York. James Hall, sole or lead author of every volume, verbally described each fossil creature and explained the features that make it unique. But, as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, almost every fossil is also illustrated in great detail. Before the advent of photography, images of fossils were created using a camera lucida, where the view through a microscope is projected onto drawing paper. Many of the images were created by “Mrs. Hall”, James Hall’s wife. This is mentioned in a single, short sentence in a few places in the 13 volumes. Other than what is described above, we know nothing about her.
Goal of Project: Uncover history of Sarah Hall to better recognize and honor her contributions to science.
As part of their internship, this intern will learn how to: discover information held within the New York State Archives using retrieval tools including finding aids.
The intern should be enrolled in, accepted to, or on break from an Information Science program or Earth Science program with an interest in Paleontology at any 2 or 4 year school and have an interest in Museum studies or information science.
Intern must be available to work at the NYSM on at least one day Monday - Friday between the hours of 7:00am and 3:30pm. A minimum of 8 hours per week is required, which can be completed one day per week or over multiple days per week.
Qualified candidates should email a cover letter, resume, transcript (student copy is acceptable), and completed internship application to internships@nysed.gov. Please include the Assignment Number (OCE-FA-25-9) in the subject line of your email to reference this assignment.
Failure to send complete application materials via email will result in your removal from our consideration.
Kathleen Bonk