Partnering with museums to support a new generation of scientists

Q: What inspired you to apply for an NRT?

A: As a researcher and a biologist, I’ve used a lot of museum resources in my research. There have been so many technological advances in understanding and interpreting museum objects, from biological specimens to archaeological specimens to geological specimens. Our team saw this enormous opportunity to develop a cutting-edge, scientific program, thinking about how to take these objects and really bring them together, how we use materials science and data science to uncover the information from these objects, and then to intersect that into common timelines and to common problems that we want to address. It just seemed like a natural fit, because the museum really is an interdisciplinary place that I think facilitates communication. It’s been a nice way to intersect across disciplines that don’t normally talk to each other.

This program is place-based; we're working in the southwest primarily, and we're working with human, biological and physical systems and how those things intersect. And there are so many problems, like mine spills, like uranium on some pueblos, that we can better understand because we've got materials that were present before the impact occurred.

I think what we've been able to pull together is a recognition from our colleagues who might not have been museum-focused about the importance of museums from a scientific perspective. Many researchers don't think of it as a primary source, but I think we've started to change the culture. I think people are seeing some of the research that's coming out of this. We've got a couple of National Academy members in this group, people that are doing remarkably creative and innovative research. I think it just brings that to light.

Q: How do trainees engage with museum collections, and what’s the impact on their research?

A: One of the most important partnerships that seems to emerge, and one that is special for the students, is the museum's historical role and communicating science to the public. Many times, going to something like a natural history museum is a person’s first experience with science, it’s a very visual and tactile kind of modality rather than strictly academic. So many of our students have partnered with our museum community outside of the university to expand their impact, creating and working on small exhibits.

I think that probably one of the biggest impacts outside of the institution is that these students are very innovative in the way they're using these materials to address questions of both societal and scientific importance. They're carrying that out not only through scientific endeavors but also through sharing with the public. They are engaging in what has been the traditional wheelhouse of the museum, but in a way that really brings the excitement of research and discovery.

Q: Talk about the intersection of science and cultural diversity in this work.

A: There's a big movement in museums now to decolonize, to think about how to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into what we do and to bring that perspective to the way we understand these objects and what they do. Rather than just view an object through the lens of a person that comes through a university, it brings the perspective of someone with on-the-ground knowledge of these things. That’s really become an amazing part of this project, and it's taught me a tremendous amount personally, as well as our trainees.

Now we have a cultural geographer interested in social networks and how those are built and using archaeological, biological and other disciplines to enhance her work. For example, she's working with the Navajo Nation and some of their botanists who have knowledge about traditional plants in the nation. They can intersect that deep cultural knowledge with a scientific viewpoint about the diversity of plants and what they do, how they relate to the soil, and the region's geology.

Q: Now that you’re halfway through the project, what are you focusing on now?

A: We’re happy with the intellectual, cultural and ethnic diversity mix of the students we have, because we think it brings an exciting vibrancy. We want to enhance that by making sure that students from the Southwest, from Hispanic families and communities that have lived here for 400 or 500 years and from Indigenous communities, can take part. Those are the people we really want, because this program is geared towards addressing the challenges — and the great things — about the Southwest. We really want to make this feel like it's a program for people who have a big investment in the place itself.

In our recruitment efforts, we've been able to meet face-to-face with folks, which has made a huge difference in our ability to get things done. And as we get momentum in the program, it feels like it's getting better every year. Every time we offer the course, bring in a group of students, there's the sort of community where students can work with each other and there's a nice synergy that starts to build.

We also want to make sure we can sustain the program into the future, which requires some university buy-in. We do have access to the administration and an upper administration, and they seem to like the program. It's one of the few actual interdisciplinary programs that are in the books at UNM as a graduate interdisciplinary program. I think we're pushing things in a direction that's a lot more cross-disciplinary. We've been talking to our administration about a fellowship program that would be modeled on the NRT where we’d be able to attract students and continue to offer these courses, as a centerpiece highlighting the university’s strong museum infrastructure. There is momentum toward the university taking ownership of that, considering its importance towards graduate education more broadly at UNM.

A trainee’s reflection

"I'm a biology major and have always worked with biology. But through this experience, we worked with archaeology and some aspects of paleontology and geology and then began integrating techniques. So, I can engage with diverse students and faculty. I think it's very enriching for everyone because we do get to see the perspective of different disciplines on how they approach the same problem. It's life-changing on a professional level. I don't think science is going to advance unless we start working with other disciplines in general. That being the focal point of this NRT is very crucial, and it's something that we need to continue."