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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

SIMA Research Internship FAQ

SIMA student examining birchbark baskets

SIMA Research Internships are intended for graduate students who are preparing for research careers in cultural anthropology. During four weeks of training, research interns become acquainted with strategies for navigating museum systems, learn to select methods to examine and analyze archival and museum collections, and consider a range of theoretical issues that collections-based research may address. SIMA Research Interns are also taught about the ethics of engaging with communities’ belongings in museums, and the practicalities of doing collaborative research.

The program is not designed to serve students seeking careers in museum management or whose research field is archaeology. Students in related interdisciplinary programs (Indigenous Studies, Folklore, etc.) are considered if the proposed project explores issues of importance to cultural anthropology and if an anthropology faculty member at the student's university commits to supervise its implementation.

Students at both the M.A. and doctoral level are considered for acceptance.

All U.S. students are eligible, even if studying abroad. International students can be considered only if they are enrolled in a university in the U.S.A. Canadian First Nation members are eligible under treaty agreements.

No formal training in museum issues and material culture analysis is required. Applicants who don’t have this background should explain why they didn’t have access to such training and what informal types of education they have been able to pursue. We provide a set of preparatory readings to familiarize everyone with basic literature in the field.

Get in touch with us by email; we are glad to help. Think about the types of theory that appeal to you, the questions about culture that interest you, and the geographic region that you plan to specialize in. Use the resources at your university. Ask the faculty member who inspired your interest in SIMA to help you define a research question. Then ask us to help you figure out how collections might help to answer that question.

Maybe. Artifact collections are the central focus for SIMA training, not exhibits. However, many students are interested in exploring how core questions about systems of representation can be addressed by interrogating object collections as well as by analyzing exhibits.

Maybe. Think about the research questions that you are trying to answer using photographs. Consider whether three-dimensional objects might contribute to the research questions that interest you.

It can provide an opportunity to carry out some preliminary data collection, but the goal is to learn HOW to access and assess data. If data collection is your primary goal, you should consider applying to the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program. Information is available at Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships.

The program is designed for students who will be enrolled in a graduate program in the year following their participation in SIMA. If you are not currently enrolled but will be in the fall, you can be considered if you have commitment from a faculty member to supervise your project during the next year. If you are uncertain how to proceed, get in touch with us. We can offer suggestions.

Generally yes, due to the nature of our federal funding. However, foreign students enrolled in a US university are eligible as are members of Canadian First Nations, who hold special treaty status. Contact us if you have questions about eligibility.

Probably not. SIMA is intended for students focusing on issues in cultural anthropology rather than archaeological research. However, applications would be welcome from students with training in archaeology who want to focus on such issues using data from ethnological collections.

 

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers BCS-1127060, BCS-0852511, BCS-1424029, BCS-1824641 and BCS-2317314.