Major: Scientific Illustration & Biomedical Physiology minor

Anticipated Year of Graduation: Spring 2027

What collections are you working with: Vertebrates (Mammology, Ornithology, Herpetology)

Who is your staff/faculty mentor: Nicole Pontzer

What are your interests:  I am interested in animals, nature, and drawing, especially natural science illustration (e.g., ecosystem/wildlife posters and infographics). I also enjoy taking pictures with my digicams, thrifting, making jewelry, and collecting trinkets!

What are you doing with your collection during your internship: I am helping Nicole Pontzer and Daphne Onderdonk put together the vertebrate section of the newly expanded migration-themed museum exhibit opening this fall. This includes a variety of tasks, from problem-solving together to figure out the best layout for specimens, bones, and labels in the cases/vitrines, building reader rails, and editing panel graphics on Canva, to transporting a taxidermied moose bust and fake fir branch covered in glued-on real monarch butterflies to and from the museum. I am also illustrating an animal migration superlatives poster for the exhibit and helping Prof. Meredith Lachin paint a Georgia ecosystem-themed mural on the walls of the main stairway.

What made you want to do an internship with GMNH: I’ve loved natural history museums ever since I was a kid and have always been very interested in seeing the behind-the-scenes of how they run. I also really wanted to interact with and get up close to the various specimens, taxidermy, and fossils from the GMNH’s diverse collections, especially the mammals and birds, which are my favorite. This internship was the perfect way to combine my passion for art and the natural world by getting the unique and exciting opportunity to be part of the creation of an actual museum exhibit!