Museum specialist Tim Coffer provides a brief progress report on the coral collection move and introduces a few temporary faces in Invertebrate Zoology (IZ).
Tim reports to IZ
The snapshot pictured below depicts my latest and greatest additions to the team of volunteers helping to move the coral collection downstairs. On the ladder is Sharon Njalaleh, a student at Southern Adventist University. She will be participating four days per week through early August. The three young women standing behind Sharon are Madhuri, Pallavi, and Akila Prayaga, all from Langley High School in Virginia. These three students are participating in the Langley Leap Program, which allows graduating seniors to work an internship instead of attending classes for the last two weeks of their senior year.
As a result of the participation of these eager and energetic young volunteers, we should be able to see the entire collection of recent corals, as well as the Mesozoic fossils, moved by early fall.
I have also shared this image with the students’ respective mentors. This image is fantastic proof that we in the Invertebrate Zoology community engage students from both near and far in all aspects of museum life!
A brief chat with the Prayaga triplets
On the morning that Tim introduced me to the Prayaga triplets, Madhuri, Pallavi, and Akila, the sisters were busy moving Mesozoic fossil corals from Jamaica and Mexico from their third floor home into the new collection space. Akila, who remarked that “one benefit to working with your sisters is that you’re collaborating together,” was also very quick to let me know that she was the oldest (by two minutes). Akila is excited to be back in the Smithsonian’s collections: previously, she interned in the Vertebrate Zoology department via the Youth Engagement through Science (YES!) program.
Pallavi is particularly interested in the different kinds of specimens, remarking that “it’s interesting seeing all of these fossils and learning about them.” Previously, she studied Latin and has always had a special interest in paleontology and history. Hence, for Pallavi in particular, this experience is priceless. At one point, Pallavi said that she could see herself working in a research museum such as the National Museum of Natural History. As Pallavi showed me around the new cabinets that she and her sisters have helped fill this week, she opened one drawer with several very large specimens and related the surprise she experienced when first realizing that “some corals are really heavy!”
The Prayaga sisters are also very excited to be attending college in the fall. While Madhuri has plans to pursue medical studies, Pallavi will be studying environmental engineering, and Akila is focused on a future in business. Even so, despite their various career interests, all three are enjoying this temporary behind-the-scenes opportunity.
No Bones highlighted Mary Mellott and Tom Kamasky, two long-term coral collection volunteers, in a previous post, which you can read here.
by Tim Coffer and Liz Boatman
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