Behind the collections. Into new questions.
Collections digitization and behavioral research in Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History.
- Role
- Volunteer
- Period
- 2026–present
- Lab
- Jessica Ware’s lab · Invertebrate Zoology
- Location
- New York
Two threads at the museum
Beyond its public galleries, AMNH is a place of scientific collections and ongoing research. I volunteer in Jessica Ware’s lab, where my work spans both: helping digitize dragonfly specimens and contributing to an ongoing behavioral study of Chaeteessa mantises.
DIODE · Collections digitization
I prepare specimens and their collection labels for imaging, operate the existing capture setup, review the resulting images, and rehouse the specimens afterward. It is a hands-on process connecting physical collections with digital records.
Chaeteessa · Behavioral research
I’m contributing to an ongoing study of feeding behavior in Chaeteessa mantises, from building filming enclosures and helping run behavioral trials to data collection and, subsequently, processing and analysis.
Following the questions further
I came to the museum wanting to spend more time with questions about animals and their behavior. Working with the collections has given me another way into those questions—and a closer look at the care and tools behind the records researchers use.
