The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
NYS Museum virtually showcasing women in science this month
ALBANY, N.Y. » The New York State Museum is showcasing women in science this month with a new virtual education program.
The museum, though currently closed to the public at its physical location at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, is bringing its programming to the people through online presentations.
The Women of Science series is an opportunity for viewers to virtually meet museum scientists, learn about their research through filmed presentations, and post questions which will be answered by the scientists themselves.
Throughout the month of August, the series will feature several women scientists, who will treat viewers to hands-on educational activities and deliver short talks via Facebook Live and Youtube.
Dr. Christina Reith, co-director of the Cultural Resource Survey Program, kicked off the series last week by giving participants a look at artifacts from the Smith-holloway archaeological site located in the Schoharie Valley of New York. This site contains several different occupations with the most prevalent being the Transitional and Early Woodland occupations. During the program, Reith displayed different artifacts and discussed how they will be used in the future for research and public outreach.
The series will continue with a second talk at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19 titled “Caring for Unique Records in the Geologic
Open File.” New York State Museum geology technician Kathleen Bonk - who is responsible for the Open File Collection, a unique collection of geology-related archival records - will explain how she cares for this small-but-sig
nificant archive through processing and preservation. Attendees will learn the importance of these materials and how Bonk makes the materials in her care available to researchers onsite and remotely.
The archaeology of shipwrecks will be the topic of discussion at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20. This talk will be presented by Dr. Daria Merwin, another co-director of the Cultural Resource Survey Program, which CRSP provides research and assessment of archaeological and architectural resources for other state agencies. Many may not realize that New York has hundreds of shipwrecks that can be found in rivers, lakes, the ocean, and even on land. In this event, Merwin will address underwater and maritime archaeology and explore what these amazing sites can tell about the past.
Archaeology is also an important tool when investigating the lives of enslaved
people living in the Hudson Valley. At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Susan Winchell-sweeney and Kristin O’connell will discuss geo-physical testing at the Douw Site, located at Papscanee Island in Rensselaer County. Guests can discover how the archaeological remains of a house constructed by Volkert P. Douw, a prominent politician during the mid- to late-1700s, provide insight into the individuals that may have occupied the site, including people enslaved by Douw in the 18th century.
As part of a larger project to study the impact of slavery in the Hudson Valley, the New York State Museum, in collaboration with the Open Space Institute and Stockbridge-munsee Mohican Tribal Preservation Office, undertook both a controlled surface artifact collection and a magnetic susceptibility survey at the Douw Site. This is a non-invasive geophysical technique that is becoming increasingly more popular for archaeological investigations in the United States.
The Women of Science series will wrap up with three
speakers sharing their insight about “Fossils in the Field” at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Paleontogist Dr. Lisa Amati, along with collections technicians Sarita Morse and Kathleen Bonk will tell all about what scientists do when they are out in the field.
In this video from the field, the three women will show how they collect fossils, research the area they are studying and conduct work outside. Viewers will learn about the process of collection and hands-on research that helps the New York State Museum increase collections, make discoveries, and share the rich and exciting paleontological history of New York State with science and history enthusiasts.
Each of these presentations are available for live viewing at www.facebook. com/nysmuseum. They will also be available later on at youtube.com/nysmuseum.
Further information about programs and events by the New York State Museum can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum’s website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.