From the Futures Team
Work Experience Stories – Australian Museum
Yu Zhou (Year 11) attended the Australian Museum’s work experience program at the end of term 3.
This high school work experience program offers students the chance to explore a variety of careers including science and cultural research, education, public programming, curatorial and exhibition design, marketing, communications and corporate services.
Read about her experience below:
At the end of Term 3 I had the magical opportunity to experience a week in the life at the Australian Museum in mineralogy & petrology, marine invertebrates, education, archaeology, and airstrikes DNA testing. The remarkable range of collections allowed me to strengthen my analytical skills, critical thinking, problem solving, communication and understanding of historical analysis and appreciation of the precision required to preserve artefacts. My days at the Museum were never tedious, you easily get intoxicated by the labyrinths of a bewitching sea of colourful minerals, artistic creations, the evolution of science at your fingertips and archaeological riches peppered throughout the maze of wonders.
My favourite day was when I was able to work with Dayna McGeeney and Ross Pogson in the mineralogy archives and using the X-ray diffraction spectrometer to detect distinct minute fragments from different types of minerals. Ross and Dayna taught us the geochemistry of minerals in addition to a variety of investigation techniques and how to use laboratory apparatus. Under their guidance, we were able to shoot X-rays into a paste we generated by grinding the mineral into fine powder. After coating it with a layer of acetate to smooth its surface, the X-rays formed a fingerprint of the species that computed the percentage composition of each element in the mineral. Being able to work with both incredible scientists who devote their life to educating and discovering mineralogy was truly an invaluable opportunity for me as well as understanding the process behind predicting minerals based on their colour, shape, and size.
The most invaluable advice I had received during the week was from Dr Rebecca Jones who took us behind the scenes to study the process of conserving fragile objects in the AM’s collection area and conservation team. Rebecca, who specialises in zooarchaeology, showed us how to analyse and contextualise museum exhibits. I was able to research and analyse Nephrite Jade from China, which was formerly owned by a high-status family who lived in Henan, for historical and scientific importance. Most ornamental minerals were opaque to transparent and fine grained, reflecting Confucian ideas of virtue, preciousness, and beauty as well as being merely decorative.
Something I didn’t expect to do but thoroughly enjoyed was testing for Tiger DNA from tiger tissue. Behind the scenes, the Australian museum helps with identifying wildlife from aviation airstrikes. The museum has been working with commercial and defence airports since 2006 and used DNA to identify 100s of different birds and bat species involved in collisions of aircraft. The process was very meticulous with crushing the mitochondria to obtain only the white strand of the DNA. I loved everything about the process and understanding the work behind the science of geometrics.
Overall, the experience has made a significant lasting impact on how I view the world around me, the past and the future for education, history, and science. I highly recommend this work experience which will allow you to experience the beauty of learning, creation, preservation, and the past.
