I am a graduate student in Biology/Botany at the University of
Michigan and will be finishing my master's next spring. Having recently
decided to decline admission to the PhD program and instead enter the job
market next year, I am trying to figure out how to best use my final year
in graduate school to increase the odds of my being gainfully
employed doing work I will love after graduation. Ideally, I would like to
work doing science education, translating  'hard science' for the public,
and getting everyday people and children excited about natural
history, bring all the incredible ideas about the biological world beyond
the ivory tower to mainstream America. I have a fair amount of leeway
in terms of what I can take for classes this year, my question is what
would be most appropriate in terms of my career goals? I have teaching
experience as a graduate student instructor for a range of courses, but
have not taken any formal education courses, would that be reccomended? I
would love to help or aid in exhibit design (I am not sure, does that work
usually go to a hired artist who is then directed  by the
scientist/educator or do exhibit designers have a background in science as
well?), in which case should I take graphic design/art courses? Obviously,
museum experience would be appropriate, is it reccomended even at the
level of docent or volunteer, or if I can't really get a behind the scenes
internship would it be wiser to take courses rather than spend time giving
tours?

Thank you all very much for any advice in this area. I am new to the
museum field, but eager to jump in, any words of wisdom on how to better
prepare myself would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Rachel Ehrenberg
***********
Rachel Ehrenberg
University of Michigan, Dept. of Biology
Natural Science Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
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