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Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA)

Application opens: January 4
Deadline to apply: March 15 at 11:59PM (ET) 
Award notification: April 15
Number of Weeks: 10 
Start Date: 5/26/24 (move into provided housing)
End Date: 8/3/24 (move out of provided housing)

This is a cohort internship so all interns should be able to start and end on these dates and be actively engaged in the internship at least 36 hours/week

Stipend Amount: $5400 ($540/week) + housing provided 

Focused on students from communities currently underrepresented in the museum conservation field, the Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA) offers opportunities for current or recent undergraduates to learn about museum conservation. During a 10-week summer program, CIBA interns are placed with mentors in a variety of conservation labs throughout the Smithsonian. The program supports interns by offering a stipend and paid housing during the internship. A relocation travel allowance may also be included as part of the internship award.

Support for this program is provided by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and is administered by the Smithsonian’s Office of Internship Programs (OIP). The program reflects the commitment of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Smithsonian to diversify museum professionals of tomorrow by providing opportunities to a diversity of prospective museum professionals today.
The CIBA program is an onsite program and internships cannot be done virtually.  

 

CIBA intern

Background and Purpose

CIBA aims to help diversify the field of museum conservation by introducing the field to students who come from varied economic, cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.  Students and recent graduates from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) of higher education such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) are encouraged to apply to this program. CIBA Interns will:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of museum conservation through multi-disciplinary experiences involving the conservation of objects, paintings, textiles, paper, time-based media, and/or other materials
  • Increase their knowledge of advanced technology in the field of museum conservation
  • Learn about topics in museum conservation practices, industry standards, and educational requirements through weekly seminars curated by institutional experts
  • Hone their research, laboratory, and professional skills through their internship and weekly skill-building seminars.

Learning Objectives

CIBA intern 2 with textile

 Through this opportunity, CIBA interns will:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of museum conservation through multi-disciplinary experiences involving the conservation of objects, paintings, textiles, paper, time-based media, and/or other materials
  • Increase knowledge of advanced technology in the field of museum conservation
  • Learn about topics in museum conservation practices, industry standards, and educational requirements through weekly seminars curated by institutional experts 
  • Hone their research, laboratory, and professional skills

How It Works

Guided by interests and availability of opportunities, during their internship, each CIBA intern will be placed in the conservation department of a particular Smithsonian unit for the duration of their time at the Smithsonian. These units include:

Prospective CIBA interns may indicate their preferences for placement in their application essay.

In addition to their individual placements, CIBA interns will have an opportunity to participate in a weekly seminar with other CIBA interns as a cohort. These seminars will touch on a spectrum of interdisciplinary museum conservation topics, involve an array of different experiences, and be led by a variety of institutional experts. The CIBA weekly seminar will also incorporate programming from Smithsonian partnerships with graduate conservation programs. 

Towards the end of their internship experience, each CIBA intern will be required to present a report summarizing what they have learned during their experience and outlining what their next steps might be.

CIBA Intern 4 doing object photography

Eligibility

To apply for the this program, applicants should:

  • Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program, or  graduated from an undergraduate program within the last year.
  • Have substantial coursework in chemistry, art history, design, photography, computer science, and/or studio art  
  • Demonstrate an interest in a career in conservation or the museum field.
How to Apply

CIBA Intern 5 presenting

Use the SOLAA System to Apply Onlinehttps://solaa.si.edu

To apply, create an account on the Smithsonian Online Academic Appointment System (SOLAA). Then start an application for this internship program.

  • Register for SOLAA
  • Select “Internship"
  • Select "Office of Academic Appointments and Internships"
  • Select “Smithsonian “Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA)” from the drop-down menu.
  • Apply for the year you hope to being the internship 

As part of the application, you will be asked to submit:

  • A current CV or resume including your education, any volunteer experience, skills and accomplishments (2 pages maximum)

  • An Essay: Application essay must address the following questions 
    1) Cultural heritage refers to intangible concepts such as language and practices, as well as tangible objects, collections, specimens, structures, or sites identified as having artistic, historical, scientific, religious, or social significance. What is it about working with and preserving cultural heritage that interest you? (200 words) 
    2) A short biography describing your background, personal history and interests, and your major/minor, if declared (300 words) 
    3) How will the CIBA program help you further define your career goals? What do you hope to learn  from this experience (200 words) 
    4) How did you hear about this opportunity?
    5) which Smithsonian Unit(s) you are most interested in joining for your internship.

  • Transcripts: (or other materials when transcripts are not issued) from all appropriate institutions are required. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. If transcripts or other materials are not in English, the applicant should provide translations.

  • References: Names and email addresses of two people who can provide a recommendation. One should be a teacher.

    • Please Note: While creating your online SOLAA application, you will be asked to enter this information and then send an email to these individuals. They should then provide their reference directly to SOLAA. Please encourage your references to submit by the application deadline. Reference letters are considered confidential unless confidentiality has been waived by the individual giving the reference.

Selection Criteria

CIBA intern working with telephone

Decisions about which applicants receive an internship are made by the Conservation Internship for Broadening Access (CIBA) Advisory Committee. The committee makes selections based on the following:

  • Substantial course work in chemistry, art history, design, photography, computer science, or studio art
  • Demonstrate an interest in a career in conservation or the museum field.
  • The relevance of an internship at the Smithsonian to the student’s academic and career goals will be an important part of the evaluation of an applicant.
  • Applicants should note this is a very competitive program and not all qualified applicants can be accepted.

 

The Smithsonian is committed to ensuring that all employees and affiliated persons (including interns) are treated equitably in an environment that is free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, gender stereotyping, pregnancy, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, parental status or marital status. All personnel practices, including the selection of interns, must comply with this policy.

CIBA intern 7 looking through microscope

 

Contact Information

For questions regarding this opportunity, please contact: InternsAndFellows@si.edu

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