The California Energy Research Center (CERC), in partnership with the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History and Science and CSU Bakersfield’s Grants and Outreach Office in the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, organized docent-training internships for CSUB students.
Through funding from Edison International, five CSUB students participated in the program, which involved training with museum staff over seven weeks and subsequent shadowing of more seasoned docents conducting tours over the next few months. Museum docents are volunteers who guide visitors through the exhibits, providing information and answering questions about the fossils, rocks, minerals, artifacts and animals on display. Becoming a docent requires a significant amount of training and time to become familiar with the museum’s diverse array of exhibits.
“Students learned about archeology, anthropology, anatomy, biology, geology, paleontology and many facts about the hands-on science discovery center,” said Koral Hancharick, executive director of the museum.
Each student will continue to add to their knowledge and refine their skills over the next few months.
One of CERC’s objectives is educational outreach and communicating science to the community. Student interns not only became knowledgeable about the science related to each exhibit, but they also gained a number of skills, including how to communicate scientific information to visitors of all ages, how to answer questions effectively and how to move a group of youngsters efficiently from one exhibit area to another. Experienced museum docents provided weekly workshops at the museum in downtown Bakersfield, where students learned through hands-on experiences that included shadowing docents as they guided visitors through the museum.
One of the motivations for CSUB students to sign up for the internship program was to educate youngsters about science.
“I am hoping to be an asset to the museum in teaching children about science,” said Monica Hinson, a geology major. “I would like to show children that science is fun.”
Another student intern, Jennifer Rubalcaba, said that she became interested in becoming a docent because she wanted to acquire better presentation skills, and she also wants to get youngsters excited about science.
“I really want to use the skills I learned from the training to be able to educate others about STEM topics,” she said. “Being able to explain information in a way that is both interesting and efficient is important in keeping people's attention.”
“This is an exceptional internship and a wonderful opportunity for science and education students to learn how to convey scientific concepts to the community,” said Dr. Tony Rathburn, interim director of CERC. “The Buena Vista Museum of Natural History and Science is a delightful place for docents to guide and educate visitors young and old in their exploration of the exhibits.”
Students thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience within the museum.
“It was a unique experience, and I would recommend it to students,” said intern Alissa Montejo.
Rubalcaba summed up students’ impressions of working at the museum.
“All of the people who work at the museum are extremely kind and helpful,” she said. “They make sure you are learning the material presented, and they are very helpful in answering any questions you may have.”
Anyone can learn to be a docent and volunteer at the museum, which will plan another docent training in the near future.
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