Caption: Color photo of the exterior of the American Museum of Natural History.
Image Description: A crane lifts the equestrian statue of Theodore Roosevelt as it’s removed from the
front steps of the museum. The statue is veiled in safety orange fabric, framed by the dark night sky
and illuminated beige stone exterior of AMNH.
It is always exciting to see our students return back to campus after a
much-neededwinter break, refreshed and ready to begin the spring semester.
This marks the fourth semester that many of our faculty will be teaching in
person against the background of an ever-evolving pandemic. The creative
adaptation of our students, adjuncts, faculty, and colleagues never cease to
amaze me, and this spring is no exception. We share concerns for our students
as they safely return to campus and seek assurance that our international
students in particular can make their passage back into the country. Messages of
kindness and support received by our department over winter break continually
affirm my belief that our Museum Studies community is strong, and it
warms my heart to know that we are carefully looking out for one another.
In the pages of this newsletter, you will find some exciting news for spring: a series
of planned events, symposia and trainings hosted by our Museum Studies Student
Organization (MSSO), an announcement about three internship opportunities at our
NYU Florence campus, university-hosted writing workshops, and new additions
to our faculty and staff. I hope you also take advantage of a trip to Lazy Sundaes
for a sweet "pick-me-up" treat this week, courtesy of MSSO.
I thank you for your flexibility and grace as we embark on what already has shaped
up to be a busy semester, and cannot wait to see you all on campus soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rosanna Flouty
Ian Kerrigan is the Senior Vice President for Exhibitions at the 9/11 Memorial
& Museum where he oversees content development and curatorial research,
design and installation, media production and digital development, and exhibition
policymaking for the institution and their award-winning exhibitions.
Ian completed his undergraduate studies in anthropology at Northwestern
University and earned his master’s degree in anthropology at The George
Washington University. He is a frequent lecturer at design and museum studies
programs on museum professional practices, exhibition development and design,
community engagement, project management, and displaying difficult subject matter.
Ian serves on the board of the National Association for Museum Exhibition and is
the Managing Editor for the journal Exhibition. He is also a grant reviewer for the
Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Arts,
a peer reviewer for AAM’s Museum Assessment Program, and a former member of
AAM’s National Program Committee.
In spring 2022, Ian will be teaching Exhibition Design and Planning on Fridays from 1-4pm.
Ruth Starr is an interdisciplinary educator that has developed programming
with a variety of informal learning and gathering spaces including libraries and
museums. Her perspective is shaped, in part, by past roles held at The Museum
of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and as Accessibility Manager
at the Cooper Hewitt, part of the Smithsonian Institution. Currently she works as a
Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion consultant for NASA.
Trained as an American Sign Language Interpreter, Ruth's practice is rooted in a
pedagogical framework, fundamentally considering the role of language in learning,
engagement, and meaning-making. Her work takes the form of education interventions
and implementation of strategic initiatives.
In spring 2022, Ruth is leading an internship course called Museum Career Lab on
Wednesdays from 5-8pm.
Charlie Maliha is an art historian and museum professional that focuses on
the interpretation of gender and sexuality. Previously from the New-York
Historical Society, Charlie’s experience has been shaped by his work in
membership and visitor services. Being on the front-lines of museum work,
Charlie comes to NYU enthusiastic to work with professionals who aim to
make museums a more inclusive, accessible space.
Charlie earned his undergraduate degree in Art History from Brooklyn
College. He now pursues a Master’s in Art History at Hunter College.
This spring, Charlie is taking over the role of Administrative Secretary
for the Program in Museum Studies.
Hi, everyone!
We are excited to begin another semester full of opportunities to learn,
recharge, and connect with one another. Along with the Museum Studies
Alumni Association (MSAA), we have prepared a roster of dynamic alumni
mentors to launch the mentorship program this semester. As many of
you begin the search for internships and jobs, the MSSO Board is working
on professional development events to build confidence in your application
materials. We plan to offer most events virtually this semester, so we can
all foster community safely. If you have any programming ideas or feedback,
you can always reach us at msso.nyu@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram at
@nyumuseumstudies to catch every update, and let’s have a wonderful semester!
Thesis Information
Deadlines
March 2, 2022 First draft due
April 16, 2022 Final draft due
A raffle will be held on January 31 for five $500 travel grants for our students to attend the annual
AAM conference, to be held in Boston on May 19-22, 2022. Application is here. Note that students
will need to register for the conference and find their own lodging, and will be reimbursed up to $500.
Threesis application opens on January 13, 2022. Open to all current master's and certificate students, the
Threesis competition is an opportunity for students to present their research in a three-minute thesis
competition, and win prizes totaling $3,000. Students will be mentored by Threesis alumni and university
staff and faculty. They will also receive opportunities to learn more about presenting their research in an
engaging way and how to present convincingly on a digital platform. A virtual information session will be
held on January 27th at 5pm where students can ask questions and learn more. The deadline to apply is
February 4, 2022. More information -- and the application beginning January 13th -- can also be found on
our website here.
Our department's end-of-year "Museum Studies Best Thesis Awards" with prizes of $100-$400 will be held
at our end-of-semester party in May 2022.
June 6th - July 22nd, 2022
Three internship positions will be available this year and are posted here. Applications are due on
February 11 by 5pm and must be submitted via this Google form. Interviews will be held over Zoom.
Decisions will be made by the end of February. Send all additional inquiries to Rosanna.Flouty@nyu.edu.
Note: This internship is only available for current NYU Museum Studies students to apply.
During the Spring 2022 semester, the Museum Studies Student Organization (MSSO) and the Museum
Studies Alumni Association (MSAA) are partnering to launch the Museum Studies Mentorship Program,
matching current students with program alumni. The Museum Studies Mentorship Program is open to
both first and second year master’s students of the Program in Museum Studies at NYU. Both mentors
and mentees must complete an application which is used to pair students with professionals. We will do
our best to pair each student with a professional who most closely fits their desired career goals and
learning objectives. Mentors and mentees are encouraged to interact in-person or virtually at least three
times a semester.
Current studies are welcome to fill out a mentee application, and alumni are encouraged to fill out the
Caption: A cropped color photo of a calendar. Image Description: The bottom of a white calendar as
three of its pages are partially lifted, displaying several dates in all-black text.
FEBRUARY
6, Sunday: Add/Drop Deadline
13, Sunday: Graduation application deadline via Albert
21, Monday: President’s Day, no classes scheduled. Offices closed
MARCH
2, Wednesday: First draft of thesis due
14, Monday- 20 Sunday: Spring Break, no classes scheduled
APRIL
1, Friday: Apply for summer graduation via Albert
16, Saturday: Final draft of thesis due
MAY
3, Tuesday: Withdrawal Deadline
9, Monday: Last day of spring classes
10, Tuesday: Reading day
11, Wednesday- 17 Tuesday: Final exam period
18, Wednesday: Commencement (tentative)
The Museum Studies Student Organization is hosting several events this semester. Be sure to check your
email for MSSO updates as more information becomes available.
Welcome Back Boba
Monday, January 24 - Sunday, January 30
Let’s have a tea-rrific semester!
Check your NYU email for a Lazy Sundaes voucher code and enjoy a beverage on MSSO.
International Students Cover Letter Workshop
Monday, January 31 at 6pm
Zoom link to be shared through email.
Coming Soon! Please keep an eye out for the following events hosted by MSSO
Resume Review Workshop in Mid-February
Mid-February
Professional Headshot Session
Late February - Date and Time TBD
Thesis Roundtable Event
Late April - Date and Time TBD
Academic Conference
April - Date and Time TBD
…And More!
The Master’s College is hosting four writing workshops this spring semester. Led by GSAS doctoral
candidates, these workshops walk students through the brainstorming, writing, and editing process.
More information about the workshops, including how to register, can be found here.
Additionally, this semester there will be free, one-on-one writing consultations available for all GSAS
master's and certificate students. Master’s students can receive feedback on their writing as well as
advice on how to improve. Additional information, including how students can register for a 1-on-1
appointment, can be found here.
Thursday, February 3, 2022: Managing a Rewarding Thesis.
3:00pm-5:00pm EST, with Justin Abraham Linds
Take control of your MA thesis to make it a rewarding project both professionally and academically!
In this interactive workshop we will discuss strategies to make your MA thesis valuable to you as a
person and a scholar. We will talk about picking the right topic, situating ourselves as young scholars,
and picking methodologies that are meaningful to you. In the second half of the workshop we will
share strategies for managing such a large project over such a long period. We will discuss handling
the size, handling the temporality, and writing everyday vs. “building a dam” of writing.
This workshop will be useful to anyone planning their final MA project or anyone already working on
it, especially if you’ve lost motivation. (Virtual)
Tuesday, February 15th, 2022: Going Back to Writing Basics
3:00pm-5:00pm EST, with Justin Abraham Linds
Improve your academic writing by going back to writing basics. In this workshop we will review the
four types of English sentences, the building blocks of clear and stylish academic writing. As we
discuss simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences, we will reflect on the value
of the short sentence, sentence variation, and repetition in academic writing. In this workshop we will
look at and discuss some examples of strong, clear academic writing, and students will have the chance
to have their own writing edited in class. Writers who complete the workshop will be able to identify
sentence types, employ sentence variety in their writing, and be better editors of their writing. (Virtual)
Wednesday, February 23, 2022: Clear Argumentative Writing
3:00pm-5:00pm EST, with Justin Abraham Linds
Organize and clarify your arguments and ideas by consciously structuring your argumentative writing.
In this workshop we will review different forms of argumentation before moving into the building blocks
of long-form argumentative academic writing, including thesis statements, topic sentences, transitional
sentences, and concluding sentences. We will discuss what makes for a good introduction, including why
it is important to “define your terms” and provide your reader with a “road map”, and we will consider the
role of the conclusion in an academic paper. Throughout the workshop, we will look at examples of
well-structured academic writing from the humanities and social sciences, and students will have the chance
to have their own writing edited in class. Writers who complete the workshop will have a better
understanding of argumentation types, and they will be better equipped to structure their academic
papers. (Virtual)
Friday, March 4th, 2022: “Nominalizations”, Smart Sentencing, and Better Editing
2:00pm-4:00pm EST, with Justin Abraham Linds
It is often said, “there is no good writing, just good editing.” In this workshop, improve your writing by
becoming a more effective editor. We will discuss how to write with “concrete language” and “active verbs”
and how to avoid “clutter” and “nominalizations.” We will also discuss how to make time for effective
editing in our writing process. Throughout the workshop we will practice transforming awkward and
confusing academic writing into clear and concise prose by working with students’ own writing. Writers
who complete this workshop will better understand the editing process and have some new techniques
to make them better writers and editors. (Virtual)
The Mellon Foundation has awarded a grant to a project directed by NYU
and New Zealand’s University of Waikato to protect cultural knowledge
and data of Native American, Māori, and other First Nations communities.
Co-directed by Dr. Jane Anderson, the two-year, $750,000 grant will help
the Equity for Indigenous Research and Innovation Hub (ENRICH) expand
its training and resources developed by and for Indigenous communities in
order to bolster efforts in the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and
Australia to properly connect Indigenous cultural material and data to
present-day communities and to establish cultural authority as well as
intellectual property legal protections over them.
More information about this initiative can be found in the
NYU News Release as well as this informational video from Local Contexts.
Dr. Elaine Ayers, in collaboration with Tega Brain and Ahmed Ansari at
NYU-Tandon, has created a project entitled "Inverting the Wunderkammer:
Rethinking the Digital Humanities through Botanic Histories and Archives".
Hosted by the New York Botanical Garden, the project has been awarded a
multi-year National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Grant
after being awarded an NYU Digital Humanities Seed Grant last spring.
In addition, an exhibit Elaine contributed for the Venice Biennale entitled Flora
Fantastic: From Orchidelirium to Eco-Critical Contemporary Botanical Art, won
one of this year's Apex Art Awards and will be coming to the neighborhood next
year, followed by the release of a book published by Routledge.
Lastly, Elaine will be taking over as a Contributing Editor at Public Domain Review,
an open-access website and publication.
Dr. Marsia Karyl Franz’s "Rather Poor and Threadbare': Bogoras,
Scratching-Woman, and the Intimacy of Material," was published in
The Life Cycle of Russian Things: From Fish Guts to Fabergé,
which was awarded second place for the
Our resident librarian Gianna Ricci is on research leave until February 3, 2022. For immediate research
assistance, please use the Ask A Librarian service. Keep an eye out for announcements from the Bobst
Library as the semester progresses.
Mostly New: Selections from the NYU Art Collection
Mostly New: Selections from the NYU Art Collection presents a compelling
sampling comprising more than 90 artworks by nearly 60 artists. Curated
by the Grey Art Gallery’s Lynn Gumpert and Michèle Wong, the exhibition
highlights recent acquisitions of modern and contemporary art from the
Middle East by artists such as Farah Al Qasimi, Shahpour Pouyan, and Parviz
Tanavoli and photographs by Harry Callahan, Peter Hujar, and Kenji
Nakahashi, among others. Mostly New also debuts the first selection of works
from its newly acquired Cottrell-Lovett Collection, donated by longtime art
patrons, social activists, and downtown Manhattan residents Dr. James
Cottrell and Mr. Joseph Lovett. Included are paintings and prints by
downtown New York artists such as Donald Baechler, Deborah Kass, and
Glenn Ligon.
Established in 1958—and stewarded by the Grey Art Gallery since
the museum’s opening in 1975—the New York University Art Collection now
comprises nearly 6,000 objects. Following such exhibitions as New York Cool:
Painting and Sculpture from the NYU Art Collection (2008), Inventing Downtown:
Artist-Run Galleries in New York City, 1952–1965 (2017), and, most recently,
Modernisms: Iranian, Turkish, and Indian Highlights from NYU’s Abby Weed
Grey Collection (2019), Mostly New offers visitors the opportunity to view
never-seen and rarely displayed gems from a landmark academic art collection.
Visit the Grey Art Gallery page for updates and more information.
Click here for the downloadable PDF version of the mailing newsletter.
