My introduction to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) has been nothing short of amazing! I have spent the first week becoming acquainted with the museum and its vast array of exhibits and educational programming. My role is primarily within the Teen Tech Center, a unique space within OMSI specifically designed for teens aged 13-18 to access STEAM resources, including 3-D printers, audio mixing and recording equipment, cameras, drawing tablets, coding computers, and much more! The makerspace is free for all teens, aiming to provide a safe environment for young people of all backgrounds to explore avenues in science and technology.
I was greeted on Tuesday morning by my supervisor, Dyllan, who has been an amazing guide and support so far! I began with a tour of the museum, including this summer’s feature exhibit all about Tyrannosaurs (featuring three life-size models of some of the most complete Tyrannosaurus skeletons known to man and a large T-rex statue at the museum's entrance!). The museum is incredibly interactive, offering visitors hands-on engagement with STEM through labs focused on paleontology, physics, chemistry, and more! Additionally, the science education staff I’ve been working with are incredibly enthusiastic and have shown great interest in NMAL and the Young Ambassadors program. I have a lunch scheduled next week with Latina staff members of OMSI, which I’m looking forward to.
After my tour, I spent some time learning about and exploring the Teen Tech Center (TTC). It’s truly incredible – I can't imagine how cool it would have been to have had access to such a space in middle and high school. Teens have complete creative freedom to experiment with different technologies and equipment, and the space offers abundant resources for those interested in learning new skills. Following the tour, I sat down with Dyllan to discuss my primary project for the internship: planning a Latino-centered open house for the tech center. Finally, I completed some orientation reading, including an introduction to the makerspace's purpose, the pedagogical philosophy behind project-based learning, and OMSI's guiding principles. The rest of the day was spent assisting in the TTC and getting to know some amazing young people!
On Wednesday, I was introduced to more OMSI staff during the science educators’ morning meeting. Dyllan and I then worked on establishing a timeline for my project and brainstorming other ways I could contribute to the TTC. I also drafted questions for her about the TTC’s past open houses – what worked, what challenges were faced, and what resources we would need for success. Afterwards, I spent time in the office researching specific Portland-based organizations focused on Latino issues, which we hope to involve in the open house. OMSI has partnered with several of these organizations previously, and I identified additional groups that could benefit from OMSI’s educational resources. I brainstormed event structure ideas and then discussed them further with Dyllan. We set a date for the event (Friday, August 2nd!) and she showed me the form needed to officially schedule and promote the event on OMSI’s website. The remainder of my day was dedicated to finalizing the details required to submit the form by day’s end. Utilizing craft supplies available in the TTC, I created artwork for the event promotion, which is pictured below. I aimed for the design to emphasize building a diverse community and exploring community-building through learning and technology – the core purpose of the TTC! The event is officially titled “Teen Tech Center Open House: Exploring Latinidad in STEAM.”
On Thursday, I attended a virtual orientation event required for all OMSI volunteers, so I worked remotely. In my spare time, I continued researching organizations to collaborate with, including Latino vendors like a jewelry maker and a distributor of Spanish-language children’s books.
On Friday, Dyllan introduced me to more OMSI staff and gave me a tour of the office spaces. I met the marketing team, with whom I will collaborate to create flyers and promotional materials for the event. After reviewing OMSI’s branding style guide, I gained a clearer idea of the flyer’s design requirements and necessary information. The rest of the day was spent developing email templates and drafting formal emails for distribution to various Latino community-based organizations in Portland.
My schedule aligns with my supervisor’s, so I will be at OMSI from 9 am to 5:30 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. When not working on my project or other Latino-focused outreach for OMSI, I will assist in managing the TTC. It has been an amazing first week, and I am deeply grateful to NMAL, OMSI, and the YAP familia for this experience. I look forward to the week ahead!
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