Astronomy Education Internship

The main focus for this Smithsonian internship project will be to prepare for activities related to the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. The National Air and Space Museum is planning a large public festival on the National Mall from 12-4pm on the day of the eclipse, which will include several Smithsonian museums and other partner organizations. The intern will support engaging the public on how to understand and safely enjoy the eclipse by developing, testing, and facilitating hands-on activities about the Sun and/or solar eclipses, both during public Museum hours and as part of the festival on April 8. In addition to the eclipse event, the intern may also work on other project related to the communication of astronomy to the public through daily programming - in the planetarium, inside the museum galleries and outside during scheduled sungazing and stargazing events. 

The intern may also have the opportunity to conduct informal evaluations of existing programs and/or events to gauge visitor learning and impact. Through all of these activities, the intern will learn how to create inquiry- based activities and engage effectively about science with a wide range of visitors from all over the world.