Intern Spotlight: Kylie Tatarka

I've had the pleasure of working alongside many superb collections volunteers over the past eight years at the Museum. Each contribute invaluable insight and energy into our work. This week, we'll learn a bit more about Kylie Tatarka, who has been supporting our work as a Summer Naturalist Intern since June. Kylie joins us from New York as she applies her skills she's cultivating in college. 

Kylie, thrilled to participate in bird banding while
completing the WI Master Naturalist Volunteer Training program this June.

In your own words, tell us about your role at CNHM, any past museum experiences, and what you’re excited about working with or learning in the collection. 

As one of the two Summer Naturalist Interns here at CNHM, my role is to create lesson plans and execute them during our Junior Naturalists programming every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Along with Junior Naturalists, I was put in charge of the creation of the online Becoming the Northwoods exhibit. Other than that, I help with various tasks and programs that other Museum staff need through the summer. I came into this role with museum experience only through the couple of museum studies courses I have taken thus far in my college career.  Coming into this role, I was excited to learn about using collections while in programs.

Collections are such a unique tool that not all educators have access to in their teaching, and I think learning how to implement them now can lead to a better experience for students in my future career. I specifically think it's interesting to use these collections as teaching tools and allowing students to not only look but touch, as that tactile handling can really improve their experience. 

 

Can you describe a favorite museum specimen, display, or exhibit? It doesn’t have to be from CNHM!

My favorite exhibit that I have seen is at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, entitled Glass Bridge: A Path to Sustainability. The piece is a 30-foot-long glass bridge created with over 130 hollow glass pieces to build up the bridge's strength. It represents a hope for sustainability for our society's future and that we can build together a more sustainable world. Corning says that it is meant to inspire environmentalists and engineers, but I think that its message could resonate with everyone who has a privilege to see it in person. It is so special to me because although it is just a glass bridge, it is packed with so much meaning and hope for our future. Unfortunately, it will be taken down this September, so I will only be able to see it one more time. 

 

What are some of your hobbies/interest related to the natural world? What would you like to learn or what new skills would you like to develop?

My main interest in the natural world has always been the processes and connections between living things, basically all things ecology. Like watersheds, knowing how the water quality affects all living things and how that affects the surrounding environments as well. I have developed a love of seed dispersal specifically, which I wrote about for my Natural Connections article this summer. I'm really taken with the way that seeds have evolved to have the perfect mechanisms to move to their new homes. 

I also love to just be outside. I like to hike and visit waterfalls in my home state of New York, and I grew up geocaching in the forest. Over time, I want to develop more naturalist skills like plant identification and go birding. I have a hard time with memorizing things like that, so it will take me many years to build these skills to the standards I've seen here in CNHM, But I’m hopeful!

One topic that visitors should bring up to spur a lengthy conversation with you?

This is niche, but if you want to spur a LONG conversation with me then you need to mention anything about giant pandas. They have been my favorite animal since the 2nd grade when I was given the giant panda as my final project to discuss animal habitats. I specifically love the adaptations that have led them to become such strong animals, like their pseudo thumbs and molars (I have done so many projects on their molars alone). Although these bears are clumsy and cute, they are as equally strong as most of the other bear species in the world. Fun fact: pandas can eat from 70 to 100 pounds of bamboo every day and they are eating between 10 and 16 hours a day! If I could be an animal, I would want to be a panda.