Las Vegas, N.M. – Fifteen New Mexico Highlands media arts and technology students will make their mark at cultural institutions throughout the state this summer using the latest multimedia technology.
The paid internships are thanks to a collaborative funding model between the Newman’s Own Foundation, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, and New Mexico cultural institutions.
“Collectively, the students will have significant impact in bringing technology solutions to New Mexico museums and cultural institutions in areas of data visualization and digitization of collections, exhibit design, graphic design, and video documentation,” said Lauren Addario, media arts and technology faculty and internship program director.
Addario said the media arts students’ work in the cultural technology internship program, which was established in 2005, contributes to the cultural vitality of New Mexico.
Elizabeth Lynch is digitizing the Andrea Fisher Gallery photograph collection for the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, and Eliza Martin is developing an online library catalogue that showcases the Andrea Fisher collection at the museum.
Keith Schairer is developing an exhibit that accesses the NASA Eyes Interactive, a simulated view of the solar system, for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
Faith Toledo and Tara Trudell are working with newly digitized audio and video clips documenting the music of northern New Mexico for an upcoming exhibit that will open in 2019 at the Museum of International Folk Art.
John Bragg is creating interactive data visualizations for the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum that connect users to data collections within the museum and beyond.
Shane Barton is finishing work on a dinosaur app and helping with tech camps at the New Mexico Office of Digital Initiatives.
Erick Rangel and Desiree Ramirez are working with the National Park Service to help create wayside displays, brochures and exhibit panels for the Manhattan Project installation at the Los Alamos Visitors Center and another site.
Chris Killion is creating a video that pays tribute to New Mexico’s veterans through song for the Museum of the Military Family.
Teianna Mitchell will run workshops with the Detroit-based art collective Complex Movements at the Santa Fe Institute.
Rebecca Sharp and Danny Sharp are working at Meow Wolf under the supervision of media arts graduate Dré Gallegos to help fabricate electronic components for interactive multimedia exhibits.
Jacob Erickson and Terence García are interning with the Highlands Geology Department in the Czech Republic to document ongoing research on ancient volcanos, creating educational videos and developing a website for the National Science Foundation sponsored project.
Addario said Highlands’ cultural technology internship program prepares students for jobs in media arts and emerging technologies.
“These internships help our media arts students segue into meaningful careers. Our statistics show that the students who complete internships are more than twice as likely to be employed in their field after graduation or attend graduate school,” Addario said.