We’re thrilled to introduce the Spring 2023 cohort of LMEC interns. Their work touches on nearly all aspects of what we do at the Center, including educational outreach, donor engagement, and web-based georeferencing. Read on to learn more about this stellar group!

Joshua Aldwinckle-Povey

Geospatial Research Intern

I’m a student at Brandeis from London, UK, studying Anthropology & History with a minor in German Studies. I enjoy research, and I especially enjoy using digital tools to do research, including GIS. I learned GIS for the first time a year before starting at the Leventhal Center, and realizing how powerful it could be for historical mapping research was exciting, I’ve incorporated it into work I’ve done for classes and in research. I’m excited to be working on those skills more at Leventhal.

Currently, as well as supporting the Atlascope project, I’m working on old MBTA transit maps and investigating how commutes in Boston have looked over time. I’m also interested in delving into the Center’s maps showing changes in the state’s political districts—I’m hoping to produce some fun independent research work from both of those. So far I’ve loved getting to know the team and seeing more of the behind the scenes of how the Center operates. It’s been insightful to see how the many functions of the Center operate together to serve patrons, and it’s great working with a fun and supportive team.

I’m excited about pursuing a career in academic/research librarianship and supporting academic work in higher education, and I think the skills and experience I will learn here at Leventhal will be invaluable in both growing my skillset, and showing me how those skills come to life too.

Nick Duffy

K-12 Education Intern

Howdy folks! My name is Nick and I’m a freshman studying History and Theatre at UMass Boston. I first became deeply interested in maps and geography starting in 7th grade (shout out Mr. Varone) but once I took human geography in my senior year of high school that interest was set in stone (shout out Mr. Haupert). At the beginning of the school year, my university history director sent out an email saying that the internship position was available and here I am.

I am working on a redesign of the teachers resources and map set portions of the websites. We’re looking to make the design more efficient and accessible while organizing content that makes teaching with maps a breeze. Although it is not a project, I will also be shadowing lessons given by Lynn and Michelle at schools in the area.

In my first month of working at the Center, my favorite part has been familiarizing myself with the digital map collection. Going through and looking at all the sets and just the vast amount of information that we have in our collection is truly amazing and I am so glad to be a part of sharing that with other people!

Looking ahead, I’m excited to gain experience related to geographic knowledge and how to teach it. I have an interest in teaching geography as a career and this opportunity to work at the Center is such a good first step in that direction. Other than furthering my career, working at the Center also allows me to pursue my own interest at a level I didn’t think possible just a year ago.

Vy Phan

Fundraising and Development Intern

I am currently a senior at Brandeis University, studying History, Business, and Art History. At the Leventhal Center, I’m the Fundraising and Development Intern. I was first drawn to the Center due to its focus on maps, which was something I personally enjoyed, as someone who loves traveling and visual materials, but had not thought about working on before. After the interview, I was even more excited to join because it was evident that the staff of the Center was passionate about their work, was welcoming, and hoped for me to learn as much as possible.

As the Fundraising and Development Intern, I am currently working on a list of prospective supporters for our Atlascope program. We hope to expand the tool to not only cover Boston but also other parts of Massachusetts and the country with this support. Additionally, I recently completed a Map of the Month postcard—a monthly postcard of a unique map that our donors receive for their generosity.

In the past month, I most enjoyed the fact that the staff are so friendly, supportive, and love their own work. I feel comfortable asking questions and feel strong enthusiasm as well. Experiencing other facets of the Center’s work, such as georeferencing, has been engaging, too, and interacting with the community through using Atlascope has been fulfilling.

In the future, I hope to work in a position similar to this internship. I enjoy thinking creatively about the audiences of the Center, both the donors and visitors, and working to promote history, culture, and art. This internship teaches me about the operations behind the scenes of a non-profit, museum, archive, and educational center, which gives me a deeper understanding of these types of institutions and what skills I need to prepare for the future.

Aditi Shankar

Geospatial Research Intern

I am a Freshman at Boston University studying Political Science and Data Science. I was interested in working at the Leventhal Center because of my desire to approach historical and contemporary issues with a data-driven perspective. I have also always loved the Boston Public Library, and the prospect of working in a space so rich with history and knowledge excited me.

Part of my work involves georeferencing urban atlases using the Allmaps platform. I just finished georeferencing atlases from Lynn, and am currently working on some from Brookline. I’m also exploring independent research projects, although the Center has so much material that I’m not sure how I’ll be able to choose! One idea includes delving into the effects of colonialism on mapping, and how ancient prejudices have carried into how we see maps of former colonies today. Another involves public transportation and the inequities that arise from it, especially in relation to the MBTA. As a frequent user, I’d like to do some sort of work on mapping out travel times of users on different lines, and understand their relationship to race and socioeconomic status.

I’ve loved staffing the front desk, and I always learn something new from our visitors, who are very friendly! Many visitors used to live in Boston and moved away when they got older, and love to tell stories about how the city used to be, especially when I show them their old neighborhoods on Atlascope.

While I’m not quite sure what I want as a career, this internship has taught me that I can thrive in a workplace which gives me set tasks, but also gives me ample time to explore potential research topics, become more educated on the wider world around me, and allows me to combine my multidisciplinary interests.