Zoological Museum Practices and Specimen Management Internship

About Internship

Former Professor in Zoology from Chandigarh University, India, is accepting interns interested in the field of Zoology, in the research area of Biodiversity & Taxonomy.

Zoological museums play a crucial role in biological education, taxonomy, biodiversity conservation, and scientific outreach. This internship is designed to provide interns with conceptual, technical, and documentation-based exposure to museum-oriented zoological practices, even in the absence of physical access to a museum setting. The internship focuses on the scientific principles and standardized procedures involved in the collection, preservation, cataloguing, curation, and interpretation of zoological specimens. Emphasis is placed on understanding museum ethics, the historical significance of zoological collections, specimen-based learning, and the relevance of museum resources in contemporary research areas such as taxonomy, ecology, conservation biology, and environmental education. Interns will be trained through guided learning modules, visual and virtual demonstrations, curated reading assignments, specimen documentation exercises, and mini research-based tasks. The internship will introduce methods for preparing virtual catalogues, standardized labelling formats, database entry templates, and an overview of specimen preparation techniques including dry, wet, slide-based, and model-based specimens. Interns will also explore the interpretation of museum displays and their educational value. In addition, participants will be introduced to modern digital museum practices such as virtual exhibitions, online specimen repositories, photographic documentation, and basic data management techniques. Each intern will undertake a small research or review-based assignment related to zoological museum practices or specimen-based zoology, culminating in a written report and presentation. This internship aims to bridge the gap between theoretical zoology and applied museum practices while fostering scientific discipline, observational skills, documentation proficiency, and academic ethics among aspiring zoologists. Roles and Responsibilities of Interns 1. Study the principles of zoological museum practices and professional ethics 2. Learn about different specimen types, preservation techniques, and documentation standards 3. Prepare virtual catalogues, specimen labels, and digital records 4. Assist in digital documentation and virtual exhibition planning concepts 5. Complete assigned readings, structured tasks, and a mini research project 6. Submit a final report and participate in a concluding presentation or discussion