This week, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Ingrid Birker, the woman who holds together our beloved Redpath Museum.
Anabel Djoe for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): Can you briefly tell us about what you do at the museum?
Ingrid Birker (IB): I’m the Science Outreach Coordinator / Administrator who runs the public programs at the museum (i.e. school groups, visits and public events). I do serve McGill students, for example by giving special lectures for certain courses, but my position is focused on organizing for the non-McGill audience. I go to libraries, community centers and daycares mainly to teach people. I love using props from the museum to aid my teaching. The other day, I brought a bag full of fossils and rocks for everybody to examine, and then we went out to find fossils in the local building stones.
I also tabulate daily visitors. In 2015, we had 12,632 people come over 43 Sunday afternoons. And within the 342 days we were open, we had 69,000 visitors from other schools. It’s nothing compared to the big public museums, but I’d say it’s not too shabby for such an old museum.
HC McGill: How has the public changed in regards to how museums are viewed?
IB: When I first came here, people loved the Freaky Fridays and Sunday afternoon screenings, since we showed science documentaries – many from independent film makers. But that has changed because nowadays people can stream or purchase their own video. Right now, people want the real thing. We run the Mini-Science lectures every spring and Mini-Museum lectures every fall. They consist of 7 lectures on a specific theme and are held once a week. The McGill scientists are very serious about these and always try to show the most recent findings in their field. Older learners, such as retired professors, would pay to come and sit in these presentations. And since they attend these lectures because they care about these topics, the audience is very much engaged in the learning process.
The museum used to be considered a place for parents to send their children, but now it’s family education. This generation of young families would all come together to learn together. Families would plan their entire vacation around visiting museums. Museums went from being a learning area that is tentative to one that is participatory and authentic. I found this surprising since the blossoming of the internet has allowed people to learn anything with the flick of a finger.
HC McGill: People seem to have the common misconception that museums are merely a place to visit, when in actuality, it’s a great place for scientists to learn and conduct research. Could you give us examples of some interesting findings from professors at this museum?
IB: Professor Anthony Ricciardi has an ongoing work on microplastic pollution in the St. Lawrence River, which was recently highlighted in Le Code Chastenay. To watch the broadcast in French, click here.
Professor Virginie Millien works on emerging diseases. She follows rodents to observe variations in their ecology and their implications on Lyme disease. To read her publications, click here.
HC McGill: Last year, I took a course offered in the museum called Science and Museums (REDM400). Personally I loved this course. Why do you think others should also take this course?
IB: Museums are the most valuable institutions right now, especially Natural History museums and any repository that preserves life on this planet. They will give you an appreciation on the huge diversity of animals, plants, microbes and other creatures that roamed our planet. Even rocks and minerals serve to record the geological phenomena that occurred here. Everything tells a story about Earth, so to me, the museum is like a treasure house.
The Science and Museums course is invaluable because it is collection- and- inquiry based. You can come to understand the basics of museum-collection management and the philosophy of museums. You get the chance to have hands-on access by investigating your own research question based on our collection.
For more information on the course, click here.
HC McGill: How does it feel to be a part of the Redpath Museum?
IB: I love it here. I’ve been here since 198,1 yet I still get up every day feeling happy since I know there will be something new for me to learn at work, but sharing is the best part about what I do. Understanding is a great high and teaching is a very satisfying experience. It’s all about the ‘a-ha’ moments.
HC McGill: Lastly, how could McGill students be more involved with the museum?
IB: We have a SSMU club called the Redpath Museum Society. Last Friday, they held an event in honor of Darwin Day. Next Saturday, they will be the ones running the flashlight tours at the museum for Nuit Blanche.
If you’re interested in volunteering as an animator for the flashlight tours, directly contact Ingrid Birker at science.outreach@mcgill.ca. The event will take place on Saturday, February 27. Training starts at 5 pm and the tours run until 12 am. Animators will be fed free pizza.
For more information on the event, click here.
Other upcoming events at the Redpath Museum
REANIMATOR Exhibition by Jude Griebel, February 27 – May 26.
“A series of sculptures that explore the dichotomous tendencies of human desire to romanticize and meld with, yet remain autonomous from the natural world. In Reanimator, this conflicted relationship is navigated through detailed resin sculptures that reference subject matter dealing with superstitious fears surrounding nature, personifying it as a force opposing humanity.” (Redpath Museum)
For more information on the artist, click here.
Mini-Science lectures, February 25 to April 14, Thursday evenings.
The topic will be on “Weather and Climate – going to extremes.” Registration in advance and payment is required.
For more information on the event, click here.
Images obtained from:
Ingrid Birker from the Redpath Museum
http://blogs.mcgill.ca/science/2009/05/12/a-worthy-world-of-wonders/
http://www.robertgalbraith.com/fossils-in-the-greystones-westmounts-half-billion-years-of-history/
http://www.bimetallicquestion.org/activities/stones2006/index.html