One of the final digital media projects I spearheaded while working at the American Museum of Natural History was a video yearbook of sorts. Through various discussions with the curatorial staff and digital team, we decided it would be worthwhile to shoot a video profile of each scientific curator working at the museum. A “Meet the Scientists” feature that would, ideally, allow for the public to put a face and story with the endless research happening behind the scenes at this New York City institution.

After more than a year of scheduling shoots, interviewing, and meticulous editing, I was able to produce 35 profiles, each featuring a different curator or assistant curator at AMNH. These videos were held back from public viewing until after the museum was able to launch its newest website design—a version of that new site launched late last month.

This ended up being my favorite digital project at the museum, mostly because it provided an opportunity to meet and speak with some of the greatest scientific minds in the industry. Dinosaur experts like Mark Norell, space enthusiasts like Michael Shara, and fish specialists like Melanie Stiassny. There are endless stories these researchers could tell as they recount their exploits in remote locations around the globe while on expeditions. In these 2–3 minute video profiles, we attempted to capture their essence, providing the public with a basic understanding of the curatorial process and personalities working at the museum.