Student Involvement
Students are at the forefront of this project, and their essential contributions span two distinct phases over a year. In the summer months, student researchers have the opportunity to gain archival experience at various sites. The primary focus for students is consulting documents housed in institutions in Washington D.C., where they learn to navigate archives and digitize tens of thousands of documents. Researchers also gain useful skills in professionalism, archival research, and the digital humanities. While participating in the Opening the Archives Project students also have the opportunity to experience the U.S. capital at its fullest. On-site managers organize various team-building activities across D.C. that emphasize civic engagement, the pursuit of knowledge, and fun for its participants.
Onsite managers are responsible for leading the team of students at the archive. They advise project participants on archival procedures, ensure compliance with documentation standards, and help foster a collaborative environment.
Featured: João Pedro Coleta & Kareem Troncoso
With a view of the Washington Monument, researchers met on the weekend at Constitution Gardens to have a picnic, play team-building games, and have some fun before the start of another week at the archives.
Featured: Deven Kamlani, Julia Terra-Salomão, Kareem Troncoso, João Pedro Coleta, Colin Goetz, Klara Davidson-Schmich, Emily Saxl
As a response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, researchers joined a mass demonstration led by the “March for Our Lives” movement at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to push for stronger gun control laws. The event featured a slate of speakers pushing for gun control and calling on lawmakers and federal leaders to take action.
Featured: Deven Kamlani, Emily Saxl, Klara Davidson-Schmich
Researchers focusing on the Dominican Republic along with one of our on-site project managers, had the honor to meet with the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to the United States, Sonia Guzmán Klang, at the embassy of the Dominican Republic. During the meeting, Ambassador Guzman offered her insight, guidance, and support for the project.
Featured: Ana Abreu, Emely Rodriguez, Ambassador Sonia Guzmán Klang, Deven Kamlani and Kareem Troncoso
During the academic year, students dive into the digitized documents collected in the summer. Working in a collaborative environment, they read, analyze, and index documents with relevant metadata. Through a quality control process, these documents are then published in the Opening the Archives Repository, which provides researchers worldwide with access to these materials.
Featured: Julia Terra-Salomão
The success of the Opening the Archives project is only possible through the invaluable contributions of our student researchers. Their hard work and dedication have made it possible to make these available to a wider audience. Through this project, students have gained valuable research experience and made meaningful contributions to the field of U.S.-Brazil relations during the Cold War. Their work is a testament to the project’s mission of democratizing access to historical materials and promoting collaborative research practices.
Featured: Kareem Troncoso, Anna Abreu, Klara Davidson-Schmich, João Pedro Coleta, Deven Kamlani, Emily Saxl
