Many museums have technological spaces like the studios that allow students to photograph its collection, Todd pointed out. Todd brings a distinct ethos to the work: “There is a model where students help a museum’s goal of digitization and that’s great and valuable,” Todd said. “But the way we looked at our studios was to reverse that relationship. We think about it as the museum helping the student accomplish their goals.”
Those goals could be almost anything, so long as there is connection to the Peabody’s offerings. “When students come in, they are the ones with the ideas, goals and ambition. My job is to say, ‘how can we help?,’” Todd said.
He’s been surprised – and often delighted – by what the students bring to the table. Todd has helped doctoral students get detailed photographs of a small piece of anatomy on a feather, a crucial bit of information needed for a Ph.D defense. And yet, for every scientist who comes in there are artists who are looking at the Peabody’s collections and nature itself for creative inspiration.
Students have done film projects and created new works of art, many of which have been displayed on the Peabody’s second floor near the studios. The combination of student energy and Peabody tools opens many possibilities. “So much of what we do in the studio is about play and experimentation,” Todd said.
While the stuff of the Peabody can be exciting, Todd makes a point to expose students to the museum’s most precious resource, its people. He takes students into the collections to speak with collections managers and assistants before they begin a specimen shoot.
“That’s important to me. I want students to have the opportunity to meet these experts, people who are so knowledgeable and passionate about their work. They are eager to share, and I want students to have those kinds of conversations,” Todd said.
Yue Li, a Ph. D candidate in biological anthropology, was a student who immersed herself in those conversations. Li took a course called “Museums and Their Objects” in Spring 2024 and decided to check out an after-hours event featuring insect photography. It was Li’s first experience with advanced imaging techniques. She was hooked and got a part-time position in the Fall working in the studios.
Li went deeper and soon became a Graduate Museum Fellow, helping students navigate techniques like focus stacking, microscopy photography, digital unwrapping, and photogrammetry for 3D models.
“The Peabody has created a student-facing space that reflects the museum’s important role in outreach, education, and the broader communication of cultural and scientific impact,” Li said.
She worked closely with Todd, noting his small, but thoughtful improvements to the studios, and how he rehearses and adjusts his class presentations based on student feedback. In the end, the fancy gear can certainly help, but it is about having a sound process.
“Now I have a much better mindset: I understand that equipment can fail in many different ways, and what matters is to build experience, remain patient, and work through the problem step by step,” Li said.
Thanks to her work in the studios, Li has a new aspiration. “When I return to work in my own country, I hope to build a similar studio that can provide more students with access to this kind of training, support, and professional resources,” Li said. “Now that I have gained this experience, that goal feels one step closer.”
