Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

Katya Vines, PhD

Katya Vines, PhD, is the Manager of Curriculum Development at the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC). Katya is responsible for writing new science publications for elementary and middle school students. Her journey to SSEC has spanned three continents and involved teaching 5 year olds up to undergraduates! After completing a BSc and PhD in Chemistry at the University of Liverpool, Katya took up research positions at the University of Barcelona and Oxford. While in Oxford she tutored undergraduates studying chemistry. After a brief period teaching middle school science she joined the academic publisher John Wiley and Sons as an Acquisitions Editor for Analytical Chemistry. She then moved into educational publishing, where she has been for 14 years with a short break in the middle to teach elementary science in Kenya. Prior to joining the SSEC in 2014, Katya worked at the International Baccalaureate, where she was responsible for developing inquiry-based resources for K-12 teachers and students. In her spare time Katya enjoys running (slowly), playing Mahjong, and making cocktails.

Orangutans are brachiators, which means they can swing hand over hand. Kiko loves traveling across the O line in this way! Jessie Cohen, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

How To Design a Zoo Exhibit In Four Steps

Imagine you are asked to design a zoo exhibit for your local zoo. I know, this is a stretch but "bear" with me! Let’s break it down into the steps you might take if this were an engineering project. As with any engineering problem, the first thing you need to know are the requirements. Requirements are made up of criteria and constraints.

The Panamanian golden frog is in the toad family. Toads usually have dry skin compared to other frogs. (Brian Gratwicke, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute)

Why Did Scientists Build an Amphibian Ark?

This is a replica of an early telegraph key used by Morse and Vail. (Smithsonian National Museum of American History)

Morse Code Day | Messages on a Wire

New evidence has made scientists rethink sauropods as being purely land dwellers. (dottedhippo/iStock/Thinkstock)

Scotland’s Jurassic Island: What Scientists Can Learn From Footprints

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Travel the World and Learn About Nutritional Guidelines in "Pick Your Plate! A Global Guide to Nutrition"

How Does a Disease Transfer from an Animal to a Human and Back?

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