The culmination of a Museum and Field Studies student's program is the Master's thesis or project. The thesis may be of research, expository, critical or creative nature, and typically focuses on a more traditionally academic topic related to museum work. A project should be an original development of materials, procedures, programs, or other practical information relevant to the student's specialty discipline and intended for direct museum application.

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M.S. Thesis Requirements
M.S. Project Requirements

Please discuss whether you are interested in a thesis or project with your prospective advisor before applying to the program.

What Topics Do Students Study?

Following is a list of the Project and Thesis titles submitted to the graduate school over the pastÌýseveral years. An all-inclusive list of titles is available in the Museum and Field Studies office.

2021 Graduates

  • Mariah Green, Evaluating 2D and 3D Imaging Modalities to Estimate Bite Force in Modern and Early Paleocene Mammals (thesis)
  • Jessica Mullins, Weathering the Storm: Wild Bee Community Response to an Extreme Flood (thesis)

2020 Graduates

  • Mikayla Costales, Decolonizing Theory and Praxis: Principles for Collaboration between Native American Communities and Government Run Recreation Sites (thesis)
  • Alexandra Elliott, Getting the Odd Beetle Out: An Integrated Pest Management Investigation of Odd Beetle (Thylodrias contractus) Activity at the CU Museum of Natural History (project)
  • Jessica Mailhot, Seeing the Story: Making Data Visualization Accessible to Natural History Collections Through the Creation of Custom-made Dashboards and Resources (project)
  • Ashley Muggli, Identifying Unassociated Funerary Objects in Museum Collections (project)
  • Alexis Newton, Is the Mission the Message? A Critical Discourse Analysis of Museum Mission Statements (thesis)
  • Jordan Swenson, Diatoms of the Esteros del Ibera A Taxonomic and Ecological Comparison of Historic and Contemporary Collections (thesis)
  • Justin Williams, Taxonomy, Nomenclator, and Review of Stenogyne (Lamiaceae) (thesis)

2019 Graduates

  • Erin Barbeau, Novel Hostplant Effect on Defensive Behaviors of White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae) Caterpillars (thesis)
  • Julie Byle,ÌýThe Science of Nature Based Learning: Evaluating the Nexus of Leadership, Agency, and Positive Emotions on Student Experiences through Participative Decision Making on Curriculum Intervention (thesis)
  • Trevor Ganske, Collaborative, Interpretive and Spatial Development of the Far View Visitor Center at Mesa Verde National Park (project)
  • Baylee Hughes, Engaging With African American Communities Through Critical Race Theory and Indigenous Decolonizing Methodologies in the Anacostia Community Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture (thesis)
  • Sydney Marshall, Students Helping Students: Co-Creating Programs in the CU Museum of Natural History (project)
  • Kelly Martin, Utilizing Molecular Phylogenetics to Assess Genetic Diversity of Western United States Physa and Helisoma Snails (thesis)
  • Jennifer Modzel, Stepping Out: 10,000 Years of Walking the West:ÌýDecolonizing Strategies at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (thesis)
  • Jane Richardson, Developing Tribal Museum Collection Policies and Plans: Museum Toolkit and Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation Report (project)
  • Sophia Warsh, A Floristic Inventory of Two Â鶹ӰԺ County Open Space Parcels: Heil Valley Ranch and Hall Ranch, Colorado, U.S.A. (thesis)

2018 Graduates

  • Andrea Blaser, Space Assessments for Museum Collections Planning (project)
  • Emma Noffsinger, Preparing Collections for Consultation (project)
  • Reid Sweetkind, Phenomenon-based Curriculum in a Mammals Kit for Fourth Grade Classrooms (project)
  • Tara Templeman, New Earliest Paleocene (Puercan) Multituberculates from the China Butte Member of the Fort Union Formation, Great Divide Basin, Wyoming (thesis)

2017 Graduates

  • Clint Hofeldt, Master's Project: An Interpretive Plan for the University of Colorado's Mountain Research Station (project)
  • Sarah Robertson, Additional Perspectives: Creating a Kit for the Mathematical Exploration of Art (project)

2016 Graduates

  • Jesse Dutton-Kenny,ÌýPreserving Ethnographic Basketry CollectionsÌý(project)
  • Kerrie Iyoob,ÌýEvaluating Microclimates Within Fluctuating Environments in Museum Collections (project)
  • Nicole Ridgwell,ÌýRare Direct Evidence of Angiosperm Consumption by Dinosaurs Based on Coprolites from the Kaiparowits Formation of UtahÌý(thesis)

2015 Graduates

  • Jacquelyn Bonavia,ÌýPreparing Private Antiquities Collections for Museum Acquisition: The Gell-Mann Pottery Collection Case StudyÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Elisa Dahlberg,ÌýA New Earliest Paleocene (Puercan) Fauna from the Denver Formation in Colorado's Denver BasinÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Marcus Espinosa,ÌýAn Analysis of Basketmaker III Seed Jar Ratios for the Basketmaker Communities ProjectÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Meredith George,ÌýAccountability and Transparency in Nonprofit Campaigns: A Case Study on the Museum of Science BostonÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Alissa Gigliotti,ÌýEast of the Divide: The Native Fishes of Colorado, An Exhibit PlanÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Antonette Hrycyk,ÌýVisitor Interpretation of Gender Within a History Museum ExhibitionÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Emily Lannoye, AÌýNew Middle Paleocene Mammalian Fauna from the Fort Union Formation, Great Divide Basin, WyomingÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Keelin MacCarthy,ÌýRemember Each Snowflake: Creating a Process for Program Development (project)
  • Aubrie Reed,ÌýA Study of School Group Social Interaction at the History Colorado Center (thesis)
  • Alison Vitkus,ÌýUnusual, Fossiliferous, Concretions from the Lower Jurassic Moenave Formation in St. George, Utah, USA: Implications for Ancient Fish Mass MortalitiesÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Lindsay Walker,ÌýDiversity of Eocene Coleoptera in Colorado During a Global Cooling Event (thesis)
  • Katherine Wolfson,ÌýCitizen Science: A Tool for Scientific, Discovery and Influencing Science Attitudes in MuseumsÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)

2014 Graduates

  • Richard Levy,ÌýDispersal Potential Impacts Size Clines of Grasshoppers Across an Elevation GradientÌý(thesis)
  • Katherine McComas,ÌýA New Puercan Arctocyonid Genus from the Great Divide Basin, WyomingÌý(thesis)
  • Alison Seeberger,ÌýMuseum Volunteers 2.0: Examining Motivation in the Era of Citizen Science (thesis)

Ìý2013 Graduates

  • Danielle Forte,ÌýAn Interactive Colorado House Spider Identification GuideÌý(project)
  • Jessica Holm,ÌýIntergenerational Groups & Emerging Science: How Can Museums Facilitate Learning?Ìý(thesis)
  • Kayla Kramer,ÌýOBJECT BIOGRAPHIES: A Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation Buckskin and Quillwork Outfit, a Nez Perce Woman's Buckskin Dress, a Ramos Polychrome Jar, and a Navajo Man's Military Style-JacketÌý(thesis)
  • Karen Malone,ÌýThe Who, What, Why, How, & When of Accessible Hands-On Programming: A Guidebook for Museum & Informal EducatorsÌý(project)
  • Chistine McClellan,ÌýAn Assessment of Student Exhibitions for the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History; the University of Colorado at Chimney Rock & the Archaeoastronomy of Chimney RockÌý(project)
  • Robert Rutherford,ÌýPast the Edge of the Canvas: A Holistic Approach to Creating Educational Web ContentÌý(project)
  • Sarah Snow,ÌýMemories of GAMES: Exploring the Long-Term Impacts of After-School Museum Programming on Girls' Attitudes Towards ScienceÌý(thesis)
  • Deborah Wagner,ÌýMamallian Body Size Change During the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum in the Powder River Basin, WyomingÌý(thesis)

2012 Graduates

  • Rachel Asquith,ÌýFactors Predicting Visitor Satisfaction in U.S. MuseumsÌý(thesis)
  • Irina Fartushnikova,ÌýCultural Representation in Museums: Assessing Changes in Museum Practice in Representation of Native American Cultures and Their Impact on Museum Visitors (thesis)
  • Taormina Lepore,ÌýTissue-bearing Theropod Coprolites from the Laramie Formation (Maastrichtian) of ColoradoÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Gillian McGinnis,ÌýCeramics and Visitor Evaluations Project SummaryÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Jennifer Seitz,ÌýSmall Wonders: Developing a Beetle ExhibitÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Claire Wilbert,ÌýNAGPRA Consultation WorkshopÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Kathryn Zullo,ÌýEngaging Senior Citizens at the CU Museum of Natural HistoryÌý(project)

2011 Graduates

  • Michael Poltenovage,ÌýColorado Museum of Natural History Paleoasys Collections Management System User ManualÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)
  • Heather Robeson,ÌýAn Observational Biodiversity Database for the University of Colorado Museum of Natural HistoryÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Janell Thoene,ÌýTaphonomy of Insects from the Florissant Formation, ColoradoÌý(³Ù³ó±ð²õ¾±²õ)
  • Rhonda Wright,ÌýSetting the Standard: Creating an Archival Databasing Protocol Based on the Earl H. Morris Papers at the CUMNHÌý(±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù)