UT iSchool Alumni
MiriYam Judd
Motion Picture Film & A/V Digitization Archivist, Los Alamos National Laboratory
MiriYam Judd works as an audiovisual and motion picture film digitization archivist and preservationist, preparing, rehousing, and digitizing historic film and AV materials tied to Los Alamos National Laboratory collections.
- Current role: Motion Picture Film & A/V Digitization Archivist
- Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Degree: MSIS w/ an EOS in digital preservation & web archiving
- Graduation year: 2024
About the Work
I work as an AV and motion picture film digitization archivist and preservationist. My role includes prepping, rehousing, and digitizing motion picture film and audiovisual materials, much of it dating back to the early days of the Manhattan Project in the 1940s.
I really love the physical aspect of handling and repairing film. Some colleagues have even worked with nitrate film, and it is both fascinating and humbling to help preserve materials that have not been seen by anyone in decades.
I also spend a lot of time responding to FOIA requests, managing spreadsheets and metadata, and collaborating with collections management and reference teams. I enjoy the cross-departmental work required to make sure patrons’ information needs are met.
How the iSchool Prepared Them
Topics & Theories in Metadata is directly applicable to MiriYam’s day-to-day work and reshaped how they think about and interact with data. Steve Kantner’s digitization class and AE1 were also especially valuable, and their capstone project directly helped open the door to participating in a digital forensics working group with colleagues after graduation.
A Memorable iSchool Experience
Every class MiriYam took with Sarah Norris made a lasting impression. The disaster simulation class stands out in particular as a memorable, high-impact iSchool experience.
Advice for Current Students
Take advantage of all the iSchool has to offer. Form connections with your professors and classmates. Apply for internships and student jobs while you can, because there is only so far classes alone can take you. Put yourself out there as much as possible.