Amy Kitmacher

Background

About Amy Kitmacher

To acquire a shirt in the modern world, one can simply go online, enter a credit card number, and the shirt arrives at our door in two to three days. We do not often consider all the the steps required, and all the people who performed those steps, to produce that shirt. Even easier to forget is how challenging this process was prior to modern technology. I have long been fascinated in the study of how things were made, and how people interacted with material culture throughout history, and have enjoyed learning and engaging hands-on with these processes. I recently completed a Bachelor of Art in History with a minor in Archaeology as a non-traditional student at Smith College. During my time at Smith, I also worked as a Collections Assistant at the historical society and museum at Northampton, Massachusetts and as an Accessioning Assistant at Smith College Special Collections. As part of my Smith education, I interned at the the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum where I assisted in writing museum scripts for the "At Home In Space" exhibit, due to open in 2024. I also attended archaeology field school in Safara, Portugal. This school included site preparation, excavation, and documentation as well as classes on archaeological methods, human remains, animal remains, ceramics, and lithics. Prior to attending Smith College, I served in the United States Coast Guard as an Avionics and Electrical Technician, Helicopter Flight Mechanic, and Technical Writer. During my Coast Guard career I served as an aircrew flight instructor and examiner and provided training on safe aircraft maintenance practices.