9 staff has doubled, sparking a profound shift in how we think and work. While each of us has a specific role, our positions have been conceived with productive overlaps in responsibilities, which drives more integrated team- work. When I assumed the added role of associate di- rector of curatorial affairs, I inherited a long tradition of curatorial excellence and a charge to think anew about how and why we do the work we do. Fortunately, I am in the company of this dynamic team of curatorial col- leagues who bring energy, ideas and diverse experienc- es to our exhibitions, collections and the research and interpretation of the works under our collective care. SCMA’s permanent collection is extensive, and wide- ly recognized as among the finest in the nation. How does the collection inform and inspire your work? Shanice Bailey: I still feel like I haven’t even skimmed the surface of the collection! I’m continually surprised by the breadth of objects we have. I came into this position a little over a year ago with a fairly narrow art- historical focus and my horizons are constantly being expanded by the variety of objects I get to work with on a daily basis. I love creating that experience for visitors. Emma Chubb: I’m interested in the stories and histories we can tell through our collection, both by rethinking those we currently tell about artworks we think we know well and by refreshing the galleries with artworks that haven’t been seen in some time in order to catalyze new interest in, and research on, the works and their makers. Danielle Carrabino: This is an impressive and much- loved collection among Smith students, faculty and alumnae, and it is also very well respected beyond campus. The strengths are clearly in our works on paper as well as in European and American painting and sculpture from the 19th-20th centuries. That said, I find the lesser-known areas of the collection exciting and ripe for growth. EC: And it’s a privilege to contribute to its expansion. I’m proud of the museum’s new acquisitions that I’ve guided this year—artworks by Alma Thomas, Yto Barrada, Hu’o’ng Ngô, Younès Rahmoun and Marie Watt—and I think these provide a sense of my priorities for, and approach to, the collection. Although covering a range of media, each one evidences rigor of imagi- nation and technique, as well as research. All five artists are, or were in their lifetimes, deeply engaged in their worlds. By bringing their work to Smith, my hope is that visitors are able to engage with those worlds, as well. What’s unique about doing curatorial work at an academic institution? Yao Wu: We always collect art and curate exhibitions with clear teaching missions in mind. The questions I ask when I am faced with decision-making are: How does it relate to the students? What professors and classes will be able to make good use of it? Will the museum intro- duce new voices to faculty members who may be familiar with the related discourse only in the context of their own disciplines? I particularly enjoy the collegial relation- ships with professors from many departments. On the one hand, the museum becomes an extension of their classroom setting; on the other, their respective expertise greatly informs our curatorial activities. This is something unique about an academic museum. EC: What stands out for me are the constant opportuni- ties for learning and engagement with ideas. It’s such an amazing part of the job and I really appreciate lectures by visiting scholars and faculty, workshops on topics from micro-resistance to critical cartography and shar- ing work in progress with Five College faculty and staff. Henriette Kets de Vries: A lot of the curatorial ideas I get come directly from my work with students. I have found that they tend to be more drawn to contempo- rary works, but I love introducing them to the historic works from our collection. Finding creative ways to demonstrate the direct relevance of these perhaps less accessible works is what keeps me going. Also, being part of an educational institution makes it okay to delve a bit deeper at times and truly teach with the collection. Nothing is more satisfying than introducing a young