Today’s post in our Meet the Team series features Junior Research Associate Maayan Rosen, who holds both a BA and MA in History. She has extensive knowledge of historical research methods and has conducted research for our environmental and corporate succession projects. Maayan has also assisted in developing comprehensive provenance sheets and chronologies as part of these research efforts. To learn more about Maayan, read her Q&A below.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
During the weekday evenings, you can find me relaxing on the couch and watching TV. I’m an introvert, so I like spending time at home, doing puzzles, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. When the weather is nice, I’m in the backyard with my dog, Remy, or out walking with him. On the weekends, I usually go out with friends and explore different areas of Washington, DC, and Maryland. I love going to museums and visiting parks around DC.
If the TRG team was out at a quiz or trivia night, what would be your area of expertise?
My area of expertise would probably be pop culture, geography, and English history. I’m pretty well-versed in anything from TV shows and video games to random facts about the Tudor and Stuart eras.
As a TRG team member, we know you frequently travel to repositories throughout the country, but what about personal travel experiences? Tell us about a memorable trip.
One of the most memorable trips that I took was to Japan in 2019 with my older brother. We traveled around Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara. It was amazing to experience the culture, food, history, and views of Japan. Walking around each city was so fascinating and different. No matter how metropolitan each city was, there was always a shrine or temple around the corner. My brother had previously lived in Tokyo, so it was great to travel around with someone who knew the area and could show me around.
If you had a time machine, which decade or historical time period would you most want to live in and why?
As someone who studied history, that is a difficult question to answer because there are too many time periods I would like to visit and experience. If I had to choose one time period, it would probably be the beginning of the 1900s. I think it would be interesting to see how people reacted to the technological advancements of the period and how people lived without the idea of needing to constantly connect to social media or Wi-Fi.
Prior to joining TRG, you obtained a BA in History and a MA in Historical Studies. How does your background in history shape your research approach at TRG?
The process of reviewing historical records requires a baseline understanding of the past and the skills to recognize and explain which document is significant. My background in history helps me home in on the important details of the documents I review and situate them in a larger context. Being able to critically review different databases, finding aids, and records has definitely helped on the different TRG research projects I’ve worked on.
In 280 characters or less, tell us something about historical research field that would surprise those outside of it.
The historical research field is a lot more interdisciplinary than people typically realize. Depending on what you’re researching, you always have to look beyond the specific area of focus to understand the larger impact.