From time to time, we will shine the spotlight on one of our team members. We kicked off this series a while back with a Q&A featuring public historian Will Armstrong. Today, it’s Kylie Armo’s turn. Kylie joined TRG in 2017 from Colgate University where she had majored in Environmental Geography and Political Science. She’s used this knowledge in support of our environmental, toxic tort, and asbestos litigation projects. She also supports our communications efforts, from posting on social media to writing for our blog and newsletter. But enough about work – it’s time to get to know a little bit more about Kylie outside of her role at TRG.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
As a somewhat recent transplant to Washington, D.C., I enjoy spending time exploring the sights of the city. After attending college in a rural area, I try to take advantage of all the museums, restaurants, and national parks D.C. has to offer. An average week for me also includes reading historical fiction novels, playing soccer, watching Game of Thrones, and spending time with friends.
If the TRG team was out at a quiz or trivia night, what would be your area of expertise?
I would likely be the foremost expert on trivia questions related to millennials. From books to movies to television shows, I think I would be the go-to team member for trivia questions associated with millennial culture.
We know you often travel for TRG, but what about personal travel? Tell us about your most memorable travel experience.
One of my most memorable travel experiences is the incredible trip I took to China as part of a program at my university. We focused on exploring the historical roots and social implications of China’s environmental issues. We traveled to Beijing, Kunming, and Lijiang where we had the opportunity to learn from Chinese activists, scientists, and students in the sustainability sector.
If you had a time machine, which decade or historical time period would you most want to live in and why?
Despite being a historical researcher, I would want to use a time machine to travel into the future. In the future, hopefully I would be able to meet my descendants, experience unimaginable technological innovations, and witness a more just society.
Do you have a favorite archival repository or library that you’ve conducted research in?
One of my favorite research spots would be the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It is a six-story concrete castle built in 1916 that, in addition to the museum, includes a research library focused on the history of the surrounding region. I particularly enjoyed my time at this repository due to the majestic, Harry Potter-like nature of one of their reading rooms.
In 280 characters or less, tell us something about historical research that most people don’t know.
Despite living in the age of Google, an extremely limited percentage of historical documents have been digitized. At the National Archives alone, less than 1% of their holdings have been digitized. The value of historical researchers comes in part from our unique ability to navigate the colossal magnitude of archival records, whether paper or digital.