EarthScope Consortium

Student Intern

March - August 2020 • Boulder, CO

What I liked

I liked the experience of being involved with something that I am not usually involved in, that being the science community. Although I love science, I generally don't think of it as something I'd like to go into for a career, and my feelings are mostly unchanged. However, with this experience I discovered that I am capable of excelling in this field when it is something that truly interests me, and if I should change my mind as to what I'd like to go into for a career in the future, I will at least have had some practical beginner's experience in this field.

What I wish was different

One thing I wish had been different was the remote setting. Although I did still find the experience enjoyable and enriching, prior to the start of the COVID crisis in the US, I was excited to be out in the field doing exciting experiments with cool equipment. However, I soon discovered that, not only was doing the internship remotely more convenient for me in the long run, but I had an amazing time simply getting to know people and meet and work with them each week. So even though the experience wasn't as exciting as I had initially anticipated, it still ended up being a worthwhile one.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would give to anyone thinking of going into an internship with UNAVCO is to simply take it easy on yourself. The people who work there are very kind and were so supportive of me, even when I felt like I shouldn't have been picked. Make sure that you always check in with your mentors and partners, and remember to take as many job-finding notes that they offer you.

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Intern

May - August 2019 • Boulder, CO

What I liked

The internship allowed me (as a transferring community college student) to work with the US Geological Survey and conduct research, which I then presented with UNAVCO's support at the GSA annual meeting in Phoenix. The intern support is top notch, and every week had professional skills workshops that helped us navigate scientific fields in academia.