- Over the summer I interned as a Student Trainee with the U.S Forest Service and assisted in several activities that took place over the course of three and a half months. The main responsibilities included caring for ash trees that were pot bound which meant tasks such as watering, fertilizing, implementing integrated pest management practices, organizing based on genotype, and up-potting as necessary. The second major component was setting up weekly experiments which consisted of measuring trees, placing emerald ash borer eggs on designated trees, scoring eggs after they had hatched, and eventually dissecting tree sections to determine larvae development and host kills. There were several other miscellaneous tasks throughout the summer that included maintenance of the lab station, mowing, and scoring trees for emerald ash borer damage in various plantings across Ohio.
- I think that my internship experience this summer expanded my understanding of what a career in the environmental and conservation field looks like. There is only so much experience I can gain as a student in the classes and labs that I take while enrolled in my program. To be able to have actual hands-on opportunities in a professional environment transformed my understanding of how operations take place, the importance of accurate data collection and entry, and the impact research has on long-term goals and outcomes. The project that I worked on this summer had several moving components with associated partners across the United States. It was really interesting to see this wide-spread dedication to research on ash trees and the impact of emerald ash borer in different regions. Being involved in an operation with such reach contributed to transforming my perspective on how intertwined and connected different research projects can be and the multiple career opportunities associated. Over the course of this summer, I also learned a lot about myself that transformed my overall perspective as well. I realized that I was able to work on projects both individually and as a team, which was an experience that I hadn’t had within a classroom setting. I was trusted by my team to complete certain tasks, which helped build my confidence and allowed me to see that I am capable of completing things I didn’t think I could do. This helped to develop my communication skills and encouraged me to ask questions when I needed help, which I have struggled with in the past. My internship also helped me step out of my comfort zone and try new things I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do otherwise. I also learned how to deal with frustrations within the workplace environment and I think this helped me grow as a person and will be a useful experience in any future career opportunity.
- One of my biggest goals going into this internship this summer was to gain experience in a professional environment and see first-hand what a career in the field of environmental science and natural resources looked like. I was interested in this position because it was a hands-on opportunity and it was field work that took place outside as opposed to behind a desk. Being outside and the field component aspects were some of the main reasons why I was interested in pursuing a degree in SENR, but I didn’t necessarily know the amount of labor and mental toughness it would take to consistently be in a position that required that. Over the summer I was outside almost every day for about eight hours a day. With it being the summer, there were days when it was extremely hot and sunny and other days where it was raining and windy. There were even days when the weather was nice but the day was full of laborious tasks that were physically straining. Although I loved the job I was doing, there were some days when it was difficult to be outside. I think this entire summer helped transform my view of jobs that mainly operate outside and the hard work and determination needed to complete them. I realized that it isn’t always going to be easy and it’s not always how it’s made out to be by different professors or job descriptions. I think this helped me to focus on what I want out of a future career and better understand the amount of physical labor that occurs on a daily basis.Another transformation that I experienced this summer was understanding how extensive research projects are and the substantial amount of time, work, and data collection that goes into maintaining them over the years. Before this summer, the only exposure I had to research projects was just hearing about the different ones my friends or professors were working on. Until participating in this project, I don’t think I fully comprehended all the moving parts and the importance of the data this team was collecting. This pushed me to pay close attention to details, increase accuracy in different procedures, and ask questions when I didn’t know how to complete a task. There was one instance when I didn’t understand the measuring procedures for a tree’s diameter, but I thought that I could figure it out on my own and puzzle my way through. Although I was able to finally understand the methods used, it took me twice as long and one of the technicians said there was a short cut method she used to help get accurate measurements faster. This was important because I also learned that time is such a valuable resource, especially in research. If I had just asked for help sooner, I would have learned these tips earlier on and been more efficient. This was a key event that I learned from and realized that mistakes happen, but it’s also important to ask for help from others.
I think another major interaction I had during my STEP project was just the daily interactions with my co-workers and the other interns. I had the opportunity to improve upon my communication skills and understood how important that is within any workplace environment. There was one intern that I shared some frustrations with throughout the summer mainly because we had different work ethics and it felt like the workload was not evenly distributed consistently over the course of this internship. Although there were moments where it was challenging to work together, I think that the other interns and I made an effort to work even harder and make sure tasks were still completed to the best of our ability. This allowed us to work better as a team and bounce ideas off each other. I had discussions with my supervisor throughout the summer as well and I think this helped me build a stronger relationship with them and also realize that this is an instance that I will likely run into again throughout my career. I feel better prepared to deal with certain frustrations now and approach people in a way that is encouraging rather than unsupportive. This helped to transform my perspective on frustrations in general and I also learned how to hold myself accountable and still do what was best for the team.
- These changes and transformations are incredibly valuable to my life because they gave me a look at what I might expect in the future and how things might not always go as planned, but I can continue to learn from them. I think this is an important outlook to have because there’s been times when I have felt pressured to choose one singular path or career and work towards that. From this experience I’ve learned that isn’t always the case and shouldn’t feel like I’m stuck in one position, especially if it isn’t something I’m passionate about. This summer I learned a lot about myself and was able to grow my confidence, which allowed me to be more open about trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. I think this is a critical component as I plan on graduating in the spring and will step away from the structure of school that I’ve known for 17 years. I’m ready to start a career and be part of the workforce, but it can be intimidating with lots of unknowns. I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do once I graduate, but I have learned that there is no set path and I will find my way through hard work and connecting with others. The skills and experiences I gained over the summer though have made me feel more prepared and excited for the future, which was a really valuable transformation I took away from this opportunity.
One of the on site greenhouses that held pot bound ash trees that had been bred using various methods.
Emerald ash borer larvae that had been dissected from an experiment tree eight weeks after eggs had been put on. The instar was determined for each larva and then a total weight was recorded.