One spring day, a Student Prince decided to go on a summer adventure. “It won’t be long before I have a career,” the Prince said, “so I’d better start preparing now.” So with some ’Berg education under their hat, 还有一些幕后关系, Student Prince began forging their way through an internship.
We continue our web series, Internship Chronicles.
Chapter 6: “You Never Know What You're Going to Get"
大卫Harbaugh is an environmental science major, 专攻流域科学, 从Hartville, 俄亥俄州. While on campus, David works as an RA, is the kicker for the Berg football team. 今年夏天, David is interning through the 俄亥俄州自然资源部 with the coastal management branch. 为了他的工作, 大卫驻扎在老妇溪, a state nature preserve that is part of the 国家河口研究保护区. David is working to become a watershed manager, where he can collect and test water samples in order to improve water quality and the health of the ecosystem.
How did you find your internship, or how did the internship find you?
2021年秋天, I was looking at some of the different internships that might be available for environmental science majors. One of the internships that popped up was an internship with the ODNR (俄亥俄州自然资源部). I had always been interested in working with them, so when the time came, I applied.
After I applied for the position, I was given the opportunity to interview with the ODNR. At this point the interviews were for a position on the team, if they found you were a good fit for the job then they would choose a location for you from there. After my interview I waited to hear from the head of the internship program and when I finally heard back, I was given the opportunity to take on the role of “Summer Water Quality 研究 Intern,在老妇溪.
What did you expect from your internship initially?
最初, I expected to learn a lot about the water testing process and how all of the maintenance is done to keep up with the rapidly changing environmental conditions of the area. I was also expecting to learn how to calibrate some of the water quality sensors that we deploy in the reserve. 通过这一切, I was hoping to spend a lot of time outside collecting samples and learning about the coastal environment on the shores of Lake Erie.
What really happens in your day-to-day work?
From day to day there are a lot of things that happen, ranging from things that are happening in the lab, like analyzing water samples for different nutrients to going into the estuary, to completing field maintenance on the water quality sensors that we have deployed in the field.
Most of my day is completed in the lab working with the different water samples that we take throughout the week. I would say that around 25% of my work is completed outside collecting samples and completing other work around the reserve.
你找到了什么联系?
我在这里的时候, I have made many connections with my co-workers and other people from within the 俄亥俄州自然资源部. I’ve also made some connections within the branch of the United States Geologic Survey that is stationed in Huron.
What is the most valuable thing you’ll bring back to the classroom after this experience?
The most valuable experience that I am going to bring back to the classroom is all of the techniques I have learned during my sampling and testing of water quality. I have learned many different ways to test for different nutrients in the water. I’ve also learned about the many different components that go into conducting research on a new technology related to water quality.
If your internship was a book or a chapter in a book, what should it be titled?
If my internship was a book or a chapter in a book, I think it should be called “You Never Know What You’re Going to Get.”
To keep up with 大卫Harbaugh and what he’s doing, you can find him on LinkedIn.
要了解更多关于 俄亥俄州自然资源部, 国家河口研究保护区, 老妇溪，请查看他们的链接网站.