Internships continued...with a little Newton Grove in the mix 5.30.13

Austin’s internship at Precision BioSciences in downtown Durham is giving him the opportunity to engage in actual, on-going scientific research.  Austin’s project is to help trace whether or not genetic material is successfully being transmitted into CHO (Chinese hamster ovarian) cells—his supervisor notes that Austin is a great asset to their team and his contributions will help them move much more quickly in evaluating the success of some of their experiments and procedures.  Austin is getting a clear sense of the complexity and error-prone world of scientific work—he notes that one of the surprises has been reconciling the failure of his experiments at first and doing creative problem-solving in order to understand how to move towards a successful result. 

Indeed, his supervisor has enjoyed seeing Austin endure through these real challenges of science—especially given the type of cutting-edge biotechnology Austin is working with—and shares that Austin has been tackling a real molecular biology problem that can actually move the firm’s work forward (and to which there is not a textbook solution).  Austin is also gaining an understanding of how a biotechnology firm at this scale operates, from keeping confidentiality agreements to how the basic science gets linked to applications “down stream” in various industries.  He is certainly getting well-prepared for his AP-level Biology class next year.  As a bonus, he gets to suit up in some nifty threads.     

Logan is interning at Cameron’s Gallery, a store that sells art and gifts in University Mall in Chapel Hill.  Last week she used the internship time to shadow psychologists at Duke University and learn more about psychological research.  During her time at Cameron’s, she is helping out with several transitions.  The major change for the store is its upcoming move to Carrboro later this year—Logan has helped design and create visual displays for some of the artists whose work is featured in the store and these displays will help orient future customers to what Cameron’s has to offer in the new space. 

Logan has also helped with the transition from handwritten receipts (and an actual cash register) to an electronic register system.  While Logan has appreciated that there are no tests during an internship, like during the academic year, her supervisor notes that when Logan trained another employee in the new electronic system, not only was it a test, it was one Logan passed very successfully.  Logan has also had the chance to learn more about how the world of work operates and what is needed to run a small retail business, from the stockroom to the register and sales floor.  

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE NEWTON GROVE BLOG: cfsnewtongrove2013.wordpress.com . It will be well worth your time!

More Internship News...

Josh is in the midst of an internship at the Museum of Life & Science in Durham.  This internship allows Josh to combine several of his wide-ranging skills and interests, from art & design to working with children to science.  During this internship, Josh has been able to work behind-the-scenes at the museum to see what it takes to put together the exhibits and communicate science to the general public, especially to a younger general public that desires hands-on learning.  Not only has Josh been able to see how much work is behind the magic of great exhibits, but he notes how much he has learned about having a mission-driven organization, especially one committed to the integrity of its science.  He shares how he has really come to understand the importance of that concept: no how matter how cool an idea is for the museum, if it doesn’t promote the mission and help the public understand quality science, it isn’t a useful idea. 

Alex’s internship is at the beautiful and peaceful Wholistic Health Studio, just down the road from CFS and run by the parent of a CFS alum (and housed in a home that was featured in a documentary made by Jamie Hysjulien and Kenny Dalsheimer about local history and the blues).  Alex’s supervisor notes that she has been a wonderful colleague and student, both helping to tend the grounds and attending lectures on acupuncture and massage.  Alex has been taking this opportunity to do a lot of self-directed study on different healing techniques, especially massage, and is hopeful she will get to practice what she is learning on a person at some point. 

Ari is interning at the Piedmont Wildlife Center, a place with which she is very familiar.  She has served as a Counselor-in-Training in previous summers through the Center and is using part of this internship to prepare to be a Level III CIT, which means that she will lead some CIT training.  She has been able to take a lot of leadership roles through this internship, from refurbishing the Center’s display of skulls in the office to helping to design and implement an educational program at Morris Grove Elementary School in Chapel Hill.  She is also helping to teach a class on plants for the Center’s Plant Guild class during this internship, a class that meets on Wednesdays in which Ari is often a student.  Ari notes that she has loved being able to be more involved in her work with the Piedmont Wildlife Center and has particularly enjoyed seeing how the organization functions through teamwork to complete a task. 

Her mentors (including CFS alum Sarah Haggerty ’95, the Center’s Director of Education) share that Ari has been an invaluable member of the team and they praise her maturity, responsibility and leadership.  In addition to nurturing Ari’s own love of environmental education and science, this internship is giving her additional time to hang out with Kellog, the male corn snake in the office.  Ari highly recommends this as an internship for future CFS students and is hoping to build bridges between CFS and the Center during the academic year.