A Postcard from: Tauni Robinson ’18

Posted on by

taunirobinson_beesName: Tauni Robinson

Year: 2018

Major: Geology

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer I was an intern with PennEnvironment, a statewide non-profit environmental advocacy organization. I was placed on their “No Bees, No Food” campaign to help save the bees and was primarily tasked with convincing the EPA to ban the use of a class of bee-killing pesticide known as Neonicotinoids. Colony Collapse and the general decrease in bee population has been an increasingly common problem for beekeepers across the world, and one cause that scientists have pointed to is the use of Neonics. My main task was to build a coalition of farmers and local restaurants to show support on our letter urging the EPA to ban the use of these pesticides.

I was very excited to learn about campaign organization and was enthusiastic about the amount of responsibility I held as an intern. Interns were the key tacticians on this political campaign targeted at the EPA, so we were planning events, sending out press releases, building strong coalitions, organizing grassroots and grasstops action, petitioning, and crafting multiple Letters-to-the-Editor and Op-Eds all on our own. The best moment of my internship was when I got a huge restaurant chain to sign on to our letter.

Tauni Robinson_Bees Campaign

My favorite part of this internship was getting to speak to all the farmers and restaurant owners because I got to meet some amazing people with very interesting stories. I found out just how many people really care about our pollinators and all the food they provide us with, so I felt like I was doing good for the Earth and that this was highly rewarding work. I also loved the environment I was working in because I was working a 10-5 job in a Center City office but got to spend lots of time outside in parks and city green spaces. Getting to live in Philadelphia and experiencing city life was also definitely a huge plus for me!

A Postcard From: Wenzhi Song ’17

Posted on by

Wenzhi1Name: Wenzhi Song

Year: 2017

Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer, I am conducting research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to study the immune response following a flu infection. My project explores the basis for CD4+ T cell activation, a step that is crucial for antibody production and viral clearance. Traditionally, antigen presenting cells have been thought to activate CD4+ T cells by presenting antigens processed from extracellular viral proteins. However, previous work in my lab has shown that alternative processing of endogenously produced antigens may play a bigger role in inducing CD4+ T cell response during viral infections. My project aims to further demonstrate the important role of endogenous processing and support our hypothesis that endogenous processing is the main driving force of CD4+ T cell response during viral infections.

This experience so far has been so wonderful and exciting. I have been interested in immunology for a long time and finally decided to explore the field as an option for my future career. Learning new techniques and kicking off my own projects have kept me busy and fulfilled for the last couple of weeks. Most of my days are spent running from one experiment to another. When things become too hectic, a quick look out of the window from my desk never fails to calm me down.

Wenzhi2

A Postcard From: Ashley Macina ’17

Posted on by

img_2405Name: Ashley Macina

Year: 2017

Major: Psychology & Religion

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer, I have the pleasure of helping with clinical research at the Center for Family Intervention Science (CFIS) at Drexel University. I start my day by commuting to 30th Street Station amidst the hustle and bustle of the workweek mornings. These mornings are exciting, fast-paced, and yet worthwhile as I think about the day that’s ahead of me. CFIS is a therapeutic space, as well as a research center for depressed adolescents, especially with co-occurring symptoms of suicidality, trauma, and substance abuse. CFIS is currently running an adherence study under the direction of Dr. Guy Diamond. Adherence studies typically measure what happens in routine clinical practice, so specific themes of therapy are brought about when measuring adherence. One of the main models of therapy at CFIS is called attachment-based family therapy, which looks to reattach adolescents with their caregivers in an attempt to solve/improve psychological conditions. As a research assistant, I get to watch many therapy sessions, and learn about how research and practice are implemented in a clinical setting. Although I have just started this in-depth journey of clinical research, I am excited to see where this experience will take me. For example, I will learn how to manage and analyze data, and hopefully improve my writing skills in the field.

Throughout each of the therapy sessions I have observed, what strikes me most is seeing the crossroads of research and therapy, and how therapeutic spaces are improved through such study/research. Each of the therapists shows such compassion for their clients, but they also do it within a structured therapy framework. It also amazes me how each is able to connect with their clients and their families on such vulnerable topics and attachment ruptures. The success in the reattachment of family systems through this therapy seems very rewarding to me. The lifelong work of the researchers at CFIS inspires me every time I walk into work, and that’s all I can ask for!

A Postcard From: Yan Liang ’17

Posted on by

img_3221Name: Yan Liang

Year: 2017

Major: Mathematics and Psychology

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

This summer, I interned at LRNG by Collective Shift located at Redwood City, CA. I worked as an UX designer & researcher interdepartmentally for the Product and the Learning, Design and Assessment (LDA) Departments. I was fortunate enough to observe and partake in some necessary steps a startup would need to go through to find its way out in the competitive market. I collaborated closely with designers and product managers and learned core skills that would make me a better practitioner in the industry.

Liang1

How I heard about my internship:

I was interested in interning at a start-up size, educational nonprofit at the bay area. I did a bit research via Google and found LRNG. I was very interested in what LRNG was doing and would love to support LRNG’s work. I found a way to contact an employee at LRNG in March and asked him for opportunities. LinkedIn is a great tool for finding someone to communicate within a company.

Why I applied for my internship:

I would be graduating in 6 months at the time I applied this internship and my experience had been limited to research-based work. I wished to hone my design skills in this internship and to build my network at the bay area. I was also really interested in working in a startup. It was a unique and perfect opportunity that LRNG provided me. I was so grateful that Bryn Mawr funded me and supported my learning there.

Liang3

A Postcard From: Angela Motte ’17

Posted on by

img_4581Name: Angela Motte

Year: 2017

Major: History

What’s happening? We’d love to hear how your internship is going!

I’m currently interning in the homicide division of the Palm Beach Office of the State Attorney. My department works exclusively with defendants who have been charged with murder. The cases are really interesting, and I appreciate the fact that in my position I am always thinking. I love the attorneys who I work under—they are amazing with reaching out to me to see if something that they are doing interests me.

How I heard about my internship:

I was originally following a murder case through the newspaper, and when the case was taken to court, I was able to see part of the trial. This experience really got me interested in this division specifically.

Why I applied for my internship:

I applied for my internship because I want to know if this is a field that I want to get into for a career. I think that at first the prospect of more time in academia intimidated me, but the more time I’m spending in the office, the more that I’m reassured that I have the skills needed to do this.

Welcome Summer 2016!

Posted on by

Welcome to the Summer Internship blog!

With Bryn Mawr students interning across the globe, this blog will offer a glance at what they are completing throughout their summer break. We’ve asked them to send in “postcards” from their internship, highlighting the work they are doing, their experience working in the field, or even what it’s like living in a new city for a few months.

Enjoy your summer and this Summer Internship blog!