Name: Jaelyn Bos
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: National Park Service
Position Title: Hemlock Monitoring Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Environmental Science (BS); Biology (BA)
Expected Graduation Year: Spring 2017
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
Last summer, I worked for the National Park Service's Inventory and Monitoring program in the National Capital Region. The role of this program is to routinely assess the state of natural resources in the region's parks. Two other interns from UMBC and I spent the summer studying the ecologic role of Eastern Hemlock trees, which are dying out due to an invasive pest. For the first half of the summer, we used a GPS to map the locations of patches of hemlock trees in all the region's parks. During the second half of the summer, we randomly selected points within the hemlock patches and monitored vegetation at these points by looking for invasive plant species, assessing ground cover, and measuring trees. Nearly all my days were spent out in the field.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I found my position through the Geography and Environmental Systems Department at UMBC. One of the professors in our department, Dr. Swan, sent out an email with information on the available positions and how to apply. After submitting my cover letter and résumé (which was previously reviewed by the Career Center), I interviewed with my now-supervisor over the phone.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
I loved the opportunity to work outdoors every day, and to learn about forestry. I also appreciated the chance to do something small improve our understanding natural resource conservation in the Washington, DC region.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
By researching the interactions of an imperiled tree species with the rest of the botanic community, we enabled natural resource managers of all types to make informed decisions on how to deal with infested hemlock trees. While I would love to save all the hemlocks, understanding the effects that their loss has on the ecosystem as a whole helps those in power balance the cost of saving trees with the benefits to biodiversity.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
UMBC has connections to a huge variety of fascinating workplaces. When searching for internships, try to tap these connections by working with your department or the Career Center. Don't be afraid to try something new!
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