Session I: 12:30–1:25 pm

Back to our Roots: Education in the Natural World

Through LYNK, I had the opportunity to work with Imago for Earth, an outdoor education and sustainability focused non-profit organization in Cincinnati, Ohio. This grassroots association partners with schools and youth programs to promote nature exploration and education, primarily concentrating on serving urban areas of the city and low-income communities. My position involved working with Imago on-site during summer day camps, at Clark Montessori High School planning and developing their garden space, and at Pleasant Ridge Montessori Elementary School running a weekly summer program for students and their families to visit the PRM community garden and NatureScape, a space where children are encouraged to play amongst the trees and wildlife, in underground slides, and in forts built from surrounding trees and foliage. Having previously worked on an education focused sustainable ranch in high school, and after exploring the field of education during my studies at Mount Holyoke, I found that this internship allowed me to combine many of my interests, both personal and academic, gave me a space in which I could strengthen my existing skills in education, teaching, and plant care, and allowed me to develop new skills in nature based curriculum writing, long-term garden planning, urban access, and non-profit work. I learned of the struggles faced in unconventional schools and education programs, gained extensive hands-on experience in gardening and youth education, and coming out of the internship have been able to narrow in on specific questions I want to pursue further in my academic and professional life: If hands-on education is important, why gardening instead of woodwork? Why not mechanics in an increasingly STEM focused world? How can we make alternative education programs accessible to low-income and urban communities? How can we make Alt. Ed. programs beneficial to communities that are institutionally marginalized? And, where does all of this intersect?

Communication and Expectations: Intern Roles at Two Girls Inc. Affiliates

As a Community Based Learning (CBL) fellow at Mount Holyoke, I work as a program assistant with the Girls Inc. program in Holyoke. Because of the established connection between Girls Inc. Holyoke and Mount Holyoke CBL, my role as intern was clearly established, and negotiation and communication about roles and responsibilities took place frequently. This summer I interned at Girls Inc. in Oakland, CA, working both in their grants department and as a program assistant for their summer program for elementary and middle school aged girls. The biggest challenge of my internship was understanding the different expectations and willingness to discuss those expectations of each of my supervisors. Using tools I learned from my CBL fellowship, I ultimately was able to navigate relationships with supervisors in a way that allowed me to express my goals, abilities, and expectations, while simultaneously meeting the needs of the organization.

Transitioning Similar Faces in Different Spaces

Experience can differ, especially if the situation is changing. The work might be similar, but connectedness and rigor can change. It is important to find similarities when transitioning into a new, but similar work. Having those similarities as a base will allow one to expand their learning and further their skills. This summer I worked with Council for a Strong America, a national level non-profit working towards initiatives to support educational and after school programs, foster care, and programs for at-risk kids. While there I was tasked with simple development team task: funder prospecting, proposal drafting, imputing donor information into an online database. The information was not new to me. I previously began to do developmental work for a smaller scale nonprofit, but was faced with the challenge of transitioning my knowledge into a nonprofit that works on a large scale. I work for a smaller nonprofit in Holyoke that works at a local scale. I learned basic development skills at that position which helped build a base of knowledge. With the knowledge I had I was able to build on more advanced skills. The skills that I gained with help me as I continue to work for the nonprofit in Holyoke. While both organizations are nonprofits, they are both also very different. My summer work experience has introduced me to a lot more knowledge and I now feel prepared to take what I learned there and transition it into my future endeavors.

Rapid Sucrose Sensation in Food Restricted Mice

Sensation and discrimination of taste and nutritional content are crucial in satiety-related survival behaviors. A strong determinant in one’s ability to discriminate nutritional content from taste is the physiological state one is in while experiencing these sensations. This summer, I spent my summer in a Molecular Neurobiology lab at NYU Langone Medical Center, the same lab I worked in the previous summer. I studied and confirmed rapid sucrose-sensing in food restricted mice, expanding upon research I conducted last year. In addition, I determined and manipulated a post-oral region within the brain that alone could “switch-off” innate food preference for high-calorie food in calorically-deprived animals.

Sticky Droplets: Using Polymer Zwitterions as Surfactants in Oil-in-Water Emulsions

This summer I worked in a polymer chemistry lab, at the UMASS polymer science and engineering department. I took this opportunity to develop new skills to add to my “chemistry tool kit” and to explore what grad school entails. My summer research focused on enhancing the functionality of emulsions with polymeric zwitterions and determining the behavior of the polymer in an emulsion. I also looked at high internal phase emulsions at different polymer concentrations, oil fractions and salt concentrations. My presentation will reflect on my summer learning experience in lab and touch on how this experience has shaped my future plans.

The Use of Imaging Modalities for Brain Tumor Surgery: Learning the Rationale of fMRI

In recent clinical neuroscience research, the use of fMRI is widespread for the study of human brain’s functional organization. For example, fMRI confirmed the dominance of left hemisphere for language function in most individuals and as well as the importance of Broca’s and Wernicke’s cortices for speech and language. During the summer at Boston, MA, I worked with a neurosurgeon to understand the relationship between localized brain activity and cognitive function. As a neuroscience major, my aim was to learn the logical basis for using imaging modalities to study the human brain. This included attending fMRI and DTI sessions to learn how they are conducted, observing neurosurgical cases in operation rooms, and interpreting the resulting data for neuroscience research. Ultimately, I learned how to design and evaluate image guidance and functional imaging for use in brain tumor surgery.

Biomaterials and their biomedical applications in Orthopedics

Research experience provides hands-on learning, and a chance to identify and develop one’s field of interest further. Having some background in both biology and chemistry, the field of biomaterials has intrigued me as it is a multidisciplinary research that brings together researchers from diverse academic backgrounds. Biomaterials is a discipline that deals with natural and synthetic materials, and the interactions with biological system. In the past summer, I worked at the Orthopedic Nanotechnology Lab at Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a research trainee investigating the effects of various polymers on the strength of joint replacement material. I was trained to chemically modify polymeric biomaterials that are used in orthopedic implants. From fabricating and modifying polymers to performing data analysis, I could experience the whole process how polymers are used for biomedical applications. In this presentation, I will discuss how this hands-on experience shaped me to become a better researcher, and broadened my perspective in many ways through the challenges and lessons that I gained from the experience.

Artificial Vision: Microelectrodes for a Visual Prosthesis

The thalamic region of the brain is considered to be a relay center for sensory information from the sensory receptors to various parts of the cerebral cortex. Visual information from the retina, such as words, pictures, and color, is relayed to the primary visual cortex through a small area in the thalamus called the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Previous research has found that micro-electrical stimulation to the LGN can produce stable pixels or phosphenes in the visual receptive field of primates and cats. In blind patients who have suffered trauma to the ocular systems, the visual pathway is largely intact and functional, therefore it is possible to create a visual prosthesis for these patients by taking visual information collected by a camera device and encoding it into electrical stimulus to the LGN. The Pezaris Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital is currently working on mapping the primate LGN for neuron-specific recording and stimulation as well as neuroencoding purposes. Sherry was able to join in the collective effort in Boston this summer by making two types of high-contact electrodes and one type of single-contact electrodes that are implanted directly into primate brains. These rudimentary prototypes will give rise to a visual prosthesis in humans, possibly in five years. In this panel, Sherry will share her work in the Pezaris Lab and talk about her experience searching for internships as an international student and working in a small, research-oriented lab as the only female.

What's in a Language?

A language dies every 14 days; which is why out of an estimated 6,909 languages in the world, more than half are expected to die within the next century. Due to the effects of globalization, many native speakers abandon their language(s) in favor of majority languages. While this may seem like a distant possibility to many, it is a pressing issue for many indigenous cultures, such as the Garifuna community in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and St. Vincent. What does this mean for the speakers of these languages and their cultures? What efforts can be made to avoid their loss and facilitate their revival? What does this research mean and look like when as a researcher you have a personal tie to the community? This panel will focus on an independent research project done in the Southern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, particularly the cities of Bluefields and Orinoco. The discussion will trace the process of planning and conducting independent research abroad. It will give an account of having agency over the methodology used, such as choosing to do interviews and observations instead of other methods. It will give detail about the process of finding informants through personal and outside networks, and arranging careful travel plans to remote locations. It will highlight the importance of navigating research with an indigenous community in a respectful way that treats the community as the expert on the matter. It will also touch on matters of personal identity when conducting research as a member of that community’s diaspora and what this means for the community, researcher, and research. Finally, this discussion will present on the interaction between identity, geography, linguistic discrimination, and indigenous language conservation in a country undergoing globalization, as well as the future steps and direction of the project.

Dimensions of Academic Research: A Student’s Journey Being a Research Assistant in Easter Island

Interested in academic research during undergraduate or graduate school? Interested in learning about the ways in which academics are engaging with marine conservation? The pursuit of marine preservation has surged within the conservation community around the world. In response, academics are exploring the social, economic, political, and historical human dimensions of the negotiation, creation, and implementation of marine protected areas. I will give a brief overview of the history of terrestrial conservation in Easter Island, ongoing marine conservation negotiations on the island, and a narration of the challenges and rewards of being a research assistant for a Duke PhD student ‘in the field’. I will share my process of learning how to develop research questions, how to develop participant observation guides, how to conduct interviews, and how to transcribe. I will share the personal difficulties that arose for me including: emotional difficulties around feelings of isolation, linguistic difficulties around working in cross-cultural environments, and conceptual difficulties around the research methodology. Lastly, I will share the opportunities my summer experience has opened for me and the reflection and analysis I’m doing this semester at Mount Holyoke, unpacking my experiences and connecting them to larger environmental and gender studies discourses.

Identification of Pre-Modern Osteopathologies in the Roman City of Pollentia

Sometimes, without warning, history disappears, waiting under the surface for hundreds of years to be discovered. The Ciudat Romana de Pollentia is one of these places, where every year new dirt is turned over, and the history is further uncovered - and every year, studies are conducted to further explore this ancient culture. This panel will focus on the steadily growing understanding about the people who lived in this city - specifically on their aging and diseases. By focusing primarily on osteoarthritis, vertebral osteophytosis, and secondarily on osteoporosis and osteopenia, a significant amount of information can be gained about the aging process and the commonality of modern and premodern diseases. All of these pathologies are evidenced through malformation of the bones and joints, joint dysplasia, or patterns of degradation such as osteophytes, eburnation, and bone growth, which can highlight joints that have been under stress, and even sometimes can be used to identify types of stress. Through combined research on the age, sex, and osteopathologies presented by the uncovered human remains, we can begin to comprehend the day-to-day lives of these people, as well as how their lives may be more similar to ours than we think.

Decolonializing Education and Outreach in Archeology on Rapa Nui

For so long education and archeology carried out in the Third World recreated colonialized spaces through its invasive and problematic methodology. This panel will focus on my internship in one of the most remote and historically colonialized places, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) working with Terevaka Archeological Outreach, a U.S. based non-profit. With a focus on non-invasive archeology, we ran a field school for local high school students working with them to introduce concepts of conservation and preservation, so that they could carry out their own project. Rapa Nui is an island in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of South America and a territory of Chile. The official language is Spanish, but many of the residents speak Rapa Nui. Much of the work done with toponymy was on translating the names of places and archeological locations into English and Spanish from Rapa Nui. Rapa Nui has become an ideal starting point for many archeologists wanting to establish their reputation and so the Museo Antropologico P. Sebastian Englert is full of abandoned artifacts researchers took from archeological sites and never returned. By using 3-D ortho-corrected photogrammetry, students were able to photograph several artifacts and create 3-D virtual models. The same process was also used to model several moai statutes throughout the island. I will critically analyze the methodologies and pedagogies behind the foundation of the project through a feminist lens. I spent much of my time on the island asking myself if we were fulfilling our goal of decolonialization and where there was room for improvement. I often reflected on the classes I had the previous semester in feminist practices and methodologies, as well as discussions of cross-cultural contact. Are feminist practices needed with good anthropology/ethnography research methods? Do organizations need to be conscientiously feminist or is it possible that their methods coincidentally align?

Becoming the Voice of Reason: Demanding Cultural Accommodation for the Women of Hamtramck

While volunteering at the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) office in Hamtramck, MI, it became clear that the general female population lacked daily access to wellness activities in their lives. To investigate this issue further, I interned at The Resource Network (TRN), which is the management company of the WIC in Hamtramck, and an organization that cultivates and educates disadvantaged, unemployed individuals to prepare them for employment. The subsequent months resulted in more positive experiences than I could have ever imagined. Through personal initiative, I overcame language, cultural, and gender barriers. Moreover, by emerging myself in the community, I was able to note and vocalize the demands of the women in Hamtramck. With TRN’s support, I created and submitted a grant proposal for a women’s only Wellness Center in Hamtramck, MI. The overall experience was immensely rewarding. In addition to reaffirming my goal of becoming a doctor, this opportunity motivated me to become the best doctor that I can be, a healer. I learned that being scientifically aware is never enough; one must always be culturally aware as well.

Art Saves Lives: My Experience Working With Homeless and Low Income Youth in the San Francisco Bay Area

Youth Spirit Artworks (YSA) is a non-profit arts jobs training program in Berkeley, CA. The organization works with homeless and low-income youth from the San Francisco Bay Area through artwork to generate income as well as have some workplace experience for future job ventures. This past summer I was an intern with YSA for about a month and a half. My title was Development Coordinator. My initial duties included writing appeals and searching for a donor system that was affordable and included the necessary tools the organization needed. In addition to donor management, I was also in the studio at least three hours a day to be an assistant for the staff working with the youth participating in the program (I was an assistant to the youth as well). While I was given my list of tasks to complete by the end of my internship, I soon found myself juggling multiple roles that I was not expecting or prepared to handle. This internship helped me grow as a person as well as an employee. The experience that I had I feel prepared me well for my future in the non-profit world. At the end of the summer we held a fundraising event to raise awareness about the organization and help build a better relationship with the community that YSA is a part of. The outcome was something I did not expect; the youth had come together and worked as a team unlike any other period of time during my internship. Inviting people into their space gave them a sense of ownership and their newfound pride and excitement was unmistakable. YSA as an organization and the people that I worked with have opened my eyes to the many injustices of homelessness and I now know that is where my passions lay.

Communicating Across Boundaries and Creating Authentic Bonds: My Experience Working at Rosie’s Place in Boston, MA

Issues of homelessness and poverty are as prevalent as ever in the lives of women all over the globe. In Summer 2015, I worked in a Boston-based non-profit organization named Rosie's Place. In this position, I developed skills of effective communication despite cultural divides, and the power of compassion for all human beings in our community. Rosie's Place, established in 1974, was the first women's shelter in the United States, and has then since become internationally renowned for their social justice work. While Rosie's Place was started as a soup kitchen, it has expanded to become a large organization with many different branches--housing stabilization, legal assistance, ESL and computer literacy programs, and self-advocacy, to name a few--all of whom working to embrace and empower homeless and poor women in Boston. I interned in the Outreach department, which specializes in stabilization for low income women, many of whom had physical disabilities or mental illness diagnoses. This internship exposed me to many harsh truths about the injustices that homeless and poor women still face today, and allowed me the opportunity to learn skills on how to communicate across socioeconomic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries.

Behind the Scenes of Being a Feminist and Advocate

Feminist and advocate; these are just two parts of my identity that influence my day-to-day living and life long career goals. After just two months into my semester studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa I knew advocacy for low-income women of color was where I wanted to concentrate. So upon my return to the US, I interned at A Global Friendship, a nonprofit organization that provides women in five different countries a two-year business education program and then helps them start and sustain their own small businesses in their communities. I fulfilled a range of responsibilities from administrative tasks to outreach to kick starting an ambassador program that would allow college students to fundraise and raise awareness for the women we worked with internationally. I also researched and identified groundbreaking women in different fields to network with and seek their support for our Empowering Women fall event. My experience working for A Global Friendship allowed me to learn the behind-the-scenes operations of running a nonprofit and the critical support needed for those who are working in the field with the women for whom we advocate. Back-office support enables others to be in direct communication and part of the process of helping these women develop their businesses. The experience I gained from working in behind-the-scene operations convinced me that this work is as important as what happens on the front lines. The advocates, fundraisers, grant proposals, social media accounts, reports and updates on the organization are all key aspects to keeping a growing nonprofit organization running efficiently and effectively.

Museums and Movies: Finding Where They Intersect

I spent this summer as a Curatorial Intern at the Jewish Museum in New York City. My primary responsibility was assisting with preparations for The New York Jewish Film Festival, although I also spent time working with the National Jewish Archive of Broadcasting and completing tasks for both the PR and Digital departments of the museum. Not wanting to miss out on other opportunities available in New York, I volunteered once a week at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens. Although I was originally drawn to my internship and volunteer work because of my love for film, I was surprised and pleased that these positions also enabled me to learn about arts administration and museum management. Even more valuable was discovering the many ways that my Mount Holyoke education (gained through experiences both inside and outside of the classroom) has prepared me to work in my chosen field. In my presentation I want to share how a summer in New York allowed me to delve into film-related employment opportunities, pursue a newfound interest in museum operations, gain workplace confidence, and explore one of the cultural capitals of the world.

The Social Arts: My summer at the AFA Gallery

In the summer of 2015, I interned at the AFA (formerly Animazing) Gallery in New York City. Throughout my time there, I learned the ins and outs of the fast-paced art world, gallery openings, and, perhaps more importantly, fostering my genuine passion for fine art. While I worked with most of the departments in the gallery, including framing, finances, and a bit in curatorial, most of my time there was spent organizing and preparing for upcoming exhibitions and openings. I found that a gallery opening is very much a community event. We worked with nearby restaurants, cafes, and other galleries to promote exhibitions and events. As an art history and French double major at Mount Holyoke, I found my education to think critically and analytically came in handy when designing and implementing marketing campaigns. While at AFA I learned a great deal about project management and event planning, and how to make a business become part of a neighborhood and community of people. It made me realize there is a completely different side of the art world, one involved much more in sales, financing, media and events which has opened up many new career opportunities for me. Gallery work is a very social experience, both through marketing and customer service. In my presentation I will discuss my exciting experience of being face-to-face with the New York City art world.

Exploring the World of Contemporary Dance and Art

This summer, the Battery Dance Company put on their 35th annual international festival, New York City’s longest-running dance festival. As a festival intern, I worked with the small team at the dance company to organize an event that brought in over 10,000 audience members over one week. Throughout the inevitable chaos, I learned valuable skills in fundraising, networking and arts administration. As a studio art major, I knew it would be beneficial to surround myself with other young artists and the people who support them, despite our difference in medium. My experience working for the Battery Dance Festival gave me insight into the world of contemporary dance, and my time in New York allowed for me to experience the greater contemporary art world in general. In addition to the festival internship, I was able to work as an intern for a fine arts photographer, as well as make connections with Mount Holyoke alums. In this presentation, I will discuss my summer internship, the things I learned from it, and the further opportunities I was able to take advantage of because of it.

Teaching Art with Masterpieces

As a Studio Art Class Intern in the Education Department at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (MFA) I had the opportunity to teach art classes in a wide range of disciplines to students ages 5 through 18. The inspiring environment at the MFA fueled my passion for art and bringing the joy of art to children of all ages. What I learned through teaching at the MFA using the Visual Thinking Strategies method and the Reggio Emilia philosophy is that art can be used to strengthen foundational skills, encourage the consideration of alternative conclusions, and to improve critical thinking and communication skills. My internship inspired me to focus on the significance of teaching art to children as a multi-disciplined approach. Not only providing art as a subject in schools, but drawing connections between art, other core subjects, and current events. My educational background in Environmental Studies, Geology and Studio Art has given me a unique lens to study art and the environment. I am working to bridge the gap between the arts and sciences through my senior seminar project this semester. During this presentation I will discuss the work I did this summer, the challenges I faced, and my goals and ideas for the future of art education.

Casa away from Home: Intercultural Research in Argentina

To study a culture, one has to become a part of it. Be it through the language, food, traditions, people or all of them. This summer I had one of the most culturally enriching experiences of my life, through my internship at a small private language institute in La Plata, Argentina. My work at the Home Intercultural Learning involved observing and analyzing the ability and willingness of different age groups to perceive new information about different cultures through ethnographic intercultural research. I also observed and researched the workings of a small business organization in Argentina. I perused through the culture by learning a new language, teaching three-year old children to a 70-year-old retired government official as a part of the research, and interacting with the local people to learn about history and culture at every nook and corner. The new information about learning patterns in age groups with reference to culture, how to manage a small institute and the complexities of the Spanish language made me see the world in a new light.

Learning to Love the Teacher's Chair: Teaching English in Spain

While working in a small, private English academy in Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain, I had the privilege of meeting Spaniards from many different socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, and academic inclinations. My day typically constituted leading conversation classes, preparing students for international English exams, and providing one-on-one tutoring on grammar and other troublesome areas. Academia Manhattan challenged me to continually come up with exciting and interactive lesson plans tailored for different ages and language abilities, which in turn made me realize how engaged and happy I feel when I need to think on my feet. Before teaching in Spain I had some experience tutoring English to adults in Chicopee MA, but in Villanueva I had my first taste of what an elementary school classroom would be like--in fact, realizing that I feel comfortable and fulfilled teaching groups of children was the best surprise of my internship. Whereas before my internship I thought I would prefer working with a few students instead of taking responsibility for an entire classroom, I now know that creating my own curriculum and leading my own classroom are extremely valuable to me. I also came to the conclusion that I would prefer to work in a public school setting, since my private education setting was not accessible to all learners. As an educator I want to be able to affect not only those with the ability to pay.

In Search of Meaning: Language Research Through Translation

While conducting independent research on the art of translation and its evolution through the ages, the question of meaning kept surfacing. Through the works of such renowned names as Walter Benjamin, Jorge Luis Borges, Lawrence Venuti, and Jacques Derrida, the search for meaning became the agent of thought by which I evaluated translation. This is all done through the lens of a Spanish to English translation of Pablo Neruda’s poem number 20 entitled Tonight I can Write (the Saddest Lines) or Puedo escribir los versos mas tristes esta noche. Within this context of this word the argument of meaning in translation (in which a translator determines the meaning of a word) takes shape. The culmination of my research was a 15-page research paper highlighting my findings on the role of meaning in translation. Although I expected the endeavor of research to be challenging, truly independent research proved to be harder than expected, requiring self-discipline and organizational skills. I feel accomplished to have done as much as I did. I set the bar of my expectations high which made my road to the goal a, perhaps, painful process. I do feel this experience has helped me understand the challenges I will face as I continue my academic and professional career. I’ve come out of the experience with a better understanding of myself and my native language of Spanish.

The Emergent Curriculum “Is it for Real”?

What is Emergent curriculum? Emergent curriculum is a philosophy of teaching and a way of planning curriculum that focuses on being responsive to children's interests to create meaningful learning experiences. This philosophy prioritizes active participation, relationship building, flexible and adaptable methods, inquiry, and play-based learning. During this past summer I had the privilege to work at the Gorse Children's Center as an Intern Preschool Teacher. I worked with children ranging from ages 3 to 4.5 yrs. old. My daily activities included observing the children and then implementing lessons or activities that reflected on their interest. This summer I learned how developmentally appropriate practice are laid out in a classroom. I am now aware that these practices are not a recipe, but a philosophy for teaching young children. It's not a curriculum or an exact prescription. They are guidelines. Is my experience so far that some teachers may find this unsettling. Teachers are so used to being told, ‘Do it this way’. But in reality these practices make us aware of the children in the class, the classroom environment, what we teach and how. As teachers we shouldn't ignore the complexity of children. Just as they are willing to learn so should we. I left the Gorse Center with a new vision in how children learn and the type of teacher I want to be in the future.

Investigating Invasive In Our Midst: The Dominance of Knotweed

Throughout North America and Europe, invasive knotweeds introduced from Asia displace native plants and threaten ecosystems as they dominate in the battle for essential resources. Over the summer, I worked on campus in a continuation of my independent study to explore what characteristics of an invasive knotweed found in the Pioneer Valley allowed it to so well outcompete other plants that grow locally. I formulated my own experimental designs, keeping in mind what quantitative data I would be collecting and how I would analyze these data after the fact. I also conducted statistical analyses of data I had produced over the past year, and thought about how I could interpret and present these results in a future thesis.

Mapping My Way to Corporate Risks

At Goldman Sachs Technology, we build solutions and platforms to solve some of the most complex financial problems. The work we do ranging from developing solution to automated trading, managing data to risk analysis and mitigation. Last summer, I interned as an Engineering Business Analyst in Goldman Sachs' Technology Infrastructure Risk team, which oversees the technology risk issues worldwide. I was able to incorporate my statistics background to analyze and visualize risks while utilizing new tools and platforms. I will be talking about the nature of my work, challenges, what I've learned and what prepared me for the job.

Your Drug is on the Market... What's Next?

What comes to mind when you think of a pharmaceutical company? Many people think of the drugs they sell, how effective they are, and how much they cost. When we think about the data pharmaceutical companies talk about we think of the scientific data that is use to get new drugs FDA approved. While these are all important and well-known areas of pharmaceutical companies, I worked with a slightly different kind of data. This summer I interned in the Sales Operations department at TESARO, a small pharmaceutical company in Waltham. Sales Operations data plays a major role in not only pharmaceutical companies but also any company that is looking to sell a product to inform managers and executives on how well a company is doing and how to make business decisions. I was able to work with and see a few different methods of maintaining and looking at data, be it daily reports and daily data stewardship or considering larger data sets to inform target doctors and practices to call on or to inform decisions such as the size of the sales force as the company grows. I was able to contribute to the company in a positive way as well as having a supportive environment. I was also able to learn about TESARO as a company as well as about the different kinds of data in Sales Operations and how the data is used to inform everyday company activities as well as long-term decisions within the company.

Data in Changing Environments

How can data be used to inform business decisions and explore industry trends? How can one use a variety of sources to recognize trends in both data and corporate culture? These are some of the questions that emerged during my internship at an asset management firm. Over the summer I undertook a variety of projects, including data analysis and research, and learned about the intricacies of business analysis, navigating corporate culture and thinking strategically about industry trends. This presentation will explore the ways in which data and business management can shape corporate environments, and how I used this information and other resources to navigate the unexpected.

From Theory to Practice: Learning to Tailor an NGO's Writing for Specific Audience

Whether translating complex "legalese" into accessible web content or taking a supervisor's abstract ideas and translating them onto paper, this presentation discusses the benefits of thinking on your feet and learning to be a flexible, adroit writer in a fast-paced work environment.

Writing about Pop Culture: How to Be True to Yourself While Appealing to an Audience

In a world where people’s opinions are silenced by powerful media, it becomes very hard for individuals to share their thoughts and ideas related to topics they are passionate about while both staying true to themselves and appealing to a large audience. This past summer, Mariza Mathea worked for Movie Pilot, a fan-centric entertainment website that enables millions of fans across the world to write about topics they are passionate about. Movie Pilot distributes fan’s writing and provides personal mentoring and the possibility to earn revenue for their work by becoming “Verified Creators.” Mathea had a variety of responsibilities ranging from managing an Instagram account to creating content herself. However, her chief responsibility was to reach out to individuals who were writing about television, cinema, gaming and combat sports on their personal blogs, and recruit them. Her goal was to ease their transition to Movie Pilot’s platform, mentor them through Movie Pilot’s writing program, help them achieve their writing goals, and eventually to guide them toward reaching “Verified Creator” status. She did so by working closely with them via email, where she helped them write with an audience in mind. She worked with creators on developing article topics that were about their favorite topics while appealing to a wider audience. This presentation aims to discuss the challenges of mentoring writers who overlook the existence of an audience when writing articles for publication.

Beyond The Little Prince: Promoting the Francophone Literary Arts to the U.S. Public

Over two months in New York City, I used my extraordinary Mount Holyoke education in the French language and Francophone literature to reach out to the American reading public, encouraging them to add Francophone books in translation to their bookshelves, iPads, and Kindles as the Communications Intern at the French Embassy’s Book Department. To this end, I wrote and edited English-language articles, exhibition and event descriptions, and promotional copy, learning in the process about French books and writers of every genre and nationality. Promoting the literary arts from a diplomatic post, I gained a wholly unique perspective on both the American and international publishing markets as an aspiring literary editor, and additionally realized my passion for forging public knowledge and understanding of literature and the arts through the written word. Most of all, however, I have come away from my summer at the Book Department with a strong belief in the critical importance of international literature, which not only broadens the perspectives of every reader but which uses the power of the written word to join readers together across the many fractures in our world.

Working with Words: Editing and Publishing with a Literary Journal

Ploughshares is a small but prestigious literary journal committed to publishing quality fiction, poetry, and essays. As an Editorial Intern at Ploughshares, I was integrated into a team of staff members and interns, each responsible for various aspects of publishing the journal. I was able to observe and contribute to many of these tasks, including sorting writing submissions to the journal, proofreading new issues, and copy editing and scheduling posts on the Ploughshares Blog. Familiarizing myself with these skill sets and many others allowed me to better understand the demands of a career in publishing, and the wide variety of positions within the field. Whether evaluating writing to prepare it for publication, or responding to emails and improving the efficiency of my own writing, I discovered the importance of being aware of one's audience, and how to communicate effectively on paper and in person.

The Role of Expanding Mammary Tissue in my Professional Growth

This summer I explored laboratory research at The Whitehead Institute. As an intern at the Institute, I explored the clonal dynamics of expanding mammary tissue--this entailed infecting primary tissue fragments with RFP, GFP, and BFP. Post injection, I seeded and imaged the expanding tissue fragments daily with the Zeiss LSM 710 confocal microscope. After analyzing the data, I identified some common trends: the role of a leader cell in the formation of ducts, the identity of said leader cell, the sectoral preferences of the tissue, and the polyclonality of the developing ducts and lobules. My experience with laboratory research was enlightening and rewarding. As an intern, I observed and listened to many professionals speak about their research, I became adept at using two new microscopes, and I became familiar with using the tissue culture room, but most importantly I made extensive professional growth. As a result of this internship, I now know that I am more interested in hands-on clinical work or pharmaceutical research as possible career paths.

The Assessment of Cell Damage by Extensional Stress

Cells experience a wide range of forces both in and out of the human body. Within the body, cells regularly experience shear and extensional stresses. In the case of blood cells, these stresses are caused by variations in vein and artery diameter and speed of blood flow. Outside the body, most notably in laboratories and medical facilities, cells often experience stresses caused by research apparatus. Unlike in the body, where a cell’s environment facilitates its survival and viability, in laboratories, apparatuses such as cell bioreactors create conditions where stress thresholds are surpassed and cells experience mechanical damage. What exactly is the threshold of specific cell types after which they are no longer viable? How could we effectively study small and easily damaged cells without exposing them to too many confounding stress conditions? In search of these answers and curious about the field of physics, I worked with Kerstin Nordstrom at Mount Holyoke College studying the rheology of fluids and fluid induced stress conditions. Specifically, I designed microfluidic devices used to study the extents of cell damage by extensional stress. What I ended up with was a nifty device, many high speed videos, and an invaluable new perspective on the research sphere.

Summer 2016: I Grew Solar Cells; I Grew from Solar Cells

This summer I had the incredible opportunity to work as a research assistant in Professor Alexi Arango’s photovoltaic lab at Mount Holyoke College. A typical day in the lab involved planning an experiment, fabricating solar cells from unconventional materials, testing the cells and interpreting the data. My most important acquisition this summer was the possibility of applying concepts that had previously resided only within textbooks, and to see results which would make a difference in the real world, in the urgent and fast-growing field of renewable energy. Although solar power currently contributes to only 1.1% of global power generation, the total solar energy absorbed by the Earth’s surface in one hour can easily meet the world’s energy demands for a year! Participating in fast-paced scientific research gave me infinitely greater confidence in my experimental abilities. Lab safety protocol, intricate procedures for operating advanced equipment, and the essential nature of teamwork & communication were some other valuable learning experiences. Navigating the lab environment was challenging for me because financial obligations allowed me to work only part-time inside the laboratory. I constantly underestimated my abilities in comparison to other full-time interns. One of my hopes for the summer was to gain a better understanding of my learning profile and career development. I was able to achieve this goal by challenging myself to complete more difficult tasks every day, and by accepting the circumstances I faced while learning to work in spite of them. Not only am I now equipped with an invaluable set of skills, but I am also finally able to see a future where I can succeed in a career in the research laboratory. After having rediscovered my passion for Physics, I am continuing my research in Professor Arango’s lab this semester.

Wonders of the Inner Ear

In the summer of 2016, The Johns Hopkins Medical School, department of Otolaryngology agreed to accept me as their intern at one of the many research labs they conduct. For eight weeks, I interned at the Fuchs Lab. The lab does research on the inner and outer hair cells in the cochlea of the ear of mammals.  The first project that I worked on was to quantify and analyze the volume and area of the organs in the inner ear. This was done to further understand the chemical processes involved in hearing development and communication between the brain and the ear. The second project that I worked on was cell staining for a research conducted by my mentor. She focused on the chemistry of sensory nerves, in the inner hair cells, that recognize damaging stimuli. During my internship, I received guidance from my mentor and also everyone that was in the lab. The work environment introduced me to new areas I would never have known in a class setting. My experiences prior to this internship provided me with a strong foundation that is fundamental to this internship. For example, the biology classes and labs I took taught me basic lab skills, and a previous internship at a public health NGO trained me on how to process raw data and do statistical results, which was applicable to the first project I worked on. Above all the technical things I learned in lab, the most important knowledge I gained was getting to know myself and my work ethics. I got to know both the areas that I excelled in and needed to improve; I was aware of situations in which I felt comfortable to work in, and if it was otherwise, I learned how to handle the situation in a professional manner.

Navigate Career Paths Through Interning in Germany

I decided to do an internship in Germany, because I love German language and culture, and would also like to try out working there. Additionally, I planned to work in the wind energy industry after graduation and Germany is a great place for gaining experience in the field of renewable energy. I found a programming internship opportunity in the windsite assessment department at one of the biggest Windpark construction firms, juwi AG. After getting to know more about the daily work as a full-time employer in my department, I discovered that the work was not as technical as I would have expected. Instead I found myself more interested in my programming work than in windsite assessment and windpark design. Although it turned out that I do not like the wind industry as much as I thought, I discovered my interest in programming, which is the next thing I am going to try out as one of my potential career paths. In addition, the experience of tackling language and cultural barriers I gained through doing this internship is really valuable for early stages of my professional development. These skills will also be a personal asset for my career in the future.

Architecture: Design to Reality

I interned at Faris & Faris architects in Amman, Jordan. I spent my first week familiarizing myself with the primary software the firm used, AutoCAD. After one week of digitally drawing plans, sections, and elevations along with learning about wall structures and insulation for the Jordanian climate, I began working with my supervising architect. Throughout the following weeks I worked on two main ongoing projects. The Queen Rania Teacher Academy, and Villa Hinnawi. I assisted with standards research, architectural drawings, and design concepts. The Academy project incorporated the design of classrooms and two auditoriums. Following my time in the office, I spent two weeks on construction sites. The American Community School Auditorium and Natatorium, and Villa Aqqad. On site, I accompanied the resident engineer to meetings with civil, electrical, mechanical, and structural engineers, as well as client meetings. I learned about the process of construction, assisted with measurements and inspection, and witnessed firsthand the translation of architectural drawings from design concepts on paper to built structures. My time interning was not without challenges. Some technical skills took longer for me to learn than fifth year architectural engineering interns. However, the strong design presentation skills I gained at Mount Holyoke allowed me to excel in conceptual tasks, while simultaneously improving my technical abilities along the way. Moreover, my high level of comfort with research – another skill I developed in Mount Holyoke – did not go unnoticed. I was assigned a lot of background context research on the side of each project, allowing me to familiarize myself with an array of design precedents ranging from residential to cultural and educational. Throughout my internship, I gained a deeper understanding of what architectural projects require to become a reality and I coherently understood the comprehensive study of site, environment, context, function, and aesthetic.

A Summer in Sales

For my summer internship experience, I was afforded the opportunity to work as an assistant for a wonderful woman who is an independent interior designer and sales representative. Her work is very multifaceted and that translated into my time as her assistant being a very diverse experience. Not only did I get to experience a little bit of what being an interior designer is like, but I also assisted with her work as a sales representative and helped her with some of the organizational aspects of owning/operating a small business. This incredible experience was exactly what I needed to make connections within the architecture and design community of Boston. It may be difficult to make direct connections between my course work as an Architectural Studies major and working as an assistant, but something that Mount Holyoke taught me which translated quite well to my internship would be creative problem solving and the ability to approach a subject with the thought process unique to a liberal arts education. While this internship did show me that I could feasibly start a career in sales directly after graduation, I also am aware of the necessity of a master's degree in order to really be able to advance in the interior design and architecture industry.

One Piece of a Large Puzzle

This summer I interned at an architecture firm in Fort Lauderdale Florida called Synalovski Romanik Saye. Aside from the filing work that I helped with at the beginning, I acquired many technical skills. I was able to accompany some of the architects to different renovation sites and help measure those spaces. I learned AutoCad, the drawing software used by most architecture firms, and strengthened my photoshop knowledge. Although those are very important skills to have, what fascinated me the most was the business aspect of architecture. At school, drafting and other digital skills are drilled into us. However, we do not spend much time talking about the steps taken for a drawing to become a standing building. I was lucky enough to sit in several meetings in which my bosses or other employees tried to convince clients that their firm is the right pick or that the design decisions made by them are the right ones. Not only was I able to learn what happens to the drawings once they were finalized, I was also able to witness the way in which the architects and the clients interacted with one another. This internship was only one piece of my large puzzle. I am from Haiti and one of the most important reasons why I decided to become an architect is to help rebuild. My goal is to design beautiful homes that are structurally stable. Prior to this internship, I had no idea what the process was after designing something but now I do. The landscape and the resources of the United States and of Haiti are, without a doubt, different. Therefore, adjusting will simply be another piece of the puzzle.

A Personalized Strength Training Program in the Palm of Your Hand

Volt Athletics (www.voltathletics.com) provides athletes and teams with affordable access to professionally built strength and conditioning. It's the world's first intelligent training app for athletes. I had the privilege of being part of this creative 18-person team in Seattle, Washington. During my internship at Volt Athletics, I learned about the challenges, collaboration, and communication that develop when turning an idea into an application that you can hold in the palm of your hand. From weekly, company-wide meetings, to daily check-ins with the engineering team, I further realized the importance of teamwork and the change people can make when they strive to achieve a common goal.

Leadership in a Dynamic Environment

This summer I interned with SEA Semester. SEA Semester offers study abroad semester at sea programs focusing in oceanography, environmental studies and marine biology while sailing tall ships. I worked for SEA semester as a deck hand, gaining sail-training experience and also taking part in the educational aspect of the trip. I did two programs with SEA Semester. One was a Transatlantic Crossing, where we sailed from Woods Hole to Ireland. The second was called Historic Seaports of Western Europe where we sailed to France, Portugal, and Spain. Both trips were focused on leadership in this dynamic environment that is the ocean. I learned about different types of leadership styles and skills and worked with the crew on how to become a more effective and cohesive group. Being at SEA, I was able to hone my leadership abilities while learning more about oceanography and the sea itself that I care so much about protecting. In my life, I have never come across a more challenging and rewarding leadership experience.

Philadelphia Futures

Over the summer I had the opportunity to work with Philadelphia Futures. A Philadelphia based non-profit focused on equal education. Futures primary mission is to help low-income, first generation; public school students prepare and apply to college. They also follow each one of their students through college providing both the student and family with academic and financial counseling. My job this summer, as an intern, was to assist with summer programming. Futures runs a verity of summer programs with high school kids of all ages. The two that I assisted with where the “College Marathon” and the “Career Exploration Program” at temple university. The College Marathon is a four-day over night event at Haverford College, in which 90 rising seniors work in groups with a writing coach to draft and complete their personal statements for college. I helped with organizing the students and vital documents so the program ran smoothly. The second program I worked with was the Career Exploration. During this program I was able to work more hands on with the students in a class of 28. Philadelphia is known for having some of the worst public schools in the country and many of the students get good grades just by showing up to school and not fighting. This type of advancement does not help the students grow the skills they will need when they get to college. The summer program I worked with specifically targeting developing writing skills so when these students make it to college they are prepared.

Exploring Israel

This summer I lived in Israel for two months, interning at NA’AMAT Kiryat Haim Eisentien Daycare Center. The Daycare center supports 80+ Children. The children come mostly from broken homes and are deemed at risk. Being at risk means coming from families of violence, family members with disabilities, and or addiction. I worked in a classroom everyday as another teacher and had similar responsibilities as the main teachers. The most challenging element of my summer work was that the students and some of the teachers did not speak English, but rather Hebrew or Ethiopian. As I grew closer to the staff and the children, it became easier to communicate and find ways to work around the language barrier. I also learned a lot about living on my own and adjusting to change and difference as well as overcoming situations that are outside of my comfort zone. My experience was truly amazing and enabled me to feel comfortable and have the confidence to travel on my own in the future, as well as broadening my goals, allowing me to think about living abroad for a period of time after college.

Women's Empowerment in Japan

I traveled to Japan and spent four weeks interning as a Group Leader for the Women's Empowerment Program with GPI US. Each week I traveled to a new city, met my new host family, and had a new class of high school students with whom I would be working with that week. We spent our week together discussing cultural differences, developing confidence, and practicing presentation skills. I left my comfort zone far behind while the young women who were meant to be my students taught me countless lessons in empathy, generosity, hospitality, and open-mindedness. This abroad experience has made me a better leader, collaborator, and teacher. The lessons I learned during my internship will stay with me for years to come.