Sunday, June 4, 2023
By:
This week, I’ve learned exactly three things:
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The field of Rheology has endless research opportunities.
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IT problems will make or break your workday.
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The rats won’t bother you if you don’t bother them.
All of that in only a week!
Obviously, there’s a slight exaggeration there. I’ve read too many academic papers already to not have learned at least a little bit more than that. Though, I think that’s a good summary of how my first week is going.
In terms of the actual job portion, I’m very excited. I’ve met with my mentor, Arif Nelson, twice this week and have gotten more insight into what Rheology research actually entails. From what I can gather, there are a lot of unanswered questions. This is actually great news considering that I chose to dedicate my summer to answering them. We are planning to meet on Monday to go over project ideas so look out for next week’s post which will hopefully include more details!
I feel like I haven’t stopped moving since I arrived, which may be true. We kicked it off with a rainy Memorial Day Parade and a birthday celebration. The next day was orientation where we had the opportunity to meet all of the different SPS, AIP, and APS directors responsible for bringing us here. Wednesday, I went out and explored the city by myself and later played an intense game of spike ball on the Mall with the other interns. On Thursday, I spent the morning studying and then met up with the group for board games. The following day, after I finished work I found myself at the Renwick Art Gallery, the first art gallery and Smithsonian Museum I’d ever been to. Finally, the weekend came and included farmer’s markets, so many Spider-Man movies, and yet another birthday celebration. Needless to say, I’m exhausted.
Based on this week, it seems like it’s going to be one hell of a summer. Not only because of the amazing academic experience, but because of the people I’m lucky enough to get to meet throughout it. I’ve never been in a position that allows me to explore and learn as much as I am now. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to continue making the most of it in the weeks to come.
Stay tuned to find out what Rheology is!
Brynn Schierenbeck