Insights from a HMEI Intership: Personal Account
Rebecca Cho, Natural Sciences Correspondent, reports on the transformative experience of a rising college sophomore who spent their summer 2023 internship with the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) at Princeton University.
The intern, who was inspired to pursue Geosciences after their HMEI internship, sought to develop relationships with mentors experienced in the field of geochemistry and gain hands-on experience working in a university research lab. They joined the Sigman laboratory, focusing on a project called "Reconstructing the marine environmental changes across the Cretaceous/Paleogene Mass Extinction with Nitrogen Isotopes in Planktonic Foraminifera."
During their internship, the student learned about interlab collaboration, ongoing research endeavors, and how members of the lab assisted each other in achieving their individual research goals. They developed a solid understanding of fundamental methodologies and scientific concepts regarding reconstruction modeling in geochemistry.
The intern's project involved using foraminifera shells to gain insight into the ocean response during the Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction, a geologic time period during which the extinction of dinosaurs occurred. This experience sparked the intern's curiosity about how the physical and living world responds to significant environmental changes, inspiring them to continue seeking a deeper understanding to contextualize the planet's response to anthropogenic climate change.
The High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) offers various fellowships and research opportunities related to environmental and energy studies, often encouraging interdisciplinary projects and engagement with Princeton faculty and research programs. However, specific details about the program's requirements and application process for summer 2024 are not publicly available.
For precise details, including internship application requirements, eligibility, and deadlines for the summer 2024 term, it is advisable to consult the official High Meadows Environmental Institute website at Princeton University or contact their administrative offices directly.
The intern's graduate student supervisor shared advice from their undergraduate and graduate experience, encouraging a proactive and inquisitive attitude. The intern found the HMEI Internship Program while looking for Princeton-based STEM internships.
The intern's HMEI internship affirmed their interest in studying Geosciences as their concentration at Princeton. In the coming years, we can expect to see more exciting discoveries from this promising young researcher as they continue to explore the mysteries of our planet.
The article also discusses a guide to securing funding, found in the "Funding" section, and reflections on a summer research internship, found in the "Summer Research" section.
Engaging in undergraduate research at the Sigman laboratory during the summer 2023 internship with HMEI at Princeton University allowed the student to partake in independent work focused on reconstructing marine environmental changes across the Cretaceous/Paleogene Mass Extinction with Nitrogen Isotopes in Planktonic Foraminifera, thereby fostering education-and-self-development in the field of geochemistry. Despite specific details about the program's requirements and application process for summer 2024 not being publicly available, those interested can consult the official HMEI website or contact their administrative offices directly.
