1) What major(s), minors, and/or certificates you are working on at UMD?
Majoring in Geographical Sciences with concentration in Development and Sustainability
Minoring in GIS
2) What are your interests within your program(s)?
Sustainable Agriculture
Food insecurity
Sustainable development
Navigation, in particular how users interact with it
i. I tend to yell at mine a lot… and wish it would adapt to my driving habits
3) What previous jobs, internships, and volunteer experience have you had?
- Mentor for GEMS to instill a passion for STEM related careers
- Member of the BSOS Student Sustainability Task Force (kind of an internship)
- Geography Club and GTU
- Foy Consulting and Engineering - Operated computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and 3D design software (Inventor and Solid works) to produce designs and drawings
4) Where are you from?
Kansas (a.k.a. middle of nowhere!)
Internship:
1) Where you are interning?
Last semester was part of the BSOS Student Sustainability Task force and still currently this semester. (Amee, the instructor in charge, considers this to be an internship)
2) What are your internship responsibilities?
For fall semester I researched solar panels and worked with the design team to create a solar power charging station for the BSOS community. After presenting our findings and design to the rest of the team we submitted a grant proposal to the UMD Sustainability Fund and are awaiting to hear back. If approved, construction will begin by October 2015!
3) What project(s) are you working on or contributing to?
Fall 2014: solar power charging station
Spring 2015: The team is currently working on ideas for next semesters grant proposal. In a few weeks we will be giving individual presentations on possible sustainable solutions.
Some examples are:
- Shower minders
- Reusable bags for dining hall
- Solar charged trash compactors
- And implementing Pavegen systems (http://www.pavegen.com/home)
4) How is the internship experience relevant to your studies in Geographical Sciences?
I do not have any internships related to Geography but this Task Force has been a great opportunity to experience the process of grant writing, researching and working with a very diversified team in terms of majors and skills. However, we all have a common goal that is to promote sustainability on campus.
5) What are your career goals after your graduate?
Good question…
- Is staying a student forever a possibility?
- Interested in working with countries and sustainable development
- Peace corps
- Still trying to figure out what all the possibilities are with Geography and GIS…
