Hi everyone, my name is Kendall Milan! In a couple hours I will be boarding a flight to Dublin to participate in the International Internship Program. With this exciting opportunity so close, I would like to briefly introduce myself.
Academically, I am a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. I am pursuing dual degrees in Environmental Science (B.S.) and History (B.A.), with a minor in Applied Statistics, and a certificate in Geographic Information System (GIS). In addition to these pursuits, I am a student in the Frederick Honors College. My academic passion lies in aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry. Last summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a class at the Pymatuning Lab of Ecology, and it was the most formative three weeks of my college career. My professor was very aquatics focused, so the class centered around freshwater ecology in the lakes and streams of the area; because of this class, I went from never holding a fish to being confident in multiple fish sampling methods and a whole slew of other aquatic and terrestrial field techniques.
A major part of this class was the production of a mock research project. My group studied the effects of land use on nitrogen and phosphorus loading in the streams that feed into the Pymatuning Reservoir. Stream sampling, while difficult, was so rewarding and fun. It was so interesting to see just how much could go wrong and having to come up with solutions in field and the lab. This really solidified my interest in environmental science, as even though I should have been miserable with how many issues occured, I was actually having fun adjusting and troubleshooting. Right now, I plan on pursuing a masters or PhD in environmental management, with a focus in aquatic ecology.
In my personal life, you could likely find me taking a walk around one of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. I grew up in Pittsburgh, so experiencing the city through many stages of life has been so interesting,especially now that I am in college. Taking a long walk is one of my favorite ways to think and I often walk with friends as well which gives us a nice opportunity to talk and bond. If I’m not walking, you might find me reading, watching a TV show or movie, or doing some sort of art. I recently took a painting class, which introduced me to oil painting. I hope to paint more now that I have this basis. On long weekends or over the summer, I enjoy camping, especially if there is a water feature and hiking nearby. If I don’t feel like doing anything, you might find me taking a nap with one of my two cats. Pie is a brown tabby, and Peeps is an all-black cat with one white whisker. I am going to miss them, my family, and friends, but I am sure the time will fly once I begin my internship.
In speaking of my internship, I am currently positioned to join Coastwatch Ireland. They are part of a larger coalition of environmental science and advocacy NGOs that function around Europe with the shared objective of protecting the coastal habitat and waters of partner countries. Currently, my position is less defined, as it is driven by my interests and the opportunities that present themselves.
Doing environmental work in Ireland is especially interesting to me because of the relationship between the Irish national identity and the land. Historically, Ireland suffered under British colonialism, which altered the natural state of the environment. Ecological management thus includes remediation for past and present degradation. This colonial history often echoes the colonial history in the United States, which makes restoration efforts in Ireland similarly applicable to the United States.
Until now, I have not had the opportunity to work a job that is applicable to my academic interests. This internship will be my first foray into the professional environmental world. I am very excited to be able to work with a team of passionate and knowledgeable professionals, where there are not clear answers. In school, I feel I’m often preoccupied with predicting what a professor is looking for instead of just trying to figure out what would best solve a problem. With environmental work, there is a whole host of possible remediation tactics, and I am looking forward to being able to being a part of problem solving. I feel this will also heighten my academic pursuits, as I will now have real world experience to backup theoretical solutions.
In general, I am excited to see what a 9-to-5 job in environmental science looks like. According to briefing I got, my tasks will include in-office, work from home—and most excitingly—field work opportunities throughout each week. Having a diverse schedule sounds most appealing to me because purely office-based jobs seem a bit stagnant for me personally. This internship offers pretty much every working environment I might find myself in, which will be great for figuring out my future path.
I am extremely excited to be a part of this program, and I look forward to documenting my experience! Go raibh maith agat!
