Summer internship blog
This summer I had the privilege to research with Dr. Westphal. For 7 weeks I worked with Dr. Westphal and developed a close relationship with him. In my
research, I learned multiple skills in many different disciplines. I learned how to create a system of equations to model a waterborne pathogen. I also
learned matrix-based analytical techniques to see how the disease behaves at certain times of an epidemic. I also learned computational skills to create
simulations of the diseases with different parameters and populations to see how the pathogen spreads through a population. This research is not what I want to do after college but the skills and techniques that I now possess will help with what I want to do post-college.
These skills align with my majors in computational mathematics and computer science and would be useful in pursuit of becoming a sports analyst. This research also helps me prepare for graduate school since research is a common requirement for graduate degrees. I also was able to write a paper about my research and am currently working on it to get it published by an undergraduate research journal. One thing that I really enjoyed about this internship was the flexibility. Both Dr. Westphal and I had summer plans and we were able to split apart our time together throughout the summer and finish off the internship with myself working remotely. I would highly recommend doing a research internship for any type of student. You develop a close relationship with your professor and your fellow interns. You obtain skills from your research that will be useful in your future career. If you get the chance to write a paper about your research, definitely do it. It looks great on a resume and prepares you for graduate school.
This experience was an excellent one and has made me confirm that I want to be a sports analyst and increased my hunger to learn.
