Job Shadowing at The Center for Dermatology LLC

Ahmed S.

For my Summer JFE, I conducted an experience based internship at the Center for Dermatology LLC located in

Lawrenceville, Georgia. I was supervised by my mentor, Dr. Abdul Hafeez, and worked together with his staff to

complete tasks that would help the entire office. Mainly, my job was to shadow Dr. Hafeez as he performed many

operations and surgeries on his various patients, and also to complete lengthy tasks, such as updating patient lists or

writing physician referral lists, in between patient appointments. Throughout this experience, I gained lots of

knowledge about the general field of healthcare, as well as many specifics about the field of dermatology. Through

working with Dr. Hafeez and his nurses, I also achieved many important social skills such as teamwork and active

communication, which are guaranteed to help with applying to a job or college. Thanks to the wonderful staff

environment of the Center for Dermatology, I had a great time while also gaining lots of knowledge which will

definitely help me decide career choices in the future.

Designing Diversified Dynamic Chemical Networks at Emory University

Anushka S.

This summer, I worked in the Chemistry Department of Emory University located in downtown Atlanta under the

direction of my main mentor, Dr. David Lynn. I met with Dr. Lynn every morning about different scientific projects

going on in the lab. My other mentor, Dr. Yushi Bai, is a post doc working in Dr. Lynns lab. My main task was

assisting him with his project using techniques that he taught me. I was also responsible for conducting research on

new literature related to dynamic chemical networks. Finally, I had to learn the lab rules, which included learning

how to wash the dishes properly to proper lab etiquette. I have used different machines, such as mass spectrometry

and high performance level chromatography, both vital in determining whether a chemical reaction was successful

or not. Throughout my experience, I have learned a lot about organic chemistry. In addition, I have understood how

to give a professional research presentation. For example, I witnessed a fellow lab member defending his thesis on

another chemistry project. Overall, my experience has increased my interest in chemistry and scientific research, and

it has directed me to what I want to do for my SCE.

Internship at ERdC Solares

Brandon W.
My Junior Fellowship Experience mentors were Arsenio and Ruben Fernandez, and I worked at ERdC Solares, a

solar power installation company that installs mostly in Mxico but some internationally. I worked in different areas

of the company over time, and my first responsibility was to work through the maintenance program and create a

database of customers over the past years, my assessment of their possible problems, and some of their information.

After that, I worked in the warehouse that helped prepare orders for customers by gathering the different materials

and learning what they were at the same time. My biggest job was to work with the installation teams and assist with

the installations of various solar panel systems. I traveled with the team and learned how to set up the support

structures, wire them together, and connect them to the electric grid. I acquired many hard skills such as learning

how to splice wire correctly and improving my knowledge during AutoCAD. In addition, I gained soft skills such as

the ability to interact properly with clients and coworkers. Overall, working at ERdC Solares taught me multiple

valuable skills despite being a very specific profession.

Interning at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center

Chelsea Y.

I conducted my shadow based internship at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (GEHC) under the

supervision of Catherine Long, my mentor. However, I worked with different lead counselors every week. Before

the start of JFE, I had to attend a mandatory staff meeting where I was informed about camp rules and procedures. I

was also informed on how to deal with uncooperative kids and was taught games that I could play with the campers

to pass time. Primary responsibilities that I had were to supervise the campers, enforce good behavior, lead hikes

and activities, and assist the lead camp counselor. Working at the GEHC has benefited me because it allowed for me

to improve my communication and leadership skills. In additional, I have improved my Excel skills because I set up

sheets that kept track of the campers behavior. Although I was not required to use technology because most of the

camps were not STEM related, I was able to implement technology by using a programming software and LEGO

EV3 robots for the camp LEGO Beasts and Bricks. I enjoyed working at the GEHC and I have gained many useful

skills and an interest in environmental science.

Connecting with the Public at Piedmont Hospital

Emily W.

Over this past summer I spent my time at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, under the helpful assistance of my mentor

Mr. Kevin Brown. Before starting my volunteer experience, I was required to engage in a drug and tuberculosis
screening as well as an orientation where I learned the basics of the hospital, like how to talk to patients and where I

could work as I volunteer. When I began working at the hospital, I found work at the Diabetes Resource Center,

Information Desk, and Surgical Waiting. My responsibilities consisted mainly of creating informational folders,

helping lost patients, and taking phone calls. Through these responsibilities I learned different skills that have

impacted and will continue to impact my life for the better. While working at the Information Desk and Surgical

Waiting, I learned to engage in friendly conversation with patients and make them feel comfortable and welcome,

something that needs me be more socially active. I also worked with a program called EPIC that told me where

every patient was and their status. My experience at Piedmont Hospital was inspiring has further motivated me to

seek a career in the medical field.

Homology Modeling of Dihydropteroate Synthase: A Target for Antimalarial Drug Affinity Studies

Emily X.

For my JFE this past summer, I interned at the Georgia Gwinnett College where I researched under my mentor Dr.

Neville Forlemu, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. The main goal of this internship was to build the three-

dimensional structure of dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), an enzyme found in the malaria parasite; the model can

aid scientists in developing drugs to treat or prevent malaria. To build this model, I conducted background research

on DHPS to understand its properties and read scientific literature to learn how to create a high-quality model of the

structure. Using this knowledge, I built several models of the enzyme and compared it to models built by web

servers created by professionals. Because a large portion of my internship involved researching, I was able to

improve my research skills. In addition, because I mostly worked on the project independently, I developed better

management and thinking skills. I learned how to use the program Chimera to build the models and the program

PyMOL to visualize these models. From my internship, I gained valuable experience working in the field of

computational chemistry, which has influenced my interests and what I would like to pursue in a future career.

Synthesis of Low Molecular Mass Gelators in Organic Compounds

Farisha S.

I worked at Georgia Gwinnett College with my professor, Dr. Ajay Mallia. One major duty I had was to synthesize

organic products using ammonium hydroxide. Another responsibility that I was instructed to complete was to use

my organic products and to create gelators with them. A gelator is a substance that is on the verge of being a liquid

but is in solid form. My last responsibility which I conducted was to test the melting points of the various products
and gels that I had created. During this internship, I learned how to communicate respectfully no matter the situation

with my professor and peers while also learning how to work in a chemistry lab and do tasks efficiently. In the lab, I

would use hot plates, various organic compounds, and glassware to perform reactions. I also had to take a college

level organic chemistry class for a week in which I learned how to use the Mass Spectrometer, Infrared

Spectroscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. This internship was a great experience, and I am glad I had the

opportunity to intern there.

Summer Camp Management at The Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center

Jade W.

At the Environmental & Heritage Center (EHC), I worked alongside my mentors, Catherine Long and Sandra Aceto,

the camp leads, and summer staff to help facilitate and teach the 2017 EHC summer camps. During my experience

at the EHC, my main responsibilities included facilitating camp activities, preparing camp rooms, helping with

dismissal and before & after care, and cleaning afterward. I partnered with Trinity Vasquez in creating performing

arts camp that could hopefully be integrated into future camp schedules. At the EHC, I learned to communicate

fluently with people of various age groups and worked on my problem solving skills in staying level headed.

Throughout the experience, I grew in confidence because I knew I had to take charge in all situations to ensure that

the kids were safe. My experience at the EHC was beneficial in helping me develop the skills necessary for any

workplace, I am grateful for the lessons learned that will allow me to be successful and progress rapidly in my

future.

Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells Research in the Catch Them Young Program at Georgia State University

Joseph Z.

I interned in the Yuan Liu lab in the Petit Science Center. My primary mentor was Courtney Culpepper, a PhD

student in the Molecular Basis of Disease Program. My duties and responsibilities varied, but generally worked on

something related to cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, or colitis. I sectioned lung and colon tissue using cryostat

tissue sectioning techniques for MDSC and PMN (Polymorphonuclear leukocytes) studies. I flushed bone marrows

and removed tissue from mice. I also completed Western Blotting to observe proteins. Through this internship, I

have learned how to read scientific papers. Additionally, I learned how to perform laboratory techniques such as

cryostat sectioning, solution making, and autoclaving. I utilized incubators, centrifuges, vortexers, micropipettes,

and other tools. I attended Lunch and Learn talks with professors giving speeches, lab meetings with other labs, and
a research exhibition in which I presented my research to professors.This internship has allowed me to understand

more about immune responses to inflammation and has made me want to pursue further studies in this field. I look

forward to working more in the research field, and I hope to make advances in studies through my work.

Student Assistant in a Lab at Emory University

Jun Ho Y.

I had the opportunity to intern as a student assistant at the Benian lab at Emory University located in Atlanta,

Georgia. My mentors were Dr. Benian, a faculty member of Department of Experimental Pathology and the head of

the lab I worked at, and Dr. Qadota, my unofficial mentor who also helped me out tremendously during my

experience. My primary responsibilities were the three projects that I was assigned at the beginning of the

internship: immunostaining mutant worms, cloning of Ribonucleic acid interference plasmids, and outcrossing

mutant worms. During my experience, I learned to use numerous technologies and equipment: polymerase chain

reaction, gel electrophoresis, optical and fluorescent microscope, microcentrifuge, and a micropipette. Not only did I

learn hard skills, but I also practiced soft skills such as communicating with other people about what I had

accomplished, and taking detailed notes in order to prevent any confusion during the experiments on a daily basis.

Overall, the experience at the lab was truly enriching, and I would like to thank everyone who allowed me to have

this amazing experience.

Performing Arts at the Environmental & Heritage Center

Trinity V.

At the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center (GEHC), I was obligated to aid the instructors, volunteers, staff,

and my mentors, Catherine Long and Sandra Aceto, operate the summer camps. During my experience at the

GEHC, my main responsibilities included facilitating camp activities, preparing camp rooms, helping with

dismissal, and cleaning afterward. I interacted with people of various ages and needed to adapt to different situations

and problems. The 5-6-year-old campers in the Inch by Inch drama camp required a lot of individual attention

because they were autistic. This led me to change the way I explained the activities. On the other hand, the 7-9-year-

old campers in Archaeology Camp were very well behaved and required little attention. Organization and endurance

were crucial as I worked through exhaustion and distractions to maintain a high level of performance. In Wildlife

Forensics camp, additional hard skills were put to use as I learned to prepare microscope slides with organisms and
use macroscopes and microscopes. My experiences at the GEHC were necessary for the development of skills

required in any workplace. I am grateful for the lessons learned that will allow me to be successful in my future.

Junior Fellowship Internship at Hillandale Primary Care

Yousuf S.

I did my internship at Hillandale Primary Care, shadowing under Dr. Saira Tariq Niaz, and often got to work with

her nurses and office manager. The work that I was given by the different people that I worked with varied because

of the different duties that they had. While working with Dr. Niaz and her nurses, I primarily had to get the different

types of medication for patients based on what I was told by the doctor, use blood pressure monitors take the vital

signs of patients, and even got to do some patients labs such as urine dips using urine analysis slips. When I worked

with the office manager, I had to open, organize, and shred the large quantity of mail that accumulated over the

week. When working with the patients, I built my social skills by constantly interacting with new people. When

working with Dr. Niaz and her nurses, I learned about many different medicines and other things relating to the

medical field. Under the office manager, I even learned how to manage billing. The experience I had at my

internship greatly exceeded my expectations because I expected to mostly only be allowed to do paperwork.