By Tyler Bowdoin, Development Department Intern
Each summer, Stroud™ Water Research Center welcomes a new group of interns who are eager to participate in research projects and to begin what may become their life’s work — a career in the sciences. Our internship program, now in its 47th year, has ushered through hundreds of interns who have come in search of meaningful work.
Coming from all sorts of backgrounds, our interns get the unique opportunity to work among peers from different schools, as well as our own scientists and employees. They dip their toes in the freshwater community together, learning by completing their own projects and assignments.
Development department intern Tyler Bowdoin interviewed the summer 2019 interns. He shares a little bit about them (and himself) here.
Maria Alfaro (Entomology Intern)
Alfaro recently graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a bachelor’s in aquatic and fisheries science. She is trying to master the art of baking the perfect loaf of sourdough. Her spirit body of water is Cayuga Lake.
Steven Annan (Entomology Intern)
Annan is an undergraduate student at Millersville University majoring in biology. He loves fly fishing and is always on the hunt for new fishing spots. His spirit body of water is Penn’s Creek.
Zach Berkow (Geomorphology Intern)
Berkow is an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College majoring in earth sciences. He once hiked a whopping 53.5 miles in 23.5 hours. His spirit body of water is a stream that would be able to form a slot canyon.
Tyler Bowdoin (Development Intern)
Bowdoin is an undergraduate student at Washington University majoring in both economics and strategy and earth and planetary sciences. He briefly knew how to do the worm perfectly but has gone rusty after not practicing the classic dance move. His spirit body of water is the Meramec River.
Lindsey Colgan (Entomology Intern)
Colgan is an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in biology. She once accidentally grew a pumpkin patch in her front yard after leaving her Halloween pumpkins out in the yard. Her spirit body of water is Jenny Lake.
Mitch Evans (Citizen Science and Development Intern)
Evans is an undergraduate student at Washington College majoring in communications and media studies with a minor in environmental studies. He is the intern furthest away from home as he is a Hawaii native. His spirit body of water is the Pacific Ocean.
Katie Frey (Entomology Intern)
Frey is an undergraduate student at the University of Florida majoring in environmental management of agriculture and natural resources. She has been vegan for three years now and has plans to attend various vegan festivals throughout the summer with friends. Her spirit body of water is Lake Wauburg.
Jessie Gunoskey (Microbiology Intern)
Gunoskey is an undergraduate student at Washington College with a full plate, majoring in biology with an emphasis in cell and molecular biology and infectious diseases, while being a triple minor (chemistry, English, and public health). Although biology is her passion, she also has done some freelance writing, being hired by companies like Chegg and various town publications. She sticks out from the other interns in that she does not have a spirit body of water, finding bodies of water to be “gross.”
Abby Kaija (Entomology Intern)
Kaija is an undergraduate student at Dickinson College pursuing majors in both biogeochemistry and entrepreneurship. She has a history of incubating and raising chicks, her favorite ever chick being Melvin. Her spirit body of water is Echo Lake.
Rebecca Lauver (Entomology Intern)
Lauver is an undergraduate student at Messiah College majoring in biology. This is her third summer interning with the Stroud Center, and she comes back year after year for the work environment and the unique opportunities to interact with established scientists. Her spirit body of water is Little Bear Lake.
Jeff Manner (Geomorphology Intern)
Manner is an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in both biology and earth sciences. He is a fly-fishing fanatic, once living out of a tent in Idaho for four months so that he could easily go fishing every morning. His spirit body of water is Firehole River.
Teresa Sauer (Watershed Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems Intern)
Sauer is an undergraduate student at Fairfield University majoring in biology. She enjoys attempting to make pottery and a variety of abstract sculptures. Her spirit body of water is White Cedar Swamp.
Nathan Sienkiewicz (Microbiology intern)
Sienkiewicz recently graduated from the University of Delaware with a master’s in water science and policy. He was once involved in an episode of National Geographic’s television program, Explorer, in which already deceased animals were exploded, after which a forensics team was tested to see if they could correctly identify all of the animals. His spirit body of water is any quiet, simple stream.
Daniel Terlecky (Microbiology Intern)
Terlecky is a graduate student in West Chester University’s Master of Public Health program. In his free time, he enjoys building guitar amps. His spirit body of water would be the Schuylkill River due to people frequently mispronouncing it, as many do with his own last name.
Caitlyn Tynes (Entomology Intern)
Tynes is an undergraduate student at Millersville University majoring in environmental biology with a minor in water resources. She is especially excited for this summer as she has a sister in the military who will soon be coming back home to Pennsylvania from California. Her spirit body of water is an estuary.
Max Wallace (Watershed Restoration Intern)
Wallace is an undergraduate student at Millersville University majoring in occupational safety and environmental health. He has been playing guitar for years, making his debut in the music world in middle school. His spirit body of water is a stream with a lot of dissolved oxygen.
Cathy Yu (Information Services Part-Time Employee)
Yu is a graduate student in West Chester University’s applied statistics program. She has a passion for cooking, especially when it comes to making spicy chicken wings. Her spirit body of water is the Mississippi River.
Will Zang (Entomology Intern)
Zang recently graduated from West Chester University with a bachelor’s in biology. In the past five years, he has backpacked in 19 different countries. His spirit body of water is the Amazon River.
