Internship #7

Internship site: University of San Diego

Department: Biology

Project Title: 

General Description: species in the vernal pools and cyst density in the core samples

Learning Objectives: learning about the project that Dr. Simovich is working on... Improving the vernal pools and "communities" of species in the vernal pools. Increase of numbers and making a better habitat

Organization/Company Objectives & Benefits:

Schedule: 8-3/4

Academic Skills:knowledge of biology is required and reading the vernal pool previous study reports on the project being worked on now

Technical Skills: knowing how to work under a microscope and working in the field

Collaboration—Skills and Opportunities: field work 

Exhibition Plans: not sure yet..

Schedule & Timelines: written outline of project done this weekend.. I need to get data pages of the core sample information and going to go do field work next week which will give me the opportunity to learn more about the species in the vernal pools

My favorite part of this week was doing the site visit to the Carmel Mountain vernal pools. We went to 4 different vernal pools that were still filled with water.. all of the others had dried up. Hopefully this weekend there will be alot of rain to fill all the vernal pools so we can go out again next week and do more of the testing. We tested the waters pH level and also swooped a net through about one meter of the water that collected what ever specimens were there in the water at the time. We only found 2 fairy shrimp in the last vernal pool that we collected samples from. I was really sad because i didnt realize that we had to kill the specimen that we had collected.. but we did this so that we could count the number of crustaceans that were in the water so that there can be cysts or other plants that will help improve the environments of the vernal pools that dont have as many species in them. I learned so much this week and I am really looking forward to next week. I'm hoping that we will go out to the field everyday net week. I am not sure if we will yet... From the looks of things, we will because it is supposed to rain this weekend and throughout next week as well. To someone who has never had an internship before I would definitely tell them that they will learn A LOT of information.. of course depending on what internship they are doing.. but they will have to remember everything too and to also ask a lot of questions and if you dont understand how something is done then to ask questions and make sure that you do know what you are doing. In my case I am working on a project that has to do with research and everything needs to be precise and accurate.