My internship would not be the same without the social dynamic we have. I am a very lucky intern because my site is not only a professional workplace, but also a place where I can chit chat and listen to music with my PI. Even when we get busy, (right now we are meeting deadlines as well as packing up the lab and moving to another building), my PI still thinks it’s important to take breaks to let loose. We consistently play music out loud to make packing up/working more fun, and laugh over the small mundane things. Even amongst all the deadlines we must make, little mistakes and mess-ups do not get chastised or linger. My PI lets me learn from them myself and lets ME make the judgement call based on how severe that mistake is. Her approach on teaching me helps to build a friendly environment, where we can openly discuss anything. The lab is never silent for long, as we are always chatting about school, our hometowns, and the latest fashions. I know not every site may have this dynamic, but I sure am lucky that mine is. I love working there so much that I have applied for a UROP grant to continue working in the summer.
Kanokwan Jiffy Bishop is a biomedical engineering major in the School of Engineering and Technology and is interning with Dr. Hiromi Tanaka.
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