Earlier this fall, 26 students enrolled in Plant Communities and Taxonomy or Introduction to Mammalian Ecology and Diversity got a chance to visit, learn about, and experience an entire new ecosystem far from campus.
With the acquisition of several new projects, Saint Mary’s GeoSpatial Services (GSS) is increasing invaluable student internship experiences while helping nationwide organizations make far-reaching ecological decisions. For example, in the largest single contract ever awarded to them ($1.7 million over four years), GSS will work with the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The project will keep GSS staff and up to 30 student interns busy for several years.
For a psychology student, having the opportunity to put Mayo Clinic as an internship site on your résumé is a real attention-getter. Saint Mary’s senior Nick Sawchuk is hoping his experiences at the renowned Rochester medical facility will help him stand out in pursuing his dream to become a pediatric psychologist.
Saint Mary’s science interns spent the summer researching area bat habitats, testing local waters, and removing invasive species. They gained valuable research techniques and learned how their work can contribute to helping issues on local, regional, and even potentially national levels.
With a new ThermoFischer Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer, Saint Mary’s students are now able to separate, identify, and quantify complex mixtures of chemicals at a whole new level.
Saint Mary’s rising senior Kynzie Smedsrud is collaborating on potential lifesaving research — research that could one day help women fighting breast cancer. Her summer internship at Gundersen Medical Foundation’s Kabara Cancer Research Institute is giving her a hands-on experience that is far exceeding her expectations.