Posted on October 3, 2016
This summer my advisor, Dr. Matthew Taylor, had me work for him as a post doc. I think much of that was due to needing more help around the lab. The solar smart home was just ramping up so he needed someone to make sure that everything was on track for that, he had students writing a variety of papers that needed assistance with their statistical analysis, and several IRB’s that need to be written and submitted. These were all tasks I was well prepared for from my PhD. I was glad to have more autonomy around the lab and to try out some of my leadership skills by keeping students on track with their research. It was a really great experience this summer and made me feel more like I was using the degree I already had.
I really did like being in charge on projects and having people feel like they could come to me because I was an expert in what they needed. It makes me realize that I can be an effective lead on projects and I really enjoy working with others. It might not have been another internship, but it was a great summer regardless and I still learned a lot about my own skills.