Lauren R.

Peatlands Research Intern
Happy to mentor
Happy to be contacted

About me

Lauren R.
Environment
Environmental Geography
Undergraduate
Langwith
2017
United Kingdom

My employment

Peatlands Research Intern
N8 Agrifood
United Kingdom

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A day in the life of a Peatlands Research Intern in the United Kingdom

How I looked for work

I found this opportunity on the Careers Gateway advertised by the Student Internship Bureau

How I found out about the job

Careers website (University of York)

The recruitment process

I sent my CV and a cover letter as to why I was suitable for the research intern role through the application section of the Careers Gateway and was then shortlisted for an interview with the research leader.

My advice to students considering work

It is a great experience for students, especially those considering a future in academia (Masters, PhD etc...) and is a great extra to put on your CV

What I do

An N8 Agrifood intern researching the sustainability for peatland agriculture: The impacts of agricultural drainage on British peatlands. My role was to collect cores from peatlands around the UK and analyse their physical properties, carbon content and biodiversity values. I also assisted with field and laboratory analysis of peat cores for two other projects, including a PhD thesis.

Skills I use and how I developed them

- Teamwork was very important as I was working alongside another intern in the field and labs on one of the projects I was involved in
- Organisation skills for keeping up-to-date with data analysis and spreadsheet inputs were imperative
- Fieldwork involved learning how to use a Russian-style corer and sub-sample peat in the field
- Writing risk assessments
- New skills in learning how to use the Elemental Analyser for CN analysis (carbon content) of peat samples
- Continuing to develop my scientific writing which is beneficial for future academic work

What I like most

- Having the opportunity to travel around the UK to collect primary data for the projects I was involved in
- Learning new field and lab work techniques

Next steps...

If you like the look of Lauren’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Lauren a message to find out more about their career journey.

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