#mypennpath – Page 7 – Penn & Beyond

The First Step to My Career

This is the next in a series of posts by recipients of the Career Services Summer Funding grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they’ve been spending the summer. You can read the entire series here.

This entry is by Yani Liang, Penn Design MCP ’17

Since I came to Penn, my career goal has been clear: to become a qualified transportation planner, capable of balancing public equity and policy orientation, to develop plans that will contribute to the sustainable development of public transit after graduation. The summer internship I found is the Subway Performance Support Aide in Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City, which operates the busiest and largest transit system in North America. Before the internship began, I expected it as my first and most important step to my future career. Now, I have been interning in MTA for almost 2 months, I found that my expectation is definitely right. The intern perfectly aligns with my career goal.

The Department of Subways (DOS) is the sub-division of NYCT. Under DOS, there are several subdivisions as well. I worked in Performance Analysis Unit (PAU) under the department of Subways of Finance. I have been assisting in building a performance database for subways. I am also participating in the projects of analyzing recent and long-term changes in service performance of subways, especially through the quantification of the impact of delays causes.

I learned a lot and found that there are several things I could do to be successful during the internship. Firstly, the most important thing is know what you know, and set up reasonable goals to help you work on the right track. I have established three main goals with my supervisor which will ensure that I am able to apply what I have learned in school to the real world problems and gain valuable working experience. The three main goals go along with corresponding tasks that help me achieve the goals and also make contributions to PAU. I have routine tasks to do every day and I must pay great attention to details. I also have some projects that would come up as surprises. I think they are challenges to me and I am excited to take them.

Secondly, being professional is of great significance working in a technique oriented department. We are required to know concepts of the subway system well because all of the analysis we are doing is based on the mechanism behind the tracks and trains. Only if I got an intimate knowledge of all the subway stuff, can I really establish a more accurate hypothesis and methods to conduct the analysis. I have learned a lot during my internship that I would have never learned in school. This new knowledge contains detailed aspects which greatly broadened my view of the transportation industry.

Thirdly, since large companies would often provide some education opportunities, I also think it is important to grasp those opportunities and keep ourselves at the cutting edge in the field. The HR division often provides opportunities for people to get involved in conferences, meetings, and tours that will help them get improved. However, most of the opportunities are not mandatory, so employees are able to choose to attend or not according to the schedule. It is flexible but it also means that initiative is required. Basically, my fellow professionals have their own plan for further career development. So everyone needs to be clear of what to do and what needs to be improved in their own career plan.

The advantages of the internship are not limited by the academic scope. It is also my first step to explore what kind of personalities a good transportation planner should have, how transportation department is organized, its daily operations, and how planners make significant influences on the development of public transits. In addition, I am building a good relationship with my colleagues, who are the professional planners in the transportation field. Beyond learning advanced technique skills, I am also going to develop my collaborative ability, decision making and problem solving skills.

Finally, I would like to appreciate the great help received from Career Services. I will continue to work hard during my internship and enjoy the summer in the New York City.

Impressions of a Summer Internship in Antigua

This is the next in a series of posts by recipients of the Career Services Summer Funding grant, and the first entry from our 2015 recipients. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they’ve been spending the summer. You can read the entire series here.

This blog is by Esther Rose Needham, Penn Design, MCP ’16

My first impression of Antigua was the dryness. It was everywhere, even the aloe had turned brown and was beginning to shrivel in on itself. Flying into the Caribbean Island, where I spent my summer interning at the government’s Environment Division with the help of funding from Career Services, I could see the sunburnt cliffs sloping into the turquoise water. The contrast was breathtaking yet harsh. Antigua and Barbuda, the twin island nation, has been experiencing lower than average rainfall for several years, dipping into a severe drought this spring. Though the lack of groundwater and limited surface water has been an asset at times throughout history, it now presents a struggle for those that call the small island home. Relying primarily on collected rainwater, which has been in scarce supply, the public utilities department has been forced to put the island on rotating water rationing. No water means no functioning plumbing, not even government offices are excluded. So from learning how to flush a toilet with a hand scoop, to dancing in the rain at a carnival fete, to a 5 a.m. hike to a reservoir, this summer has been all about water and discovery.

Even at work I have been learning and it has been all about water. My internship revolves around spatial data, mapping and analyses, specifically that of hydrologic information. I have spent hours meticulously combing over aerial images and hot afternoons conducting fieldwork to map water features. Ultimately working on projects related to watersheds and flooding, I have learned an incredible amount about hydrologic modeling and have felt an intense satisfaction in my work. Though I have been lucky enough to live on a beautiful hilltop with a cistern to catch rainwater, protected from both seawater flooding and water rationing, I know that most residents of Antigua are not so lucky. Here and throughout the world many people are affected by decreasing rainfall and increasing drought and flooding as a result of climate change. I am incredibly blessed that I have had the opportunity to make a small contribution in this field, especially on such a beautiful and welcoming island.

When I first arrived here I had never snorkeled on a reef or kayaked through mangroves. I had never seen sea turtles mating or traced their tracks up a white sand beach. I had never gone free-diving, swam with wild sting rays and eels, or night snorkeled with phosphorescence. I didn’t know that putting guppies in your cistern would get rid of the breeding mosquitoes or that lizards would eat those mosquitoes off of your legs if you sat very still. I had never photographed a night-blooming cereus, eaten raw sea urchin on the beach or mastered left-hand driving. I had never felt the mist of tropical rain on my bed or the wind at my back on the bow of a sailboat as the Caribbean sun sank. I have learned so much. I have had the rare chance to experience the world from another perspective and I am grateful. Antigua has embraced me and I can only hope that I have given back as much as I have received.

My Penn Path: Mary Xia

Last spring, we asked several current Penn students in the College of Arts & Sciences to talk to us about their summer internship experience.

We hope these brief interviews give you some insight into the many opportunities and career fields that await you out in the world!

Today’s interview is with Mary Xia, CAS ’16

Tell Us About Yourself

Name: Mary Xia
Hometown: Livingston NJ
Year/major/minor: Class of 2014, Major in Biology, Major in Computer Science, Minor in Nutrition

Favorite class/experience at Penn
Many. There are just so many opportunities to do pretty much anything here. One event (out of many) is being a Move-In Green Leader during move-in. We all recycled 20 tons of cardboard from solely move-in week in August 2013.

Where did you work and what was your job title?
I spent the summer between my Junior and Senior year participating in the Food Science Summer Scholar Program at Cornell University. I worked in a sensory research lab, focusing on how diet-restriction affects mouse taste receptor expression.

How did you get involved in your summer position?
I applied online to food science internships and jobs.

Did you have any background with this subject/field before?
I have been researching human taste receptors and taste perception at the Monell Chemical Senses Center since my second semester at Penn, and I have been interested in food science and nutrition since middle school. There was still a lot of novel material, especially as I was working with mice for the first time and on different pathways and lab techniques. However, food science is a really broad topic, ranging from sensory to food safety (microbiology) to food processing techniques (chemistry, engineering) and more. The scholars and I all had completely different projects across the spectrum, so there was definitely a lot to learn.

What was your favorite part of the experience?
Everything! Cornell’s Food Science department is incredible, and the entire program was extremely well-planned and diverse. I not only picked up how to get taste buds from mice tongues, but also had the chance to tour Kraft’s and Pepsi’s headquarters and learn about the industry. Most of the other scholars came from universities with Food Science programs, and it was fun to explore Ithaca with them. We also had a fantastic trip to Chicago for the annual Institute of Food Technologists Expo, a conference where thousands of food companies and academics gather to discuss food. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better summer (except for more data/results).

What was something you learned/did that you didn’t expect?
Well, the entire summer was a learning experience, both in and out of the lab, so it’s difficult to just choose one. One nifty procedure I learned was how to obtain taste buds from the mouse tongue. You remove the tongue, peel off the top layer of the back of the tongue in one piece (the underside has the taste buds) and then suck up the taste buds using a little glass tip. This is all done under the microscope because everything is tiny. I also gained an industry perspective on so many topics, especially at the Expo where I talked to at least a hundred different companies about their products, processing techniques, and sustainability initiatives.

What was the most valuable lesson you took away from this experience?
I really enjoyed working with my lab members; everyone was extremely passionate, intelligent, and experienced. At the same time, they were willing and eager to try new techniques, figure out protocols, and read and discuss tons more papers. Scientific research is really frustrating when expensive experiments don’t work, or when results aren’t conclusive, and it really takes a lot of mental strength and passion to pursue this career.

How has this experience influenced your long-term career plans/goals?
I am certain that I like food science and its related topics, and that it will always be an interest/hobby of mine. In the future, I might migrate towards a career in food science or sensory research. For now, though, I will be working in an unrelated field.

My Penn Path: Sarah Mann

Last spring, we asked several current Penn students in the College of Arts & Sciences to talk to us about their summer internship experience.

We hope these brief interviews give you some insight into the many opportunities and career fields that await you out in the world!

Today’s interview is with Sarah Mann, CAS ’14

Tell Us About Yourself
Name: Sarah Mann
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Year/major/minor: 2014, Anthropology major concentration in human biology, Nutrition minor

Where did you work/job title?
I worked in the Laboratory of Innovative and Translational Nursing Research as a research assistant and laboratory technician under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Libonati. The laboratory research focuses on the mechanisms by which exercise training benefits the heart in a host of different diseases including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (chemotherapy drug that has cardiotoxic effects).

How did you get involved in your summer position?
During January 2013, I began looking for research positions, particularly ones that would enable me to get lots of hands on experience and conduct my own experiments. I was browsing through a list of research opportunities and came across Dr. Libonati’s lab and was eager to learn more abut his lab. After interviewing and receiving the positions as research assistant and laboratory technician I broached the topic of a summer position with him, which he gladly offered.

Did you have any background with this subject/field before?
I actually did not have much of a background with either cardiology or exercise, though I was familiar with the cardiotoxic effects of certain chemotherapy drugs. I had previously worked in two labs, though (genetics lab at the University of Arizona and a breast cancer lab at the Arizona Cancer Center) and was familiar with basic laboratory techniques. While I did not have much prior experience, I did not believe that to be a hindrance at all with my work, as Dr. Libonati promotes an environment of hands-on learning. I did have to complete a slew of primary training and become certified to work with mice.

What was your favorite part of the experience?
My favorite part of my experience working in Dr. Libonati’s lab was learning a variety of techniques that I can carry with me to different research opportunities I may have upon graduation. I was certified to work with mice (running/training them on a treadmill for one of the research projects), learned how to perform cell culture experiments and even got to design my own – looking at the potential for glucose and insulin to mitigate the effects of cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug, induced cardiotoxicity on rat cardiomyocytes. I also had the opportunity to learn and perform a rather unique technique, the Langendorff perfusion (isolated perfused heart assay) on rat hearts. This technique is truly unbelievable as I watched Dr. Libonati perform surgery to excise the heart from the rat, and attach the heart to a series of tubing to perform the heart assay allowing the heart to continue to beat outside of the body (due to the infusion/flow of Krebs solution, which mimics the blood). The Langendorff technique enables the examination of cardiac contractile strength and heart rate to be studied even during a scenario mimicking a heart attack (lowering or turning off the flow of Krebs solution). I truly enjoyed learning all of these techniques and being able to actually conduct experiments rather than simply shadowing.

What was something you learned/did that you didn’t expect?
I did not anticipate learning about the statistical process of analyzing data or the process of writing scientific articles for publication. However I am so grateful for having been given this experience. I learned how to use STATA and which specific tests to run to analyze a set of data. I also was able to participate in the process of writing a scientific paper for publication including data analysis, formatting figures, and actual writing of the different sections. These skills are incredibly valuable as I continue to pursue my interest in research.

What was the most valuable lesson you took away from this experience?
The most valuable lesson I took away from this experience is that research does not always go the way you expect, your hypothesis may be proven wrong or even certain experiments may not run as planned. Troubleshooting during these circumstances is essential. Oftentimes research can be frustrating and I’ve come to realize that great determination and perseverance is needed to be successful in this field. Success does not come without an immense amount of hard work and the drive and desire to see the project through.

How has this experience influenced your long-term career plans/goals?
My experience working in Dr. Libonati’s lab has actually come to shape my long-term career plans and goals greatly. I have always been interested in medicine, however I had never given much thought to pursing a career in research. After working in my lab I am confident that I want to continue performing experiments and contributing to the vast database of scientific literature. I will be pursing an MD/PhD in my near future, attempting to combine my passion for nutrition with my interest in oncology.

What would you recommend to other students trying to pursue the Road Less Traveled?
I would recommend for other students to pursue a field of interest that truly sounds interesting to them. That is, it is important to follow one’s passions. I strongly believe that I felt so rewarded by working in my lab because I was very interested in the research we were conducting (looking at the effects of different chemo drugs on the heart). Furthermore, though, and perhaps just as importantly, I think it is essential to find an opportunity that allows one to actually get hands-on learning. While yes, one can learn by watching, learning by doing is that much more powerful. I am extremely appreciative of my opportunity to work in the Laboratory of Innovative and Translational Nursing Research under Dr. Libonati and fellow researchers and hope that others will pursue their passions and the “road less traveled” – not just simply settling for any opportunity along the way.

My Penn Path: Kaustuh Deo

Last spring, we asked several current Penn students in the College of Arts & Sciences to talk to us about their summer internship experience.

We hope these brief interviews give you some insight into the many opportunities and career fields that await you out in the world!

Today’s interview is with Kaustuh Deo, CAS-WH ’16
Tell Us About Yourself

Name: Kaustubh Deo
Hometown: Seattle, Washington, United States
Year/major/minor: 2016, Huntsman Program (Business and International Studies), French Minor
Where did you work and what was your job title?

I split my summer into two portions. The first six weeks were spent doing the Penn-in-Tours program in France. When I returned, I completed six week internship at Five Ultimate, a company that specializes in making jerseys for Ultimate Frisbee teams around the world. I was a marketing intern, though the marketing department consisted of one of the co-founders and the head of marketing (and me).

How did you get involved in your summer position?

I’ve played Ultimate since middle school, and during the junior year of high school I got a summer job doing quality control, meaning I just had to make sure all the jerseys were printed properly and the right sizes were included in every team order. It was a really boring job, but I was able to meet everyone at the company (around 10-15 full-time employees), including the five founders, who are all siblings, hence the name Five Ultimate. I emailed one of the founders and asked her if there was any way to put together a business-related internship for the second half of the summer. I met with her when I went home during Spring Break and we were able to figure out a plan that would be mutually beneficial.

Did you have any background with this subject/field before?

I had no formal experience with marketing specifically, but I am very knowledgeable about Ultimate and the culture of the sport, which is obviously very valuable for a company whose customers are all Ultimate players. Further, my team here at Penn usually orders our jerseys from Five.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

It was really great to work side-by-side with the head of marketing in the open office set-up. Everyone could chat with each other throughout the day, leading to a relaxed, friendly work environment. It showed me what kind of people I want to work around.

What was something you learned/did that you didn’t expect?

The experience provided me with an insight to how a small business or start-up operates, which is great context as I move forward and intern with larger corporations in future summers. Second, my original motivation in pursuing this internship was to assess if marketing would be something I want to do in the future and this gave me an idea of what marketing entails in the real world.

What was the most valuable lesson you took away from this experience?

I think learning how to work independently while on a team was extremely valuable. Most of our school work tends to be individual, while group work tends to be completed as a group. However, working a job usually requires individual work that is then aggregated into a group effort. At Five, I took care of my part of projects while my co-workers did their parts, and then we would meet primarily to collaborate and merge our work (unlike school, where we meet to do the actual work itself). Learning this dynamic makes me a more productive employee and more valuable teammate.

How has this experience influenced your long-term career plans/goals?

I definitely know now that I need to work in a setting that promotes collaboration and cross-fertilization of ideas. Working in a vacuum with little understanding of the big picture is not something I want to do. In addition, I learned that marketing is a little too qualitative for my taste, so I’m going to look for careers that require more quantitative analysis and technical work.

What would you recommend to other students trying to pursue the Road Less Traveled?

Email anyone and everyone who could possibly help you. This includes extended family, high school teachers, parents of your college/high school friends, etc. I even googled random companies in industries I was interested in, then went into their “People” section of the website, and would read employee bios until I found someone who went to Penn and email them. I’ve actually gotten to have coffee or phone calls with some very interesting people that way, even if it doesn’t necessarily lead to a job.