Category Archives: Biosciences

Employer Case Study: University of Exeter Biomedicine

Name of Organisation: University of Exeter

Name of Employer: Sarah Richardson

Job Title: Associate Professor in Cellular Biomedicine

Internship Scheme used:  Access to Internships (A2I) 

Feedback:

“Our intern worked with the team to immunostain a collection of pancreas samples and then established an state-of-the-art AI image analysis pipeline to interrogate these. The results are likely to contribute towards preliminary data within a NERC grant application with some of our collaborators.

Learning the lab and image analyses methodologies, and increasing his confidence to work on these independently. This will have deepened his understanding of the practicalities of research, working with a team and applying knowledge gained during his degree.

Our intern has been great – enthusiastic and committed to learning. We have some great preliminary data for an interesting project extension that is likely to result in a publication and potentially more research funding for the university.”

Student Case Study: Shore Crab Research Intern

 

Name of Student:  Madeline Kirby

Degree Subject:  BSc Marine Biology

Job Title: SCP6015 Shore Crab Research Intern

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Assisting with fieldwork in the intertidal environment. Transferring data from the IUCN redlist to an excel format.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I personally became more confident with identifying European Green Crabs, and learned a lot about the scientific process and how to conduct research. As I was working with a PHD student, the work I assisted with won’t be published for a few years yet.

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?

Catching covid in the first week of my internship was inconvenient, but we adapted by shifting to online tasks. Other challenges were trap placement and how to maximise our catch, so we played around with the methodology until we found the best practise.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Time and Workload Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Confidence
  • Creative thinking
  • Professionalism

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

My internship experience was really positive. Working with a postgraduate student was really exciting as I felt I was learning a lot about the scientific method and gaining loads of skills I will be able to take into my own research career. I also felt included and the informal approach made me feel comfortable to ask questions. I loved being able to take a more active role in research and meet other people in the field. I have also secured a part-time internship extension with the team which is exciting.

Student Case Study: Science Research Assistant (Endangered Species)

Name of Student:  Amy Goymer

Degree Subject:  Biological sciences

Job Title: Science Research Assistant (Endangered Species) SCP 5967

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Carry out laboratory work to obtain DNA sequences for meat sold as ‘eel’ to evaluate whether endangered species were being utilised in eel sushi products. Then collate the data to synthesise a paper for publication.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Analysing enough samples to significantly contribute to the global collection (more than doubling it!) which will allow a much more rounded view of eel trade globally.

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?

Some samples were hard to collect usable data from due to being degraded by frying, cooking etc. But you just have to be persistent and go right from the beginning again and then some will just have a lucky round and give you results.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Leadership
  • Strategic Planning
  • Decision Making

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Commercial Awareness
  • Confidence
  • Independence

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

This internship experience not only furthered my laboratory experience and was a good thing to talk about moving forward in my career, but also made me feel like I was contributing to global science as an individual rather than just learning things as a student. I also hope to publish the paper I wrote as part of the internship with help from my supervisor, which is a really cool outcome to reward the hard work put in. Ultimately, it was great to get paid for something that really interesting, fun, and allowed me to contribute to science.

Student Case Study: University of Exeter Research Assistant

Name of Student: Francesca Southern

Degree Subject: Biochemistry

Type of Internship: Access to Internships (A2I)

Company Name: University of Exeter

Job Title: Research Assistant

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Continuing research on mitochondrial DNA epigenetics in neurodegenerative diseases and generally assisting in the lab by tidying, sorting deliveries and helping on other projects

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I discovered a recent article publication that suggested an alternative way of research, we practiced that alternative method, and it gave the best results we have had so far. This increased my confidence and independence in the lab.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

I think the main challenge for me was having the ability to work consistently over the week. A lot of the internship required creative thinking surround lab methods, this in addition to long days in the lab made it test my resilience and critical thinking skills. I spoke to my colleagues about how best to get a routine going in the lab and from that they advised me about how to manage my workload and rest when outside the lab. I was then able to quickly improve my consistency and make fewer mistakes.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Workload Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“Overall I had an incredibly positive internship experience. The one thing that stood out to me was how great it felt to be part of a team. A lot of the time undergraduate work is independent so I wasn’t used to working with a team every day. There was a lot of support from everyone in the research group, PhD students were interested in how my study was going and vice versa so I felt I learnt a significant amount through communication with other members of the research group. I felt I gained an insight into the working world and it made me excited for future employment.”

Student Case Study: University of Exeter

Name of Student:  Ghalia Abel

Degree Subject: MPH Biological Sciences

Job Title: Digital Learning Developer

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Graduate Business Partnership (GBP)

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Providing digital support to university staff for online and blended learning materials.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

As part of a team I produced a digital magazine showcasing the innovative teaching and learning used by The University of Exeter Business School academics to enhance the student digital Learning experience. This magazine highlighted the numerous methods and creativity of the UEBS academics when teaching.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

An academic was looking to produce a short conference video with the speaker as the main subject on the screen. My task was to find a software that allowed video editing flexibility. I began researching and found an open source software that could be used to achieve the academics vision. The academic was able to produce the video and submit it for the conference in a timely manner. The talk was accepted and received great feedback.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Focus on Goals and Outcomes
  • Organisation
  • IT
  • Strategic Planning
  • Decision Making

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“The internship allowed me to learn many new digital skills and work as part of a welcoming and friendly team. The flexibility of the internship allowed me to manage my time and prioritise tasks while continuing to progress as an individual.”

Student Case Study: University of Exeter – Covid 19 Project

Name of Student:  Kathryn Bullough

Degree Subject: MSci Zoology

Job Title: Research assistant (COVID-19 plastic bottle pollution)

Company Name: University of Exeter

Type of Internship: Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Carrying out a literature review and data analysis of both public poll data and plastic bottle count data to determine how plastic bottle pollution has changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

Created a publishable report detailing all my findings, along with a blog and presentation to access wider audiences. Discovered that plastic bottle pollution has decreased during the pandemic, however this is likely to be short-lived as life returns to normal.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

As part of my time working with the #Oneless team, I was tasked with producing a report detailing how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted plastic bottle pollution. Using a multi-methods approach, I carried out a literature review, analysis of public poll data, and analysis of plastic bottle count data, coming to the conclusion that bottle pollution has decreased, however this is likely to be short-lived as life returns to normal. As a result, I ended up producing a publishable report that will be used by the #Oneless team to determine their strategy coming out of the pandemic, as well as being submitted to a journal later this year.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Leadership
  • Strategic Planning
  • Decision Making

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“My internship experience was a lot more challenging, but also a lot more rewarding than I expected. I was really pushed to reach my full potential, and as a result produced a genuinely useful and original report that will be used to guide future policies related to conservation.”

Student Case Study: The University of Exeter, CLES

Name of Student:  Amy Barron

Degree Subject:   BSC Conservation Biology and Ecology PP

Job Title: Research Intern

Company Name: The University of Exeter, CLES

Type of Internship: Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs) 

Description of Organisation: With over 4,100 students including over 280 international students from around the world, the College of Life and Environmental Sciences prides itself in being a vibrant community supported by excellent research and teaching across a number of related disciplines. Our areas of expertise span Biosciences, Geography, Psychology, and Sport and Health Sciences.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Organising RAW photos and morphological data; creating MSPEC and JPEG files using ImageJ and RAWTHERAPEE; quantifying colour pattern variation in male guppies across generations (F0, F1, F2); and summarising data in spreadsheet for statistical analyses in order to find evolutionary and genetic links.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

Outputs: I created MSPEC and JPEGS from the visible and UV images that were provided, and renamed the images referring to a spreadsheet for easier identification Outcomes: these high quality images will be used for research purposes to track colour markings on the guppy’s bodies in order to determine genetic links. By renaming the fish I also was able to highlight any problems or mistakes with the data to my supervisor

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Using a multitude of new software. For the internship I was required to use RAWTHERAPEE and ImageJ, which I had never used before. I was given a quick induction on the software, but I also took the initiative to find online tutorials, for example on YouTube. By utilising my supervisors, the internet and online forums I was able to sort out any problems that occurred during my work, and successfully create high quality JPEG images ready for evaluation. Using new software has also given me confidence in my IT skills, as it has shown that I am adaptable and could easily pick up these new skills.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

Working from home – After a full year of online lectures and study I began to find it difficult to stay motivated during work hours. Typically this internship would have taken place in the labs and I would have had much more interaction with other people. To overcome this, I took regular screen breaks to talk to family also working from home, and ensured I stuck to a working day schedule (9-5/10-6). By having structure I was able to plan leisure activities and step away from the computer more often.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Problem Solving
  • Communication
  • Strategic Planning
  • Focus on Goals and Outcomes

Attributes Developed:

  • Confidence
  • Logical thinking
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

I really enjoyed my placement with the CLES team. Both of my supervisors were exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly and approachable. Overall, it was a valuable experience which gave me a better insight to ‘working from home’, which has allowed me to make important decisions regarding graduate jobs, and what I would and wouldn’t look for in a company.

Student Case Study: South Devon Care

Name of Student:  Kari Webb

Degree Subject: BSC Biological Sciences with Prof Placement

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: South Devon Care

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: We are a local company offering a range of care services through our high-quality care homes in beautiful South Devon. Our aim is to improve the lives of the people we care about.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My main responsibility was looking at the company’s energy efficiency and suggesting potential improvements they could make to save energy using the Carbon Footprint’s Energy Efficiency Test. I highlighted the need for better staff engagement and proposed a few strategies including an online quiz that calculates an individual’s carbon footprint. Additionally I looked into the feasibility of installing solar panels at each of their sites using a solar energy calculator.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I produced a 3-page report with sections on energy efficiency, staff engagement and solar panel feasibility including graphs and tables I generated on excel to visualise the results from the multiple online tools I utilised.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Learning to work independently and taking sole responsibility for fulfilling a project to a client’s specification.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

The manager was very busy, and difficult to communicate with because of the requirement to work online due to COVID-19. His instructions weren’t clear, and it took a long time to get information from him.

To overcome these challenges, I would collate all the question I had throughout the day into a single email so that I wasn’t sending lots of little emails throughout the day limiting the amount of time the client had to take out of their day to respond to me. In addition, whilst waiting for their response I would conduct work that didn’t require the information e.g. researching staff engagement techniques.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Workload Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

If you have a flexible and creative mind, a passion for sustainability and the environment, and want to be involved in developing strategies which have real impact on the way a business conducts itself you’re gunna love it.

Also my top tip is to get involved in as many activities and experiences as you can it is only by trialing new things that we find out what we are truly passionate about : )

Student Case Study: Optix solutions

Name of Student:  Olivia Arden

Degree Subject: BSC Biological Sciences

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: Optix solutions

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: We’re a strategic Digital Marketing and Web Development Agency based in Exeter, Devon. We specialise in website design and development, digital strategy and digital marketing. We run a digital marketing training sessions through our Optix Academy.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

I began the internship getting to understand the ethos of the company and the sustainability strategies they currently employ through meetings with a range of employees.  Following this, my main duty was to write a sustainability report analysing the effectiveness of current strategies and recommending further steps that Optix could take to improve their environmental impact.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

Sustainability report including recommendations on employee engagement, energy providers, bank providers and social sustainability.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Knowing that the recommendations I gave in the report will be used to improve the environmental credentials of one of the top marketing companies in England.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

Timing to write report – took a lot longer than anticipated however, the company were very understanding and adapted to the change in timings.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Communication

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“I would highly recommend Green Consultants as a means to understand what is involved in sustainability consulting. In particular, working with Optix Solutions has shown to me the responsibility that digital companies have in making a positive sustainable impact, since their role in the environmental sector is often overlooked.”

Employer Case Study: Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Name of Organisation: Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Description of Organisation:

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK. With the invaluable support of our volunteers, members and corporate supporters we manage over 50 nature reserves, including an island for wildlife and people in Cornwall. We also work with other organisations and landowners to protect and connect wildlife sites across the county and inspire local communities and young people to care for wildlife where they live.

We want to create safe havens in which wildlife can thrive and from which it can spread. We need to inspire people to love and care for the natural environment, and enable more people to experience, enjoy and understand it. We are a charity and rely on membership, legacy gifts and donations from our supporters and on the efforts of our 300 regular volunteers to help us make Cornwall wilder. Our vision is to bring about a Nature Recovery Network to bring back Cornwall’s wildlife.

Name of Employer: Abigail Crosby

Job Title: Marine Conservation Officer

Internship Scheme usedAccess to Internships (A2I)

Feedback:

“Our intern became an extremely valued member of the team, as she efficiently carried out her duties within the Marine Stranding’s Network project. As a result of her work, the project now has a well-recognized and highly followed social media presence including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

She also played a key role in the production of our annual 2019 MSN report. She helped process thousands of MSN records. The student created several monthly Mailchimp newsletters to help communicate with our network of trained volunteers. I also really appreciated the intern assisting me with the training days, it was a massive help. A huge thank you to our intern for her fantastic work.

I would highly recommend the internship schemes The University of Exeter has to offer. The process was fairly effortless and for little administration we were able to support a fantastic student who carried out some incredibly useful work for the Trust. She was a brilliant support to the team, and we are very grateful for her time.”