All posts by Joanna Louise McCreedie

Research Assistant – University of Exeter College of Life and Environmental Sciences

Access to Internships (A2I), Biosciences, Computer Science, Education, Teaching and Research, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Engineering and Processing

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

Facilitate biomechanical recording of our participants, manage data stores and exportation for analysis, work with an engineer to write a MATLAB script to analyse the raw data produced, and create a list of gait parameters that could be investigated.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

When creating a MATLAB script alongside the engineer, I have never written any code before and having a project with a set goal in mind allowed me to be goal orientated and state what I wanted the script to do. This allowed targeting the specific parameters relatively easy.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I worked independently with another student to Facilitate data collection, and created a package for analysis, both of which meant that she had more time to focus on the tasks that were of her level of technical ability

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Time and workload management, assessing and managing risk, decision making

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Personal awareness, cultural awareness, independence

Research Support Intern – University of Exeter, Penryn

Animal Care, Biosciences, Education, Teaching and Research, Science, Science, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

Maintaining incipient termite’s colonies by adding wood to feed them, and water and moist cloth to keep the colonies from drying out. I monitored them as they grew, changing their containers when needed.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Until recently, I had never had to independently maintain a study species in the lab before outside of my own degree. I had a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, and I did not take this lightly, taking steps to plan in advance when I was away or as colonies developed to make sure they were stable.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

They now have stable lab kept termite colonies for use in their research, which may not have been possible without me due to their commitments over this summer.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Assessing and managing risk, decision making, degree specific skills

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Perseverance, independence, work ethic

Research Assistant – University of Exeter College of Life and Environmental Sciences

Administration, Biosciences, Education, Teaching and Research, Science, Science, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main role for the duration of this internship was to organize and carry out data collection in the labs. This included participant recruitment, lab booking, and the setting up and running of the CODA equipment and software we used. Once data was collected I was responsible for its processing and analysis too. During this internship I was also required to carry out a lit review in order for writing of an academic paper on the symmetry of gait.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I was able to work independently in the lab with the CODA equipment without the aid of my supervisor. I was also able to teach others who joined the research team how to use the equipment too.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

My ability to independently lead a team in the lab and collect the data needed allowed my supervisor to work on other areas of the research at the same time, allowing work to progress smoothly.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Leadership, organisation, CODA equipment and software skills

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, motivation, logical thinking

Social Innovation Consultants Intern – University of Exeter

Administration, Business and Management, Environmental Work, Geography, Geology, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

Approach and communicate with a variety of companies, via email, to secure student work experience placements for the Easter to summer period of the next academic year. Initial research of the company was needed to ensure they were suitable for Geography and Environmental Science Students and then an email was drafted and sent. I was responsible for any communications between the company and the university through answering questions, queries or any ideas they may have for the placements.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I created loads of new networking links and provided my fellow students with exciting work experience prospects that could lead onto further employment.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Completed a project that lightened the workload of other colleagues.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Persuasion, customer service, focus on goals and outcomes

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Perseverance, logical thinking, independence

Communications Assistant – NSPCC

Access to Internships (A2I), Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, Charity and Development Work

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I helped in various projects across all departments of the NSPCC’s communications directorate; Media/PR, Digital, Internal Communications, and Marketing.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

By the end of my internship I was able to confidently contribute ideas in meetings, which really made me feel like I was a productive member of the team. I found that because I was afforded such a wide insight into the company, that sometimes I was able to answer queries and give guidance on areas which other departments were unsure on.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to carry out tasks that lightened the workload of my colleagues. For example, I assisted on a few research projects, researching and analysing the events, marketing and performance of other charities, in which I was able to put my skills as an English undergraduate to good use. I was also able to contribute my own ideas and approaches, such as our social media strategy for some of the NSPCC’s key events and campaigns.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Problem solving, strategic planning, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Initiative, personal awareness, cultural awareness

Marketing and Communications Intern –upReach

Access to Internships (A2I), Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, English, Media, Publishing and Journalism

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

Audit the current videos on the upReach portal and produce more, research and implement a new mock video interview platform, design and create content for the new My University page on the upReach portal and any other small ad hoc tasks and projects such as designing layouts, providing feedback on ideas and working on the new podcast idea.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

As an associate of upReach, I was able to provide any feedback to the team from the POV of someone who receives their services. I gave one idea about holding mock assessment centre days as that is something I believe many associates, including myself, will sign up to. This idea was taken well and is now in the works to being implemented later in the year!

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was lucky enough to be part of a big project for fund-raising and had to plan and produce a video for the application in just 2 days. I felt really included and valued in the meetings rather than just an intern and actually produced a good video under time constraints and pressure! We were able to apply to for the grant in time and hopefully we will get it!

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, IT, research

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Creative thinking, work ethic, confidence

Research Assistant and Project Analyst – CEMPS Renewables and Pure Energy Professionals

Administration, Education, Teaching and Research, Energy Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing, Engineering and Processing, Mining, Environment and Natural Resources, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

CEMPS: analysis of wave data for FaB Test and assisting with the annual environmental survey

PEP: identifying and presenting storage opportunities in Cornwall, doing an analysis of wind turbine assets managed by PEP and producing a report

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Programming used to feel like one of my weaknesses and I can now say that I feel confident using Matlab in a more instinctive way.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

CEMPS: I analysed wave data to produce charts for potential developers, which would have been fairly time-consuming for the existing staff

PEP: the potential storage opportunities map is likely to be used in the next few weeks or months

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Enterprise, research, problem solving

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Motivation, personal awareness, work ethic

Social Researcher and Analyst – University of Exeter

Administration, Business and Management, Charity and Development Work, Education, Teaching and Research, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology and Criminology, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main role was to undertake research into volunteer motivations and collect together information to be shared with the team at BWRP. This research would then inform my creating of a volunteer questionnaire which would digitally record the opinions of the volunteers about their experience at BWRP. I was then fully inducted as a volunteer at the project, to gain insight into the structure and possibility for future improvement for the induction. I then undertook a week as a volunteer whereby I undertook tasks such as going on timber collections and helping out in the yard.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

My biggest achievement was meeting lots of new people in the sustainability field, and gaining lasting contacts and connections with them.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to complete a report on my findings, along with collecting a lot of feedback from volunteers about their experience. This has helped them to make improvements in the future.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Time and workload management, focus on goals and outcomes, research

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, logical thinking, independence

STEM Outreach Assistant (Female Role Models Scheme) – University of Exeter, Penryn

Administration, Charity and Development Work, Education, Teaching and Research, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology and Criminology, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

I have been developing current lessons in the box and produce new lessons, and, planning, researching and developing a ‘Green Powered Doll House’ project for big scale events. This project is a brand new project for 2017/18 academic year. I was assisting the line manager at preparing lessons, finding materials and in general and providing a summary report regularly.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I have gotten a lot better in communication both verbally and through email. I have also strengthened my project management skills, organisation skills and subject related skills. One of the outcomes that I am most proud of is the launch of the ‘Green Powered Doll House’ at Royal Cornwall Show 2018.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

My line manager mentioned that I have made a big difference in what they can offer through the college in the creation of new and exciting resources which schools can slot easily into their curriculum. It has filled a gap that she didn’t have time to do to such a high quality herself which has really helped the team.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Leadership, organisation, decision making

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Perseverance, logical thinking, creative thinking

Content Writer and PR – University of Exeter

Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, English, Media, Publishing and Journalism, Student Campus Partnership (SCP)

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main roles included; creating online content and blogs for the clients I represented at the company, doing digital PR (link building and email templates) and later I also did some account managing.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I think my biggest achievement was becoming an active member of a company and realising how my contributions positively affected the company’s reputation.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

It enabled them to provide us with a set of responsibilities that meant they could focus on more important tasks at hand. I was able to help increase the amount of content produced at the company within a short time period.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Problem solving, customer service, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Initiative, independence, professionalism