Shelby Gore completed her summer internship through Geo-Technology Associates in Abingdon, Maryland. Her job title was described as a Wetlands Department Intern and she is currently in her second year of studying Sustainable Agriculture within the Institute of Applied Agriculture. A few of her intern job responsibilities include water testing, well gauging, inputting DCPs (designated control plans), and identifying wetlands on-site. Gore chose this particular internship because of the interest she has in the environment, the close connections she has with the company itself, and her desire to pursue a career in Environmental Science in the near future. From June 1st to mid-August 8 AM - 5 PM, these job responsibilities were demonstrated either out in the fields themselves or in-office. While the tasks seem a bit severe, Gore explained this internship helped her in many ways. First, it made her focus more on what she wanted to do, and second, it allowed her to narrow down her focus ten-fold which is a feat in itself and explore more in-depth what this interest would encapsulate. The staff hierarchy within Geo-Technology Associates begins with the Boss, Andy Stansfield who oversaw Gore’s interning, and her co-workers (Kim Kcnew, Tracie Boyer, Brad Sweep, Josh Riding, Matt Jeanette). Her advisor happened to be the same as mine, Meredith Epstein. Crazy stories from the internship entail unusual poison ivy, interesting weather events, and loud car rides with co-workers to and from the Abingdon, Maryland site. Overall, this internship seemed to be a great summer work experience, with lots of younger co-workers to help lighten the load of the brutal tasks assigned. From almost sun up to sun down every inch of the wetlands on site were searched, analyzed, and surveyed. With no wetlands on campus, Gore will have to do with the multiple rain retention system scattered around and the Paint Branch stream which runs through UMD along Baltimore Avenue to fulfill her wetlands desires on campus.
