What I have Learned Virtually!

25 Jun What I have Learned Virtually!

It is week six of my virtual biology internship and I have learned so much! As my halfway mark approaches, I would like to share all of the knowledge I have taken in so far.

Although I have not been able to step foot on the park, there has ben a lot of new information that I have been presented with! The first thing I would like to discuss is the iNaturalist app. This app allows observers to document their local findings along with the date of the sighting and a picture for reference. I get to use this app in one of my projects. I am able to take a look at what euarthropods have been sighted at or near the Vicksburg National Military Park without being there. Over the past two weeks, I have been collecting data from iNaturalist to help me create a brochure for the public to educate tourists what they might be able to see at the park.

The most important lesson I have learned is how to work remotely! This is my very first position that I work from home and I found that staying on track requires more motivation and self-discipline than I initially assumed. Although I believed that I possessed both qualities, this internship has challenged me in the many ways. I took the initiative to start exploring my local area more and taking a closer look at euarthropods and their behaviors. This has allowed me to get a better idea of what I would be doing at my site. I also have been doing more research on the park to learn more about its history and its role in the local community. Lastly, I get to work with my mentor remotely and I am learning how to work as a unit while being in two different locations.

Even with this year’s complications, I believe that I have learned a lot from this internship so far. I hope to continue this journey as a biology assistant intern and gain all the knowledge I can!