College and Major: Auburn University College of Agriculture, Biological and Agricultural Technology Management
Hometown: Samson, Alabama
Career Goals: After graduation I hope to work for a municipality as a water resource manager.
Hobby or Fun Fact: Reading is my favorite thing to do.
Follow Emily’s Internship Journey
May 31
The Auburn University Water Resources Center (AUWRC) houses several programs including Alabama Water Watch (AWW). As an intern at the AUWRC, I had the opportunity to become an AWW certified volunteer monitor which consists of coursework and field training. After completing my coursework, I attended in-field training at Town Creek Park with my mentor and AWW Director, Mona Dominguez. Town Creek is in Lee County, Alabama, part of the Tallapoosa River Basin. When we reached the testing site, we first conducted water chemistry monitoring. We took air and water temperatures and then tested for pH, dissolved oxygen, total hardness, total alkalinity, and turbidity. After discussing what these results meant about this waterbody, we conducted the bacteriological monitoring portion of the training. We collected a water sample, transferred it to an R-CARD (a rapid test to detect and enumerate microorganisms), and incubated the cards back at the ALFA Building to determine if E. coli and other coliforms were present.
Through this certification and working with the AWW team I have learned the importance of monitoring local waterbodies through participatory science. As I continue my internship, I hope to spread awareness about water quality and encourage others to become citizen scientists.
Read More related articlesRelated Topics
College and Major: Auburn University College of Human Sciences, Nutrition/Dietetics
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Career Goals: I would love to work in chronic disease prevention. My dream is to be a diabetes educator and become a registered dietitian.
Hobby or Fun Fact: My favorite hobbies include singing and playing guitar. Music is such a good stress-reliever, and I absolutely love it. If I was not studying nutrition, I probably would have done something music related.
Follow Janie’s Internship Journey
May 30
So far, one of my favorite parts of my internship has been helping out at the Extension table at the Phenix City Farmers Market. We offered many free resources from cooking books to gardening resources and supplies that individuals could take home. Our table included Extension members across many disciplines, from agriculture to nutrition. My favorite part of the entire experience was having one-on-one discussions with the visitors, who were excited to talk all things gardening, nutrition, and cooking. I offered some of my personal nutrition and gardening knowledge and many people were excited to learn something new!
Engaging in these conversations is honestly my favorite part of Extension work. No matter where we travel, there are always conversations to be had and people who are more than willing to learn something new, as well as teach us! It makes my day to see how excited individuals are to talk about their passions and learn from the resources we provide. What a gift to be part of Extension!
College and Major: Auburn University College of Agriculture, Agricultural Science with a minor in Horticulture
Hometown: Eastaboga, Alabama
Career Goals: I would like to attend Graduate school at Auburn or work with Extension.
Hobby or Fun Fact: During the school year, I am employed at the ACES/College of Ag IT Helpdesk.
College and Major: Auburn University College of Human Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics
Hometown: Enterprise, Alabama
Career Goals: My goal is to attend graduate school, complete my dietetic internship, and become a registered dietitian with a specialization in pediatrics.
Hobby or Fun Fact: My favorite hobby is crochet. I am fairly new to it, but I love to make small things like flowers, coasters, and decorations.
Follow Sarah’s Internship Journey
June 12
In Alabama, agriculture is everything! From farmer’s markets and grocery stores to neighborhoods and households, agriculture is connected to all. Because ag is so central to the local lifestyle, Extension seeks to educate and encourage the 4-H youth of Alabama to see the value of agriculture in their lives. Thus, the Poultry Project was born!
This 4-H project teaches children about poultry by giving them their very own chicks to raise and even show during the showmanship part of the programming. The families could choose between Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes, Easter Eggers, or a mix of all three. On June 12, families from across multiple counties lined up at the Pike County Cattleman Park to participate. ACES staff from each of the counties were there and ready to greet them and organize orders.
As an Extension Intern, I helped unload, monitor, and distribute the chicks to their new owners. As cute as those sweet baby chicks were, my favorite part was seeing the children’s faces light up when we handed them their feathery friends. Their smiles and excitement made me realize how Extension positively impacts the community. Assisting this project was a fun, educational, and fulfilling experience. The children were so sweet, and the Extension team was a joy to work with. Meeting other ACES personnel, local families, and chickens was an excellent opportunity!