19 Jul Randol Thompson | University of Utah | Week five

Hey everyone, this is my last blog post for this internship. It’s hard to believe that the experience has already come to an end. I have mixed emotions as I wrap everything up. On one hand, I’m excited to head home, sleep in my own bed again, and spend time with my family and friends. On the other hand, I’m sad to leave behind the independence I’ve had over the past several weeks. Living on my own and managing my own schedule has been a great learning experience, and it’s something I know I’ll miss. This internship gave me the chance to step outside of my comfort zone, and I feel like I’ve grown a lot because of it.Throughout the internship, I learned that research is not always straightforward. There were days when things went exactly as planned, but there were also times when I had to troubleshoot problems, rethink my approach, or spend extra time analyzing data. Those moments were sometimes frustrating, but they also taught me the importance of patience and persistence. Research is about asking questions, testing ideas, and learning from every result, even when the outcome is unexpected.

hunkering down while they attempt to clean up the landslide

This week, I finished up most of the data analysis for my project. It was satisfying to see all of the work from the past several weeks come together into meaningful results. While my internship has officially ended, my work with this project is not completely finished. I will still have the opportunity to continue working on the analysis in the future, which will allow me to strengthen my findings and eventually write a research paper based on the project. Knowing that my work may contribute to a publication is exciting, and it motivates me to keep improving my analysis even after leaving the lab. Looking back, one of the best parts of this internship was the people I met. Everyone I worked with was willing to answer questions, share advice, and help me learn new techniques. Their support made it much easier to adjust to a new environment, and I appreciated being treated as a valuable member of the team. Watching experienced researchers approach problems and think critically gave me a better understanding of what a career in research looks like.

Robot sander that I got to see

This internship also helped me develop skills that I know will be useful in the future. Beyond learning technical methods and improving my ability to analyze data, I became more confident in working independently, managing my time, and solving problems on my own. These are skills that will benefit me not only in future research opportunities but also in my classes and whatever career path I choose after graduation.As I leave, I feel grateful for everything I was able to experience. I came into this internship hoping to learn more about research, and I am leaving with a much greater appreciation for the work that goes into scientific discovery. I also have a clearer understanding of the kind of work I enjoy and the challenges that come with it. Although I’m looking forward to being home again, I know I’ll miss the daily routine, the people, and the sense of independence I had here.Thank you to everyone who followed along with these blog posts throughout my internship. It has been a great experience to share what I’ve been working on each week. I’m excited to see where this research goes next, and I hope to continue building on everything I’ve learned during this internship. This may be my last blog post for now, but it’s definitely not the end of my journey in research.