27 Jul Yakelin Ramos- Energy and Geoscience at U Utah, week 6

This last week at my internship was absolutely fabulous, and I’m surely going to miss it deeply. It was such a rewarding and memorable way to wrap up my time there.

For starters, I focused on finishing all the assigned tasks I had been given for the week. I worked diligently to complete everything on time, and once I turned it in, my mentor Bry sat down with me and said I had earned the freedom to work independently on any project I found interesting within the field. That kind of trust and autonomy felt incredibly empowering. With this exciting new freedom, I immediately began exploring topics that genuinely sparked my curiosity. After some thought, I decided to dive deep into the rich Uranium history of the ghost town Uravan. I was fascinated to learn how this now-abandoned settlement played a critical role in supplying uranium for the Manhattan Project during World War II. The more I researched, the more captivated I became by the stories of the miners, the wartime urgency, and the town’s rise and eventual decline. This exploration naturally led me down a fascinating rabbit hole. I started spiraling through the broader geology of the region, investigating what other minerals and resources were commonly found alongside the uranium deposits. The connections between the different ores, the unique environmental conditions that formed them, and the historical mining operations in the area opened my eyes to a whole new layer of complexity in the industry. It was thrilling to connect the dots between history, science, and real-world applications, and it made me even more passionate about the field.

Luckily, on my last day with my mentor Bry, I was asked if I would like to do extended work with her, and I couldn’t resist but say yes! Due to this, I will continue to communicate and speak with my mentor. This will include me sending samples from this town to her lab so that she can look at the samples and give me results that she has found.  I look forward to this extended work!

With my host family, I made sure to cook for them to show all my gratitude for their kindness in treating me so amazingly and giving me a one-of-a-kind experience! I made Tosadas topped with lots of veggies and chicken, and cheese, a traditional dish that my family has made before; then I made Gyoza dumplings for them to enjoy since I noticed they liked asian foods, and I took a shot at making something marvelous!

Overall, this final week reminded me why I’m so grateful for this internship opportunity. The blend of structured work, creative freedom, host family, and meaningful discovery made it an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for a long time. I truly am grateful for everyone during my internship, making this whole experience truly a core memory. A BIG thank you to Sarah, Chris, Julie, and Bryony for supporting me through my whole internship and making it a fulfilling and meaningful experience! 

Making Dumplings for my host family!

This is how the first batch turned out!