Rosemary Pearson-Clarke, University of Georgia

This content was created by an EHS intern to describe intern experiences. It has not been revised or edited to conform to agency standards. The findings and conclusions are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SUPEH Intern, Summer 2014

This summer I was privileged to be selected for the Summer Undergraduate Program in Environmental Health. I entered the program hoping to explore many of the career paths related to environmental health, and I came away learning this and so much more. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity and will use all the knowledge and experience I gained as I begin my career in environmental health.

My primary project, with Max Zarate-Bermudez, was to develop a methodology to estimate the number of residential sites in coastal North Carolina that are served by both an onsite wastewater system and a private well. To do so, I developed a survey tool to collect data from county environmental health specialists about the tracking of onsite wastewater systems and private wells. Through this project, I was able to cultivate a number of skills, particularly communicating with various professionals in fields related to environmental health, survey design, policy analysis, and technical communications. I know that I will be able to use these skills no matter what area of environmental health I pursue.

I also had the opportunity to help with development of the arsenic module for an animated toxicology tool with Rachel Worley of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The tool will be used by public health specialists to aid in teaching community members about common environmental chemicals and how exposure to these chemicals may impact human health. Perhaps the most challenging, and rewarding, part of this assignment was interpreting technical language and conveying it in a way that a layman could understand without losing the meaning of the content. I found that I really enjoyed the assignment and would like to pursue a career that facilitates an interaction between scientists and the public.

In addition to my daily project assignments, I was also able to participate in a number of field experiences. These were all made possible thanks to LT James Gooch, CDR Joe Laco, LCDR Justin Gerding, Julie Fishman, and Maria Jolly. Some of the trips included inspecting a USDA poultry processing plant, touring a federal prison, visiting the Georgia EPD’s air quality monitoring station and EPA’s Region 4 Emergency Response center, and visiting at a local organic farm one morning. The SUPEH interns were also given the opportunity to travel to Galveston, Texas, to shadow a cruise ship inspection. Perhaps one of the most informative experiences I had was when I completed a 3-day training on integrated pest management. Additionally,I was able to shadow environmental health specialists from Gwinnett County as they completed inspections of hotels, pools, restaurants, and septic tank repairs. These experiences allowed me to observe the many ways environmental health is practiced, from the county to the national level, and how different government and private organizations interact to protect and promote human health.

Participating in the SUPEH internship has been a fantastic experience. I have greatly enjoyed being able to observe environmental health in practice and connect with professionals in the field at various points in their career paths. This internship has provided me valuable insight on the direction in which I may guide my career and I am truly thankful that I was given the opportunity to interact with and learn from some amazing professionals at CDC.

This content was created by an EHS intern to describe intern experiences. It has not been revised or edited to conform to agency standards. The findings and conclusions are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Page last reviewed: November 15, 2016