Innovation Internship Evaluations

Using BirdLife data holdings to promote global bird conservation

Internship Details

Host Organisation: BirdLife International
Department: Science, Policy and Information
Supervisor: Dr Paul F Donald
Student: Fiona Spooner
Objectives:

1. To undertake an assessment of the distribution of Key Biodiversity Areas in the Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot by creating and intersecting maps of Extent of Suitable Habitat for all threatened species, and to overlay the results on existing KBAs and Protected Areas
2. To undertake a re-assessment of the world’s biome-restricted bird species to improve the current system and to identify new biome-restricted species following a major taxonomic revision of birds

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Fiona/UCL contacted us

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

Excellent. Fiona was a real joy to work with, and she helped us enormously. She came to us at a time when we were very pressured with work, and calmly jumped in and helped out with good humour. A number of our core projects are now in much better shape thanks to Fiona’s hard work. We were all genuinely sad when her internship came to an end, and we very much hope she stays in touch.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

1. A map of new candidate KBAs in the Caribbean Hotspot, intersected with existing KBAs and protected areas, and candidate new KBAs identified
2. ESH maps for all of the world’s biome-restricted species and underlying analyses of their occurrence in different ecoregions

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

I hope that Fiona learned quite a lot about the use of spatial data in conservation, and about the work of a global conservation NGO. She will also have learned quite a lot about spatial analysis in Arc and about scripting code in the Python language. More generally, I hope she will have had an insight into the way a conservation NGO works and about the problems such organisations need to deal with.

Natural Capital Assessment in the South Atlantic

Internship Details

Host Organisation: South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute
Department:
Supervisor: Tara Pelembe
Student: Dan Bayley
Objectives:

Support the South Atlantic NCA project
Develop a discrete valuation research project to be delivered by the end of the internship

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Through the NERC DTP partnership

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

It was great to have Dan with us. He was a very capable, mature student and was an asset to the project.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Dan has produced a research report entitled: ‘Giant kelp ‘Blue carbon’ storage and sequestration value in the Falkland Islands’ this is the first study of this kind to be done in the Falklands and is a useful contribution to a wider regional Natural Capital Assessment Project.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Dan was able to come to the Falkland Islands and work with us in our offices there. He met new people, worked in a different working environment, scuba-dived in a new natural environment, and undertook a research project that built on his existing skills, and developed new areas of study for him i.e. economic valuation of the natural environment. He also had the opportunity to help facilitate workshops and provide input into the co-ordination of the wider regional Natural Capital Assessment Project.

Provisional title of Dan’s PhD “Conservation of the white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes in the face of invasive non-native species pressures”

Internship Details

Host Organisation: PBA Applied Ecology Ltd
Department:
Supervisor: Paul Bradley
Student: Dan Chadwick
Objectives:

Dan’s internship objectives were:
• Integration within our multidisciplinary team, engaging first hand with a broad range of specialist and applied techniques.
• Data acquisition through survey work, and the analysis and presentation of data through report writing.
• Experience in protected species works and stakeholder engagement would be provided, under the supervision of the director.
• Shadow the company director at meetings and client discussions allowing the intern to gain first hand experience at the interface between science, industry and commerce.
• Accompany staff members on a variety of field and site visits to gain further experience and skills in protected species survey and mitigation works.
• Provide experience in the key technical, applied and analytical skills required for contemporary ecological consultancy work.
• Influence research to have the furthest reach and utility through viewing environmental data from a commercial standpoint as well as academic.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Carl Sayer

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

Both parties have benefitted from the experience, and will continue to collaborate going forward. It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to host this internship, and we would be delighted to consider hosting future interns from The London NERC DTP.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Although distinct from Dan’s primary research, the internship will have helped Dan to gain a better understanding of the context and potential impact of his work. New insights have been gained, which will further inform Dan’s thought process, and his approach to continued research. A number of additional lines of investigation have been highlighted, and Dan’s network of contacts has been further enriched.
Overall, Dan has contributed significantly to PBA’s continued pursuit of evidence-based practice within an applied consultancy environment. This has extended beyond Dan’s strengths in crayfish, to project work with reptiles in particular – where the project team is trialling the recommended approach to removing reptiles from a large development site (up to 90 days’ continuous passive trapping). The value of a well-thought out field strategy has been particularly highlighted; enabling well-informed co-workers and decision-makers, and an adaptive approach to the task at hand.
The internship period coincided with a seminal period at PBA, when the practice moved from its town-centre beginnings to purpose-built premises. Dan will have gained a real insight into the workings of an applied ecology practice, and the practice has also greatly benefitted from Dan’s assistance at this important time.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

As we approached the end of the current internship period, we formally reviewed progress with Dan against the original objectives. Dan reports that engagement with project work has enabled significant progress to be made across all seven objectives.
I would also highlight a number of ‘life skills’ that Dan has further developed during the internship period; some of which are outlined below.
Safe Working Practices. Dan has acquired a greater understanding of a broad range of safe working practices. Dan has received formal training and assessment; resulting in the award of a CSCS card enabling access onto construction sites.
Water Safety. Dan was enrolled to join PBA’s formal water safety training and assessment in Snowdonia. As a result, Dan has now received a recognised (Rescue3 Europe) qualification in swift water rescue.
Driving. Before the internship, Dan had very limited driving experience. Dan has now driven thousands of miles in PBA company vehicles, and leaves this internship a confident driver, with new found independence.
Team working. Dan has acquired and further developed a range of ‘soft’ skills, which have enabled him to provide important contributions to team working.

Sustainability on the Thames

Internship Details

Host Organisation: Thames Estuary Partnership
Department: N/A
Supervisor: Pat Fitzsimons
Student: Daniel Mills
Objectives:

Daniel came to TEP to help with a range of projects on the Thames. He worked specifically on two projects: 1) Working with a partnership to finalise a leaflet to guide recreational water users in protecting the environment in a SSSI; 2) Compiling a database of Coastal Partnerships in England to assist TEP in its new role of Chair of the Coastal Partnership Network. Daniel also undertook a number of discrete tasks, such as writing book reviews, researching health and the green environment, attending site visits and representing TEP at a range of events and meetings.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Through UCL

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

It was excellent. These interns come with such a wealth of skills and we are able to provide real-life experience in a fast paced office environment.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

TEP is organising a conference in September 2018 on all the latest information on the Thames. Daniel was tasked with organising the conference, including working with UCL personnel to outline the subject areas, working on UCL publishing a book of the proceedings, organising a call for papers. This provided Daniel with valuable experience in organising an academic conference and provided TEP with badly needed capacity to organise the conference.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Daniel gained valuable experience in working in an office on a multi-disciplinary project. He was always eager to take part, deliver on the projects he was working, meet deadlines and be a good team player. We thoroughly enjoyed having Daniel and he has continued to be involved in our charity since his internship.

Evaluating and projecting functional diversity patterns for use by the IPBES global assessment

Internship Details

Host Organisation: UNEP-WCMC
Department: Science
Supervisor: Michael Harfoot
Student: Tatsiana Barychka
Objectives:

To evaluate model reconstructions of the functional diversity of endotherms in the late Holocene and the present day. The modelled patterns can then be used to estimate the effect of human activities on functional diversity and for making projections about future change in functional diversity that can be used in the IPBES global assessment.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

I was contacted by the student.

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

The experience was excellent. The student worked very diligently and was committed to achieving the objectives of the project. The organisation of the internship by UCL was superb and made working with the student very easy.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

The internship resulted in a draft scientific paper, that shows the modelled functional diversity patterns are generally consistent with empirical patterns. The paper also shows the regions where functional diversity has been most affect by human actions. This output has the benefit of improving the evidence base for the performance of general ecosystem models, and for the change the state of biodiversity over the last several thousand years.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Tania learnt substantially about fields she was otherwise not exposed to, functional diversity, macroecological patterns, spatial statistical analysis and IPBES. Tania also learnt more about running the Madingley general ecosystem model, which she is planning to use for a later study in her thesis. Tania also met and interacted with a wide variety of staff at WCMC working at the science-policy interface, so she has gained a set of contacts that she can draw upon as her career progresses.

Internship in Migration, Environment and Climate Change Division

Internship Details

Host Organisation: International Organization for Migration
Department: Department of Migration Management
Supervisor: Sieun Lee
Student: Rebecca Parrish
Objectives:

Under the supervision of the MECC Programme Officer, and in accordance with the overall direction of the Head of Migration, Environment and Climate Change Division, the Intern had the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Assist in preparing background papers and presentations for meetings, conferences, or training workshops on the topic

2. Carry out research on various thematic areas within the work of the MECC Division such as human rights, sustainable development goals, etc. where needed

3. Contribute to and support the editing of the MECC Policy Brief Series

4. Assist with maintenance and update of the Environmental Migration Portal, its Newsletter, and social media campaigns

5. Assist with communication with IOM missions and logistical preparations for meetings, training workshops, etc.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Through Rebecca who reached out to us.

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

The team was grateful to have Rebecca as an intern. She was extremely motivated and was able to meet our needs and deadlines. She quickly adapted to the team and the working environment; was highly efficient and produced high-quality research. We would be pleased to host a London NERC DTP intern in the future.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Rebecca provided background research in preparation for a capacity building workshop in Ethiopia. In addition, she wrote a blog piece on the links between science and policy on environmental migration, and the need to better link the two domains, which will soon be published through the IOM blog. In addition, Rebecca also provided support to an IOM led UNFCCC event in Geneva. She also contributed to an infosheet on the links between health, migration and climate change.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

The student was integrated into the team from the beginning and was given the responsibility to carry out tasks individually but also in coordination with the team. She gained exposure to UN processes such as the UNFCCC as well as IOM’s working environment and processes. She learned to balance evidence and policy, and the importance of linking data to policymaking and was exposed to a range of events held in IOM Headquarters as well as other UN and NGO events relevant to her interest.

Support to our Sustainable River Management team

Internship Details

Host Organisation: Atkins
Department: Water Management Consultancy
Supervisor: Dr Kevin Skinner
Student: Eleanore Heasley
Objectives:

To support our Sustainable River Management team in the wide range of activities and projects that we undertake. In addition, we used Eleanore to support in reviewing the efficacy of new tools that we are developing.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Through contacts at the Environment Agency

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

It was great. It really well worked well for us.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Eleanore helped support our team look at new tools to support our activities. She also supported some of work in catchment management and also wetland design.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Eleanore gained experience in consultancy and it appeared to be something that she enjoyed.

The Scholars Programme internship

Internship Details

Host Organisation: The Brilliant Club
Department: The Scholars Programme
Supervisor: Dr Andy Fleming
Student: Matilda Brindle
Objectives:

Opportunity for the candidate to gain experience in public engagement, university access, and working in the non-profit sector through a placement with The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme team (https://thebrilliantclub.org/the-brilliant-club-for-schools/our-work).

The Brilliant Club is an award-winning charity that support progress for pupils from under-represented backgrounds to highly-selective universities. On The Scholars Programme, pupils take part in seven university-style tutorials led by a researcher, and two university trips.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

We run similar internship schemes with a number of other DTPs, such as M4C, CHASE, and SeNSS.

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

Mattie’s placement with us was a really positive experience. She brought a great deal to the team, both in terms of her research expertise (her feedback on curriculum design for the predesigned course she delivered was invaluable) and her day-to-day contributions as part of a busy but intensely collaborative team. Outcomes for the pupils we worked with that would have been lessened without Mattie’s presence, not just through those she directly taught, but through her presence on launch and graduation trips and the contributions she made to recruiting and training new tutors throughout the placement.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Mattie supported the delivery of The Scholars Programme during her internship in several ways. She delivered the predesigned course ‘Disease Detectives’ to two groups of Y7 & Y8 pupils at Eastbury Community School and Raine’s Foundation School, and led on a review of the course handbook, producing a set of recommendations that were implemented in the subsequent term.

She also designed a taster lecture on her PhD research for delivery at Scholars Programme launch and graduation trips, which she delivered to 500+ pupils at multiple universities. Mattie also contributed to the day-to-day work of the charity by staffing information and recruitment events and Assessment Centres for new PhD tutors, and assisting members of the team with the smooth running of placements.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Before starting her work as as PhD tutor, Mattie attended our two-day training weekend, which is designed to introduce new tutors to the principles of pedagogy in a way that is transferable to undergraduate teaching. She then had the opportunity to develop her teaching practice through her two placements.

Designing her taster lecture, and working on the predesigned course ‘Disease Detectives’, also gave Mattie the opportunity to design strategies for making her research accessible to non-experts. Working in The Brilliant Club’s offices, as part of a line management structure, also gave Mattie professional experience very different to that of a research environment, and an insight into a career in the non-profit and public engagement sectors.

Analysing the US green economy at the state level

Internship Details

Host Organisation: KMATRIX DATA SERVICES LIMITED
Department:
Supervisor: Sarah Howard
Student: Lucien Georgeson
Objectives:

The objective was to analyse the LCEGSS Dataset at the subnational level within the US, exploring regional trends in the green economy and to better understand potential uses of the dataset.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

From Professor Mark Maslin at UCL.

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

We found hosting an intern a very valuable bilateral learning experience, offering novel thinking and helping develop ideas in new areas

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

Main research outputs included a new dataset, analysis of the US at the sub-national level and the potential for future publications.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

The student was involved and contributed to new avenues of research, gaining greater experience of collaborating with the private sector/beyond university partners. He also developed a greater understanding of how research is used in business and developed new skills in data analysis.

Methods for the Pre-Treatment and Destruction of Persistent Organic Pollutants

Internship Details

Host Organisation: Defra
Department: Chemicals, Pesticides and Hazardous Waste Division – POPs, and Chemicals in Waste Team
Supervisor: Liz Lawton (and Max Folkett)
Student: Rosie Williams
Objectives:

The Government has committed, in their 25 Year Environment Plan for England, to increase the amount of POPs material that is being destroyed, to ensure environmental emissions are negligible by 2030.9 In addition to this commitment, the number of chemicals classed as POPs is increasing and efforts are being made by industry to improve identification in the waste stream. Legacy products that contain chemicals that are now classified as POPs are entering the waste stream when they reach the end of their life. Consequently, the amount of POPs waste that requires destruction is also increasing.
Determining the current UK capacity for POPs disposal is a challenging task. First, capacity estimates are dependent on the type of POPs waste that requires disposal. Second, several facilities in the UK may be capable of destroying POPs but would require increased monitoring of emissions and residues. Third, certain types of POPs waste are exported to facilities abroad so are not included in domestic capacity estimates.
It is also difficult to accurately estimate and predict the current and future demand for POPs destruction in the UK. Defra has commissioned a project that has attempted to estimate the current quantities of three POPs (PCBs, HBCDD, DecaBDE) in use in products and equipment and the quantities that will be sent for destruction. The project has also predicted how the quantities in use are expected to change up to 2030, based on current policy and rates of destruction.
At present, the most readily available technique for the destruction of POPs is incineration therefore, increasing quantities of waste will need to be incinerated. This has raised several possible issues:
• The incineration capacity in the UK is volatile and subject to multiple domestic and international pressures. At present it is under significant demand and may not have the capacity to cope with the increased volumes of POPs waste.
• Waste that does not contain POPs above destruction thresholds may be incinerated unnecessarily due to inadequate POPs identification and sorting capability.
• Increased volumes of POPs waste in incinerators may increase atmospheric emissions from incineration (though the regulatory system would ensure that no significant impact to the environment or human health would be caused as a result).
• Increased concentrations of POPs in the stream of waste destined for incineration may affect the composition of the bottom ashes and air pollution control residues by increasing concentrations of ash components such as antimony. This could make recovery more challenging as waste classification may be altered.
• Incineration of large quantities of plastic waste, which contain POPs, may cause operational challenges in municipal waste incinerators given the high calorific value (CV) of plastic and the increased boiler corrosion due to halogenated substances. Energy from waste facilities are already operating at their CV limits and so many are unable to accept any more high CV waste.

This evidence statement provides a summary of established and emerging waste separation and POP destruction technologies present in the literature. It should be noted that this evidence statement has excluded some POPs (i.e. PCBs and DDTs) from the analysis based on the existence of well-established destruction techniques and their prominence in the waste stream. More details of the specific pollutants that have been included and excluded are provided in the Method Summary section. This document does not reflect government policy but will help inform policy decisions to ensure that the most effective and environmentally sustainable methods of POPs waste treatment and destruction are being used.

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

From the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor, via Alice Milner

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

A great experience and certainly worth the resource and input on our side. We received excellent practical support from our CSA’s office and Alice. The evidence statement is of immediate practical use to our team.

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

The main output of the project was the evidence statement itself. This will be published and can thus contribute to our UK evidence base on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), informing our revised UK National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention and informing international guidelines. The statement signals to the waste industry that there is a need for additional infrastructure to manage POPs waste and gives a reference that will support policy discussions and, if necessary, government intervention.
Rosie also delivered a number of teach-ins to Defra policy officials across the Directorate, raising the profile of our work on POPs and chemicals more generally. Rosie’s excellent communication skills and academic experience of engaging others in evidence were a particular asset here.
Finally, Rosie was also able to act as a ‘critical friend’ in our policy discussions, linking the team to new contacts and sources. The value of these less concrete benefits should not be overlooked.

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

Rosie’s words:
• I was given lots of opportunity to attend meetings and workshops outside of the remit of my evidence statement. This really enriched my experience and allowed me to meet people outside of my team and learn a lot more about the science policy interface
• The steering group was really well managed by Liz and was a great mix of people from different areas. Although some members weren’t as engaged as others I don’t think this impacted the quality of the output as Liz had made sure we had a few extra people to compensate
• It was great that Liz was an expert and had interest in the topic of my evidence statement. (This allowed Liz and I to nerd out on POPs on several occasions)
• It was great that I had an interest in the topic, building up my knowledge on a related by different area than my PhD research has been really beneficial and will be really helpful with the dissemination of my research
• The wider POPs team were really inclusive and I really did feel like a proper member of the team (I’ve heard this isn’t necessarily a given and some interns have had quite different experiences in this regard so thank you!)
o Things like inviting me to team meetings and workshops and including me on team emails make a huge difference and made me feel really welcome and like I had things to contribute
• Similarly, the wider CPHW team have been very welcoming

The Scholars Programme South Team Intern

Internship Details

Host Organisation: The Brilliant Club
Department: The Scholars Programme, Sough of England Team
Supervisor: Joanna Pickets
Student: Anna Westland
Objectives:

– Deliver placements on The Scholars Programme
– Support with course design
– Support with developing STEM electives
– Support with assessment centres
– Provide general administrative team support

Host Evaluation

How did you hear about this internship scheme?

Our organisation has previously hosted interns through this scheme.

What was your experience of hosting an Innovation Internship, overall?

This was a really positive and helpful experience. Anna provided us with expertise in the form of her STEM research and teaching experience to develop training sessions for tutors. She also supported with giving feedback on tutors’ course designs, again thanks to her STEM research and pedagogical expertise. She also had an overall positive impact by supporting with capacity in our team to support with administrative tasks. This included helping us to securely store online tutorial recordings onto our organisational cloud. It also included developing and delivering training for external stakeholders from the University of Reading on how to deliver engaging online teaching; we have been able to use this session to build this into our broader training sessions that we offer to our university partners

Would you be interested in hosting future internships? Yes

Outcomes and Benefits
Please describe the main research outputs that resulted from the internship:

– Developed training session for STEM tutors for The Brilliant Club and external student mentors from the University of Reading on how to deliver their teaching to engage pupils – created and followed project plans to achieve this
– Delivered 3 placements on The Scholars Programme, so teaching approximately 36 pupils and supporting them to write a final assignment based on Anna’s own research
– Delivered administrative support for the South Team to facilitate the effective functioning of The Scholars Programme and special projects e.g. moving tutorial recordings to the cloud, compiling videos to teach pupils affiliated with the University of Reading key skills to support them with the EPQ

Please describe the benefits to the student that resulted from the internship:

– Developing pedagogical experience and expertise with virtual delivery
– Developing understanding of STEM research outreach work within the widening participation charity sector
– Understanding the mechanics of how a widening participation charity operates
– Developing transferrable skills and experience e.g. time management, prioritisation, organisation, communication, pedagogy, developing and delivering training for internal/external stakeholders

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

It wasn’t an advertised internship, I directly reached out to the team that I was interested in to ask about the possibility of getting a placement with them.

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

Very positive experience, colleagues in my team were excellent – very welcoming and supportive – and it was a great insight into the civil service. It was also a welcome break from the PhD.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Most of the formally advertised civil service internship opportunities are policy roles. I wasn’t interested in a policy placement but I was still interested in seeing what the civil service was like, and by reaching out to a specific team I was able to arrange an analytic placement instead. I’d recommend other students in a similar position to me to just reach out themselves to an appropriate civil service team to see if they can arrange a non-policy placement.

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

Internet research and contacting organisation staff

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

Very good. Felt valued by the organisation, learnt a lot, and felt intellectually refreshed.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Limitation on internship crossing academic years was a frustrating hurdle in organising the internships.

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

Personal recommendation by Kate Moore

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

The internship remains one of the most crucial experiences of my PhD. It gave me the insight and perspective into a potential future career that I was hoping for, demonstrated to me the importance of my own research and skillset and allowed me to make connections that will be directly relevant to my future career. My colleagues and especially my supervisor were incredibly helpful and offered me guidance throughout my internship. Beyond its importance for my career development, the time away on my internship re-energised me when I eventually returned to my PhD research. I would thoroughly recommend the experience.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

I am very grateful for the support I received from the DTP in making the connection for this internship and helping me to get in. Had I not been a DTP student, I would not have had this opportunity. I think it is extremely important that the DTP continues to build connections with the industry and to stress the benefits of undertaking an internship during the PhD. This time of our career is invaluable to help us become a link between academia and non-academic institutions.

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

Found by Kate!

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

Personal recommendation by Kate Moore

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

The internship remains one of the most crucial experiences of my PhD. It gave me the insight and perspective into a potential future career that I was hoping for, demonstrated to me the importance of my own research and skillset and allowed me to make connections that will be directly relevant to my future career. My colleagues and especially my supervisor were incredibly helpful and offered me guidance throughout my internship. Beyond its importance for my career development, the time away on my internship re-energised me when I eventually returned to my PhD research. I would thoroughly recommend the experience.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

I am very grateful for the support I received from the DTP in making the connection for this internship and helping me to get in. Had I not been a DTP student, I would not have had this opportunity. I think it is extremely important that the DTP continues to build connections with the industry and to stress the benefits of undertaking an internship during the PhD. This time of our career is invaluable to help us become a link between academia and non-academic institutions.

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To get experience to put on my CV

How did you hear about this internship?

Through one of my supervisors

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

Positive experience carrying out a project that I helped develop at the beginning and was able to see through udring the internship. I developed data analytical skills that I have since transferred to my PhD research.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV

How did you hear about this internship?

The email was sent around about the UKRI policy internship scheme

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

I very much enjoyed my internship. It was very interesting getting the chance to experience work outside of academia and gain insight into how science influences policy. I think I have gained skills that will help me outside of academia but also within my PhD. It was also nice to sample a potential future career path that I may be interested in pursuing in the future.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

Through an email from the London NERC DTP Admin team.

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

My experience was brilliant overall. I was made to feel very welcome and my skills and knowledge were highly valued by the team. I enjoyed the opportunity to experience a new working environment which was very different from my normal day-to-day during my PhD, and I got to learn a lot more about an area new to me. I also substantially increased my knowledge of science policy and the science-policy interface in general. I got the opportunity to work on and contribute to a number of different pieces and projects, as well as attending meetings with prominent figures within the Royal Society as well high-level external stakeholders.
The feedback I received from my team was both positive and constructive and has given me renewed confidence to potentially pursue a career in this area in future, as I am still deciding which direction to go in post-PhD.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

I highly recommend an internship with the Royal Society for anyone interested in science policy who also wants the opportunity to have a wide range of experiences in a positive and productive working environment. I would be happy to talk to anyone considering this internship in future about my experience and offer advice about the application and interview process if requested.

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…

Student Evaluation

Why did you choose to undertake an internship?

• To get experience of and develop practical research skills
• To learn more about what it is like to work in non-academic environment
• To learn more about an industry of interest to me
• To get experience to put on my CV
• To meet potential future employers / collaborators

How did you hear about this internship?

The DTP training

What was your experience of undertaking an Innovation Internship, overall?

The experience of my placement with Defra was overwhelmingly positive. Science-policy is something which is oft talked about but can often seem opaque in how it operates in practise. Having this experience was extremely clarifying as to the kinds of science policymakers are interested in, the way science should be communicated best to policymakers, and the areas where science and policy can conflict. This has definitly driven me to consider a career in science-policy, which was helped by my welcoming and helpful team. I really enjoyed the strongly collaborative nature and fast pace of working in the civil service, which contrasts so much with doing a PhD. This was intially a challenge which took getting used to, but made a welcome break from academia, and has allowed me to develop new ways of working which I have now tried to apply to my scientific work.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your innovation internship?

Outcomes and Benefits
To what extent, if any, did your internship help you to develop each of the following skills?

Career Plans
How has the internship influenced your likelihood to pursue a career in academic research?

Likelihood of pursuing a career in…