While both sites frequently host multiple
interns, Gemini Human Resources Assistant
Carolyn Medeiros commented on the 2013
“explosion” at Gemini North. “It’s great to
have so many interns here. 2013 was exceptional. Each intern brings so much energy
and when it is multiplied by so many at once,
it’s been an intern explosion!”
Intern Emily Berkson (Inger Jørgensen, mentor), who recently completed her undergraduate studies in astronomy at the University of Arizona, shares her experiences at
Gemini North in her blog, which she fills with
compelling stories and images. Anyone visiting her page, titled “Day Trip VII: Mauna Kea
Observing Run,” can get a feel for the beauty,
exhilaration, and exhaustion of an observing
run at Gemini North — from a perspective
that only a student on the mountain for the
first time can capture.
Human Resources Assistant
Carolyn Medeiros witnessed the
“explosion” this year at Gemini
North. “It’s great to have so
many interns here. 2013 was
exceptional. Each intern brings
so much energy, and when it is
multiplied by so many at once, it’s
been an intern explosion!”
Emily touts that her time on Mauna Kea was
the “peak” of her Hawai‘i internship. “Standing atop Mauna Kea at night for the first
time is definitely a surreal experience,” she
says. “The entire four-night stay is something
most budding astronomers only dream of
doing. I know I’ll never forget it!” Readers
can find Emily’s collection of stories and images at: http://emilyberkson.com.
Jeremy Bullis, working with Mathew Rippa
and Chas Cavedoni in the engineering department, was the first Gemini intern from
the University of Oregon’s program. He arrived through a grant from former Gemini
scientist Scott Fisher. According to Cavedoni, “Jeremy quickly got up to speed on a
new 24-channel acceleration monitoring
kit, providing critical support and expertise
in capturing, logging, and analyzing data.”
Cavedoni adds that Jeremy’s support was
so critical that they talked him into staying
during the recent Gemini North shutdown
so he could make more measurements.
Figure 2.
Interns Hulali Kaapana,
Emily Berkson (talking
to Data Processing
Developer, Kristina
Fedorenko), Erini
Lambrides, and Erin
O’Leary (left to right,
back to front) exemplify
intern camaraderie at
Gemini North.
While on the mountain, Jeremy recalls that
he constantly had a smile on his face, “like a
kid in a candy store! ”Like many interns, Jeremy said his time at Gemini was the “experience of a lifetime,” adding that he cannot
wait to return, “hopefully as an employee
instead of an intern!”
The nature of internships is to provide opportunities for s