Zoey Keepper

What is your internship, and what are your basic duties?

I’m a Plant Community Ecology Intern at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel, Minnesota. I work on the BioCON experiment, which is part of the Long Term Ecological Research Network at Cedar Creek and has been running for almost 30 years. Some of my basic duties include weeding, completing percent cover measurements, data entry, and field data collection (for variables such as soil moisture, carbon flux, and light).

How does this internship align with your interests and/or major?

As an environmental studies and Earth system science minor, my main goal in finding an internship this summer was for it to be outside in nature, and to help me gain hands-on experience in a research setting. Cedar Creek allows me to do both of these things while applying the conceptual aspect of my studies at Lewis & Clark to a real-world and influential experiment. The Climate Science class I took as a part of my ESS minor introduced me to the wonders of biogeochemical cycles. The BioCON experiment examines the couplings of these cycles and impacts of anthropogenic disturbances to prairie ecosystems and plant communities, which are two things I’m very interested in researching.

What’s the best part of your internship?

The people (and the science, of course)! I love being around people who share the same passions and are determined to research and fight for the same things I am. Learning from and through researchers, superiors, and my fellow interns makes the work that we’re doing possible for me, especially when we’re spending hot days out on the prairie!

What specific skills are you gaining?

I’m gaining the knowledge of how experiments are created and run, as well as the ins and outs of day-to-day operations. My favorite part has been learning how to collect data in the field with a variety of measurement tools, including measuring variables like soil moisture, carbon flux, light, and percent cover. I’ve also learned about data entry/management and the complexities of operating experiments such as BioCON.

How has this internship influenced your understanding of the industry or field you’re pursuing?

Interning at Cedar Creek has allowed me to understand what a career in scientific research might look like. I’ve learned that I love working outside, and that I’d like for my future career to include that type of work. I’ve also had the opportunity to connect with fellow interns and researchers, which has helped to build and strengthen my network. Although I’m not sure exactly what niche of the scientific field I’d like to pursue, Cedar Creek has shown me all the different ways I can be involved in environmental research. It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities that I’m excited to explore after graduation.

How has Lewis & Clark supported you in the process of finding and securing your internship?

Lewis & Clark’s Handshake platform helped me to find possible internships and other opportunities. My professors at L&C have also been very supportive and have aided me in finding and applying to Cedar Creek.