GeminiFocus 2013 Year in Review | Page 57

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