We were lucky to get some incredible summer students this year. We sent them each a questionnaire while preparing our feature article for this site but some of the responses were too good not to share!
- What is your academic background?
I received my diploma in Environmental Sciences majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, from Lakeland College in Vermillion, Alberta. - How/why did you become interested in this field of study?
I was originally pursuing a position that works with wildlife. However, I was offered the position as a Water Monitoring Technician with AEMERA, and thought of this as a good opportunity to expand and try other areas of the environmental sciences. After all, you can only judge what you experience for yourself. - Why did you want to work with AEMERA?
I was drawn to the idea of working with a new agency, such as AEMERA, to see the ups and downs of operations behind a new organization. That, and those at the AEMERA office in Lethbridge sounded pretty sweet. - What aspect of monitoring are you most interested in?
I’m most interested in looking at the different water bodies and systems I’ve grown up with, in a new way. The lakes and rivers I’ve swam in are more than just summer fun now. I get to see things, like the fast and slow flows of a river in detail, and the different elements that make certain lakes the way they are. - What AEMERA project are you working on?
Currently, we’re not working on any projects in particular. Most days we have been taking routine measurements and levels, as well as completing random tasks here and there. In the near future however, we will be heading to the Waterton and St. Mary stations to replace towers - What are your roles and responsibilities?
The roles and responsibilities of a summer student aren’t always glamorous, but they can be fun and there’s always a lot to learn. Some of my responsibilities include calculating water levels, assisting with operation of the StreamPro and M9, checking over survey notes for errors, putting together or repairing equipment and just generally helping out wherever help is needed. - What do you do on an average day?
There really is no average day. Every day begins with walking in through the front door. Beyond that, we may either stay in the office to catch up on paperwork, or go out into the field to do water levels, flow measurements, snow surveys (well, not for the months of July and August), recharging rain gauges, or general maintenance of stations. Sometimes I may even help out other offices with water quality work (an area that the Lethbridge office doesn’t cover at the moment). - What has been the highlight of your work term?
Easily, the highlight of my work term was going for a ride in a helicopter over the Rocky Mountains, on my first day! I thought for sure this was bait for a not-so-exciting summer job, but I was very wrong. Wildlife encounters are another highlight to this job. One day, we were boating across the Waterton Lakes, and Scott spotted a deer swimming in the middle of the lake. Another day, we watched as a great-horned owl swooped down to snatch a weasel that had let down its guard, and carried it off to a nearby tree. And every day that we have gone to Waterton, we have encountered bears on the road. Luckily we have always been in the truck! Every day has its own highlight, whether or not helicopters or wildlife are involved. - What key learnings have you taken from your work term?
Of course there are the technical aspects of surveying techniques that I have learned and will carry with me, but there are also things I have learned about working in the field of environmental science in general. Such things being, that not everything will work out as planned, especially when electronics are involved, that monitoring, evaluating, and reporting accurate and unbiased data is crucial in managing resources, and that that bigfoot may exist near Seven Persons. - What skills/learnings can you apply to your studies?
Being able to apply first-hand experience to what I have learned in school makes it a lot easier in understanding why things are done a certain way and what the numbers mean. I can combine the information and methods I have learned while surveying, along with physical skills (such as driving quads, backing up trailers, building/re-building equipment) to satisfy any expectations my future studies may hold.
