It’s been an exciting start to being an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) intern! I have the privilege of working with the Oceans Program and Research and Development Team. I am assisting the Japan Support Team, answering questions and providing research and metrics for policy implementation. The position is flexible and on top of the work I am doing with policy implementation, I have also been given the opportunity to explore other aspects of fisheries policy in the form of cellular seafood research and the creation and integration of climate profiles into current research. I love having my fingers dipped into all the different paint pots! It’ll help me paint my own picture after grad school.
I was a little nervous about how working from remote would be in terms of meting new people and getting comfortable in the workspace, but now that I have worked a few full weeks I feel great about how things will go the rest of the summer! We’ve already had a few meet and greets for interns and the staff supporting us, and it’s been wonderful to meet the other interns. It’s so great to be meeting more fisheries people! I love learning how everyone is approaching the issues differently and how diverse the team is. We have people with engineering, law, policy, and science backgrounds all working together and brining unique perspectives and insights to the table.
In the same vein, I was a little disappointed to not be able to go into the San Francisco office, but the EDF team has been working really hard to make sure everyone still gets the sense of community and support, as well as access to staff and networking opportunities, even as we work from home. Though I don’t get to hang out in person with the other interns or explore the Mission district, a huge pro of working from home is sharing an ‘office’ with my puppy. With the way my desk and schedule are set up, my ‘coworker’ can keep me company and not get in the way of research and calls (though he would very much prefer to be on every call with me).
