My internship has come to an end, sadly, and I feel like i left DC all too soon, just when I was just starting to get into the groove of things. I have been working on contributing to a report for IUCN analyzing how mangroves could fit into REDD+ policy in the UNFCCC, and the process has been a huge learning experience, not just for what I’ve learned about climate change policy, but also the process of working collaboratively. This piece probably won’t be finished until mid November and will need input from scientists, but I hope to continue working on it in some capacity throughout the fall semester. So while I had originally expected to have a finished project as the outcome of my summer, I’m hoping there will be benefits to staying involved in this project a little longer.
During my last week, I had the opportunity to go to a ‘speed mentoring’ event run by the Women’s Aquatic Network in DC. This was basically the same idea as speed dating, except with senior marine professionals as the mentors, and men-tees like me seeking career advice. We had 5 minutes with each of the 20 or so mentors. I was intimidated by the idea at first, but it turned out to be a lot of fun! I also got a lot of practice giving my elevator pitch, and I learned I still need a lot of improvement!
Before I left I had lunch with my boss, and got some great feedback on my work. Overall, it’s been a very satisfying experience, and could only be better if I had planned in advance to stay a few weeks longer. D.C. is truly the best place to be get into an international policy profession, and while the D.C. lifestyle isn’t something I’d want for the long run, I wouldn’t hesitate to come back here for a year or two if there was an opportunity.