Internships

PROJECT

Experiments with Thalassiosira Weissflogii (TW) in Relation to Carbon Dioxide Concentrations

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

The Morel Group, Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Francois Morel, Albert G. Blanke, Jr., Professor of Geosciences. Yan Xu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Geosciences

This summer I worked with the phytoplankton algae Thalassiosira weissflogii (TW) in order to study how the changing global environment, with increasing carbon dioxide concentrations, is affecting algae, the powerhouses of the ocean. TW cells are important because they are able to use a special enzyme called cadmium carbonic anhydrase (CDCA) to convert carbon dioxide into bicarbonate and vice versa. Higher carbon dioxide concentrations in the oceans, due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, result in a more acidic ocean (lower pH levels). Over the summer I did experiments to determine how these changes in pH and hence, carbon dioxide levels, affect the CDCA enzyme. I learned that higher pH levels (8.0+) mean a higher expression of the enzyme, while lower levels (7.7) result in a much lower expression of the enzyme. Another part of my research this summer was to try to isolate TW chloroplasts as a whole organelle without significant residual cell debris in order to see whether the CA enzyme was located in or outside of it. Over the summer I was able to accomplish this goal and have observed so far that CA activity does not seem to occur in the isolate but does occur in a whole cell solution.

SEE PRESENTATION

Butnariu, Dana ’13

Computer Science

PROJECT

Dynamic Server Load Balancing Across Data Centers

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Computer Science Department, Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Jennifer Rexford, Professor of Computer Science

During the summer I worked in the Computer Science Department at Princeton University as part of Professor Jennifer Rexford’s research group. My internship project focused on developing an application that would dynamically load balance client requests across data centers in order to lower energy demands and costs. For the first half of the internship, we designed and implemented a load balancing algorithm that takes into account server position and usage when deciding which server must handle a certain client request. The algorithm tries to minimize the costs and the energy amount necessary to process the client request without sacrificing user-perceived performance. After performing the load balancing, I kept track of server usage and identified the servers which handled the least amount of client requests as part the second half of the project. These servers were then powered down and the client requests they were handling got redirected to a nearby server in order to lower the data center’s energy consumption.

SEE PRESENTATION

Coyle, Owen ’12

Geosciences

PROJECT

Denitrification in Marine Sediment: An Unknown Environmental Feedback

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Ward Lab, Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Bess Ward, William J. Sinclair Professor of Geosciences. Chair, Department of Geosciences

Using mesocosms (small simulated environments containing sediment and seawater) from Chesapeake Bay, we studied the effects of a simulated high organic material flux on the microbial communities living in the sediment. We focused on the response of the bacteria involved in classical denitrification, assessed whether the availability of organic material would favor anammox or denitrifiers, evaluated whether the sediment system could respond adequately to this unnaturally high supply of fixed nitrogen. My work to date has focused on collecting and analyzing daily water samples for various dissolved inorganic fixed nitrogen (DIN) species: ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite, as well as collecting and preparing samples for genetic and direct tracer experiments to determine the metabolic contribution of anammox and denitrifiers. While some results are still outstanding (I may revisit them on my Fall JP), using multiple box models we can draw some initial conclusions about how the microbial community responded. First, it appears that those mesocosms receiving a large influx of organic material showed higher denitrifier activity relative to anammox than did those receiving low treatments. Second, in all mesocosms, denitrifier activity appeared to lag behind anammox activity (which may be critical to the prevalence anammox bacteria given their slower growth rates relative to denitrifiers). Third, while our mesocosms were subjected to nitrogen loadings much greater than current or projected anthropogenic fluxes, microbial activity was able to acclimate relatively quickly indicating that continental shelf systems may be able to buffer future anthropogenic influxes from reaching the open ocean.

SEE PRESENTATION

Chemistry

PROJECT

Design and Discovery of Optimal Molecular Scale Solar Antennas

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Herschel Rabitz, Charles Phelps Smyth ‘16 *17 Professor of Chemistry

The optimization of solar collectors can be approached through computational methods for molecular property prediction. The ability to predict the properties of a molecule such as a solar collector decreases the amount synthesis and testing of molecules required to find those with the desired properties. Property prediction help determine which molecules are more likely to have the desired properties or be “active” and these can then be synthesized and tested. My internship focused on developing a method for property prediction which uses a training set of laboratory data to create a map and uses an input of reaction conditions to predict reaction yield.

SEE PRESENTATION

Jose, Lavanya ’12

Computer Science

PROJECT

Identifying significant real-time traffic on OpenFlow

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Computer Science, Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Jennifer Rexford, Professor of Computer Science

This summer, I worked in Professor Jennifer Rexford’s group in the Department of Computer Science on tools for monitoring traffic on computer networks. To this end, I developed a power-efficient algorithm for identifying “hierarchical heavy hitters” in real-time on a network using commercial hardware and commodity Ternary Content Addressable Memories (TCAMs). I then implemented the algorithm on OpenFlow, an open standard that allows researchers to run experimental protocols in production networks.

SEE PRESENTATION

Psychology

PROJECT

Beacon Solar Energy Project

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Our team of four Princeton students brought a 2 kW solar power system to the Amputee Clinic in Koidu, Sierra Leone. We designed the system and worked with an NGO based in Freetown, Energy for Opportunity (EFO), to finalize the design and install it at the clinic. The system powers lights, fans, and power outlets in the clinic and will be supporting X-ray and ultrasound machines when they arrive at the clinic in the fall. We have trained clinic staff in basic maintenance of the system and hope that it will be effective for many years to come. The higher level of care that comes with having electricity to power diagnostic tools such as the X-ray and ultrasound will dramatically improve the quality of healthcare the people receive and hopefully diagnose problems when they are still easily treatable.

SEE PRESENTATION

Schlissel, Gavin ’13

PROJECT

Research on Combustion in Gas Turbines and HCCL Piston Engines

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

University of California, Berkeley

MENTOR(S)

Robert Dibble, UC Berkeley

I spent my Energy Grand Challenge internship investigating problems with wood gas filtration with Professor Robert Dibble at UC Berkeley. Wood gas is a renewable, sustainable, carbon-neutral fuel source that can easily be obtained by heating wood (without burning it) through a process called wood gasification. The gasification process releases wood gas along with tar and ash. Pure wood gas can be used to power gas turbines to generate electricity, but the process of purifying wood gas requires consumable solvents, which makes it extremely expensive. Last summer, I tested the idea that a silicon carbide diesel particulate filter—like those that catch soot in diesel cars and buses—could be used to filter tar and ash from wood gas. I hoped that because silicon carbide can withstand temperatures up to 2000˚C, it would be possible to burn the trapped tar and ash out of a clogged filter leaving the filter clean and fully functional. If the idea proved possible, it would eliminate the need for consumable solvents in the wood gas filtration process. The filter proved very effective in filtering tar and ash from wood gas, however the filter could not stand temperatures hot enough to oxidize waste ash. I determined that because the diesel particulate filter cannot be cleaned effectively, it is not a suitable replacement for current filtration systems.

SEE PRESENTATION

Song, Katherine ’11

Electrical Engineering

PROJECT

Characterization of organic bulk heterojunction and silicon nanowire solar cells

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Palo Alto Research Center

MENTOR(S)

Dr. Bob Street, Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)

The objective of my internship project was to characterize two types of non-traditionally structured solar cells – namely, organic bulk heterojunction cells and silicon nanowire cells. The organic solar cells, which were comprised of either a P3HT/PCBM blend or a PCDTBT/PC70BM blend, were fabricated at University of California – Santa Barbara. For these organic solar cells, which are attractive because of their low cost, low weight, and flexibility, a model was developed and experimentally tested to extract internal diode characteristics from experimentally measured photocurrent, which is affected by series resistance originating from various sources in the cell. In addition, the photoconductivity spectrum was measured to provide an estimate for the band offset of the heterojunction blend making up the cell. For the silicon nanowire solar cells, which were fabricated at PARC, photocurrent as a function of voltage and the photoconductivity spectrum were measured to determine whether the added morphology from the grown nanowires enhanced the performance of otherwise “conventional” amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells.

SEE PRESENTATION

Szocs, Laszlo ’13

PROJECT

Fundamental Study of the Stable Atmospheric Boundary Layer: Turbulence Exchange Processes over Ice Caps

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Gas Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Alexander Smits, Eugene Higgins Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Chair, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

As an intern in Professor Alexander Smits laboratory, I participated in a study of the spatial and temporal dynamics of coherent structures within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) with the aim of improving current climate models. Using the low-speed suction tunnel at Gas Dynamics Laboratory at the Princeton University Forrestal Campus, we attempted to produce a stably stratified turbulent boundary layer (the best way to model the atmospheric boundary layer) in our wind tunnel in order to look at coherent structures (vortices, hairpins) and study its mechanics. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hot-wire anemometry were used to gather data about the flow. Combined with pitot-static probe data, a full 2 dimensional vector field was produced for the flow in the stream-wise direction. Analysis of these vector fields was then carried out using MATLAB programs to look for said structures. I assisted in all parts of the research: setting up the experiment, calibrating equipment, operating the wind tunnel, writing code, and carrying out analysis.

SEE PRESENTATION

Thompson, Haley ’11

Civil and Environmental Engineering

PROJECT

Biomass Delivered Costs for CBTL Plant in the Western United States

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Eric Larson, Research Engineer, Princeton Environmental Institute

During my summer internship, I worked with Dr. Eric Larson to determine biomass availability and transportation costs to several proposed plant sites in the Western United States. The proposed plant would co-proccess coal and biomass to create liquid fuels (CBTL), and would require up to 300,000 bdt of biomass annually. Biomass availability was determined using the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and Timber Product Outpuf (TPO) databases created by the Forest Service (USFS) to approximate annual removals and timberland conditions in areas surrounding a potential plant site. Transportation costs were calculated using a worksheet developed by Bob Rummer to approximate costs to fell, process, and haul material from timberland to the plant site. Rail transportation costs were also calculated using coal rates from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Based on these analyses I suggested placement for a CBTL plant near Missoula, MT.

SEE PRESENTATION

Wade, Kathleen ’11

Woodrow Wilson School

PROJECT

Investing in Renewable Energy- An Update on Barriers and Proposed Solutions

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

U.S. State Department, Office of Global Change

MENTOR(S)

Barbara DeRosa-Joynt

As a U.S. State Department Intern in the Office of Global Change, I worked alongside U.S. climate negotiators researching a range of topics from carbon finance to deforestation to multi-lateral climate partnerships. Highlights of my experience included helping to facilitate the Department of Energy’s first ever Clean Energy Ministerial, which brought energy heads of state from the top emitting countries to Washington D.C. to announce new clean energy initiatives; drafting the official office comments for the finance chapter of on a preliminary report on renewable energy by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and creating a memo circulated among the directors of each office in the Oceans and Environmental Science Bureau that quantified the lifecycle carbon emissions associated with Canadian oil sands production.

SEE PRESENTATION

Yuan, Neal ’11

Molecular Biology

PROJECT

Beacon Solar Energy Project for Sierra Leone

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

National Organization for Welbody

MENTOR(S)

The Beacon Solar Energy Project in Sierra Leone was designed to help improve the care at an amputee clinic run by Dr. Bailor Barrie and the National Organization for Welbody (NOW) in the eastern Kono region. By installing solar panels, which eliminate the unsustainable costs of using a diesel generator, the clinic will be able to run more advanced medical equipment including an X-ray machine and an ultrasound machine, as well as provide care well into the night. The trip this summer successfully accomplished our dual goal of providing renewable energy for the clinic as well as inspiring dialogue and excitement over future uses of solar energy in Sierra Leone. For this project, we collaborated with the Sierra Leone-based NGO Energy For Opportunity (EFO). EFO was critical in helping with in-country logistics and providing significant technical insight into our designs. We also worked with three students from the Government Technical Institute who were enrolled in one of the country’s first renewable energy engineering programs and were able to gain hands-on experience through our project. EFO has volunteered to be the on-the-ground contact for future technical assistance with regard to the energy system. We left a fully functioning system, and will receive weekly reports on the system’s generation and the clinic’s consumption of energy. The system contains twelve 175W panels, eight 12V 225a/h batteries, an inverter, and a charge controller.

Woodrow Wilson School

PROJECT

Transforming Society in Tanzania: From Socialist to Capitalist Development

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Mahiri Mwita, Lecturer in Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies

Throughout the summer, my internship and research highlighted the inextricable link between an explicitly health-related issue (HIV/AIDS) and development. In partnship with the African Evangelistic Enterprise, I conducted interviews and engaged in fieldwork that allowed me to explore the dynamics of the recent Tanzanian government policy of home-based care for HIV/AIDS victims. I also gained an understanding of how well NGO’s are able to meet the needs of HIV/AIDS victims and their families who are forced to care for them at home.

SEE PRESENTATION

Chen, Jeremy ’11

PROJECT

Distribution of Carbon in the Kalahari Transect

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Princeton University

MENTOR(S)

Kelly Caylor, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Frances O’Donnell, Graduate Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering

This project sought to understand the distribution and dynamics of belowground carbon in savannas. We worked on the Kalahari Transect in western Botswana at a series of research sites that span a rainfall gradient. Dry season (summer) field work included three major activities: 1) excavating and mapping the root systems of trees and woody shrubs to determine their mass, geometry, depth and lateral extent; 2) measuring ecosystem-level belowground biomass by sampling root biomass, collecting soil samples, and conducting surveys with a ground penetrating radar; and 3) measuring the response of soil CO₂ flux to experimental wetting treatments. Doing this at four sites along a rainfall gradient allowed us to investigate how water availability influences the ecosystem carbon cycle.

SEE PRESENTATION

Gocke, Alison ’13

Undeclared

PROJECT

Alien Species in South African River Systems

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Rhodes University

MENTOR(S)

Daniel Rubenstein, Class of 1877 Professor of Zoology. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Director, Program in African Studies. Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

I assisted with the investigation of alien species invasion in the river systems of South Africa. Particularly, we looked at invasive species of catfish and tilapia that had been introduced into a dammed river system and have spread rapidly throughout the region. The research centered around the Great Fish and Sundays Rivers in South Africa, whose ecosystems have been altered due to damming in the late 1970s and early 1990s. We also investigated the feeding and reproductive cycles of an indigenous fish species that appeared to be surviving the influx of new species, in the hope of identifying beneficial survival characteristics. The research was completed under the guidance of Professor Anthony Booth in the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Sciences at Rhodes, as well as Wilbert Kadye, a Ph.D. student under Professor Booth.

Lam, Diana ’12

Architecture

PROJECT

Marine Conservation on Tanzania

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Dan Rubenstein, Class of 1877 Professor of Zoology. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Director, Program in African Studies. Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

In partnership with Frontier, a non profit conservation and development NGO to collect data for a project aimed at mapping aquatic life within the Mafia Island Marine Park on Mafia Island, Tanzania. The majority of the work involved conducting surveys of various species of reef fish, benthic organisms, and coral on the ocean floor. I also collected survey data for the mangrove forests and seagrass beds surrounding the bay. These surveys are one of the first initiatives being taken to collect information regarding the health and viability of the marine life in the Marine Park. The information will be used by local environmental and governmental organizations to educate the Mafia population about ways to effectively coexist with the rich aquatic life in the protected area.

PROJECT

Improving Scientific Communication in the Developing World: International Water Management Institute, India

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

International Water Management Institute, India

MENTOR(S)

Luisa Duarte-Silva

My project focused on evaluating scientific communication in the developing world. The organization I worked for, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), is headquartered in Sri Lanka, and works in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. Along with another intern in India, and an intern in Ghana, we created a total of three reports (one India-specific, one Ghana-specific, and one general report) about how IWMI succeeds and fails in communicating its scientific products. In India, we studied the spread of an article, “Agriculture Miracle in Gujarat after 2000” by Drs. Tushaar Shah, Ashok Gulati and others while the student in Ghana studied the “Ghana Dams Dialogue Newsletter.” During this eight-week internship, I conducted background research, created a survey, interviewed and created reports with the other interns. Each interview had two components – one discussing the interviewee’s use and understanding of the article, and one discussing his/her use of the IWMI website. The interviews took place in Delhi, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Anand.

Stroud, Sarah ’12

PROJECT

The Grevy’s Zebra Project

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Dan Rubenstein, Class of 1877 Professor of Zoology. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Director, Program in African Studies. Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Under the guidance of Daniel Rubenstein, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, I spent the majority of my internship in Kenya in Wamba, at an Earthwatch research center. During that time I conducted research on the Grevy Zebra which is an endangered species. Fewer than 2500 remain. As part of this research I walked line transects and conducted total counts from a vehicle on the Grevy’s Zebra population in the area (animals considered competitors for food were also counted). I was also in charge of entering project data and for maintaining camp equipment.

SEE PRESENTATION

Zuniga, Alejandro ’12

Molecular Biology

PROJECT

Alien Species in South African River Systems

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Dan Rubenstein, Class of 1877 Professor of Zoology. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Director, Program in African Studies. Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

I assisted Professor Tony Booth, Head of the Department of Ichthyology at Rhodes University, with three small research projects related to fish populations in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. The first project we completed was to analyze a program for individual fish identification and to create an algorithm to optimize its results, which could then be used to estimate coelacanth population size. The second involved surveying river systems in the area to learn which fish were present and in which stage of life and to compare this data with that collected in the summer. The third project involved analyzing the impact of invasive catfish on invertibrate populations used as food by setting up cages in several different rivers and surveying the changes on a regular basis.

Health

Agiti, Sheila ’11

PROJECT

Malaria Control In Liberia

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

National Malaria Control Program, Liberia

MENTOR(S)

Kristina Graff, Associate Director, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Woodrow Wilson School

I interned at Liberia’s National Malaria Control Program. I managed the documentation and preparation for Liberia’s revised five-year strategic plan for malaria control. As part of the core technical team writing a proposal for the Global Fund for to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, I also developed and updated several sections of the program – particularly those that dealt with economic evaluation and value for money. In addition, I participated in technical meetings, stakeholder consultations, proposal-writing sessions and a major national health conference.

SEE PRESENTATION

PROJECT

Dinner in Huamanzaña:Exploring Rural Peruvian Diet and its Implications for Health in the Region

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Princeton Engineers Without Borders, Huamanzaña, Peru

MENTOR(S)

João Biehl, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Anthropology. Co-Director, Program in Global Health and Health Policy

I did an independent study of regional dietary practices and beliefs regarding food and health in Huamanzaña, Peru, a town of about 120 people located along the country’s northern coast. My goal was to explore possible connections between the rural Peruvian diet and health in the region, as well as to determine some of the cultural, educational, and practical factors shaping their food choices over time. This primary data on nutritional knowledge, common health problems and culinary perspectives will support my further exploration into the causes and consequences of the food practices I observed, and help me determine the potential for the Peruvian government and various non-governmental organizations to improve regional health through nutrition.

Elbuluk, Ameer ’13

PROJECT

An Analysis of the Economical Costs and Trends of Treating Adults versus Children at Project Alajuelita

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC)

MENTOR(S)

Jeffrey Hammer, Lecturer in Public and International Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School. Charles and Marie Robertson, Visiting Professor in Economic Development

I worked for the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children in Costa Rica, addressing the question of whether a children’s free clinic should continue to serve adult patients. With a maximum allowance of 15 patients per day and care offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, the increasingly popular clinic worried that adults had begun crowding out children in need of care. My project took into account the clinic’s history, including its initial purpose and the reasons that it originally accepted adult patients. By calculating the costs of treating adults versus children, we were better able to analyze the economical consequences of treating adults.

PROJECT

Social Welfare Impacts of Suggested Retail Prices Under Uncertainty

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Ramanan Laxminarayan, Associate Research Scholar, Princeton Environmental Institute

I worked at Resources for the Future in Washington, DC, where I conducted research on the social welfare impacts of suggested retail prices. I plan to develop my project into a senior thesis and eventually publish a paper in an economic journal. Each intern was granted a large amount of freedom, which taught us to independently pursue a fruitful research project from start to finish. We also attended various events hosted by Resources for the Future such as conferences and lecture series.

SEE PRESENTATION

Lee, Edward ’12

Physics

PROJECT

Phenotypic Characterization of HIV-1 Virulence Using Recombinant Virus

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain

MENTOR(S)

David Botstein, Anthony B. Evnin ‘62 Professor of Genomics. Professor of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. Director, Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics

I did a laboratory research internship at Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Spain. I worked in the AIDS Immunopathology Unit, which develops new and efficient systems to analyze the characteristics and factors of virulence in viral strains from HIV-infected patients such as tropism, replicative capacity, drug resistance and susceptibility to neutralising antibodies. These in vitro models are based on the generation of replicative-competent chimeras carrying different genomic fragments from HIV-1 that have been obtained from plasma of patients, and they are useful for the screening and characterization of the mechanism of action of new antiretrovirals and new approaches using this experimental model are currently being developed in the laboratory. In particular, I helped with analyzing the mechanism of action of a CCR5 antagonist (Maraviroc) and the mechanism of resistance of viral strains resistant to this drug.

SEE PRESENTATION

Park, Joseph ’13

Molecular Biology

PROJECT

Predicting Outcomes of Treatment for Recurrent Hepatitis C in Post-Transplant Patients at KUMC

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

University of Kansas Medical Center

MENTOR(S)

David Botstein, Anthony B. Evnin ‘62 Professor of Genomics. Professor of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. Director, Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics

I interned at the Liver Center of the University of Kansas Medical Center. This leading transplantation center performed the first domino liver transplant in 2008. Hepatitis C is one of the most frequent indications for liver transplantation in the United States, and my project was on recurrent Hepatitis in post-transplant patients. I contributed to a working research paper by performing biostatistical analysis, sorting through patient records and gathering data in spreadsheets. The paper looked at bilirubin, a organic compound found in the blood, as a marker for progression of fibrosis following transplantation.

SEE PRESENTATION

Rao, Nisha ’12

PROJECT

Endemic Fluorosis in Rural Villages of Northeastern India

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

Peter Jaffe, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

I worked in a Civil and Environmental Engineering Lab here at Princeton, participating in a fluoride filtration project. I helped a graduate student to test various materials for their effectiveness as filter material. We experimented with several combinations of clay, flour, and hydroxyapatite and took measurements of their pH, surface area, and fluoride sorption. Although the work I was doing was physically removed from the villagers in India suffering from excess fluoride in their groundwater, I felt inspired to be a part of the process of intervention-development. We had to constantly evaluate our implicit assumptions regarding the sustainability of the filter in the context of the villagers’ relationships with one another and their limited material resources.

SEE PRESENTATION

Sakkers, Olaf ’11

PROJECT

Snake Hill: Mythologies, Medicines and Misunderstandings surrounding HIV in Rural South Africa

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Zithulele Hospital, South Africa

MENTOR(S)

João Biehl, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Anthropology. Co-Director, Program in Global Health and Health Policy and Peter Locke

Based at a rural hospital in South Africa, my research is focused on understanding the interaction between religion at the hospital and the treatment and recovery of patients who are HIV positive as well as how conceptions of religion affect interpretations of health care and HIV stigma.

Patients grapple with disease and suffering, negotiating different descriptions of the world given by traditional African religion and Christianity. Many patients associate the hospital with Christianity and their recovery on ARVs with the work of God. Religion is important to many of the hospital staff too, with nurses and patients gathering each morning to sing hymns and pray.

The ARV roll-out at the hospital has been successful, with over 2000 people on ARVs, yet stigma around HIV persists and the hospital wards remain filled with gaunt patients infected with TB and HIV.

PROJECT

Seasonality of Antibiotic Prescriptions and Resistance

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Ramanan Laxminarayan, Associate Research Scholar, Princeton Environmental Institute

MENTOR(S)

I worked at Resources for the Future in Washington, DC, where I did statistical research on national datasets of antibiotic prescription and antibiotic resistance data. I used Stata to perform my work, and did a literature review to gather data for my project. I looked at antibiotic resistance of various bacteria including E. coli, S. aureus, and Enterococci. This work was for my senior thesis. At the end of the internship I presented my results, which found that antibiotic prescriptions peak in the winter, and antibiotic resistance also peaks in the winter, a few months afterward.

SEE PRESENTATION

Trautner, Emily ’11

PROJECT

The Global Fund: A Look at Health Systems Strengthening

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

The Global Fund, Switzerland

MENTOR(S)

Kristina Graff, Associate Director, Center for Health and Wellbeing, Woodrow Wilson School

I interned at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (TGF). Since its creation in 2002 TGF has committed nearly $20 billion to health programs worldwide. My summer project was a qualitative summary of TGF’s contributions to health systems strengthening. I read through all proposals in funding rounds 8 and 9 that were approved for health systems strengthening funding. I summarized the type of intervention that was funded and coded for several other factors. At the conclusion of the internship I produced an excel spreadsheet with a summary of all of my results and delivered a PowerPoint presentation to my department. During the summer I also took a French course at The Global Fund, visited the United Nations for a presentation, and attended many guest lectures and information sessions.

SEE PRESENTATION

Yi, Sojung ’12

PROJECT

Nutrition Scarcity and HIV/AIDS Education in South Africa

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Nkanyiso, South Africa

MENTOR(S)

João Biehl, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Anthropology. Co-Director, Program in Global Health and Health Policy

I interned at Nkanyiso, a grassroots organization based in Johannesburg, South Africa that strives to address the pervasive problem of poverty in South Africa by providing comprehensive educational programs on HIV/AIDS, nutrition, and positive life skills. Nkanyiso focuses on HIV/AIDS education by incorporating practical prevention methods and specific knowledge on how to live with the disease – including a sustainable model of gardening and nutrition education that is integrated into schools. My internship responsibilities included helping to implement the garden programs, procuring grants, and researching and writing educational packets about the importance of nutrition assistance in response to HIV/AID.

Sustainability

Abrams, Garnet ’12

Geosciences

PROJECT

Washington Stream Geomorphology and the Local Watershed

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Princeton Environmental Institute

MENTOR(S)

Eileen Zerba

This summer, I was an intern in Dr. Eileen Zerba’s lab with several other students working on the continued monitoring of Princeton University water quality. Each of us also worked on individual projects which we developed over the course of the internship. We sampled Washington Stream, Elm Stream, and Carnegie Lake. We then ran nutrient analysis on these samples back in the lab. For the third component of this internship, I focused on compiling the geomorphology of Washington Stream based on data gathered through several classes projects from the last few years to use as a pre-restoration baseline.

SEE PRESENTATION

Chemical Engineering

PROJECT

Huamanzaña, Engineers Without Borders

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

In August 2010, an Engineers Without Borders (EWB) team of five Princeton students traveled to Huamanzaña, a small farming village nestled in the foothills of northern Peru, to perform maintenance work on previously established projects and build community ownership and empowerment. The team has had a working relationship with this town since 2005, and after implementing projects ranging from bathrooms and smokeless stoves to solar electricity and water distribution, the group focused this year on securing the long-term sustainability of these endeavors by developing responsibility within the town and helping community members take ownership of the projects themselves. With this goal in mind, the team initiated the formation of a water committee to oversee maintenance of the water system, taught lessons on the importance of bacteria and hygiene to schoolchildren, and helped repair various aspects of the old projects, from replacing stove chimneys to installing new water piping. Because this trip also represented the last year of EWB’s presence in Huamanzaña, the team visited several other sites around the La Libertad region in search of future potential projects.

SEE PRESENTATION

PROJECT

Huamanzaña, Engineers Without Borders

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

MENTOR(S)

In August 2010, an Engineers Without Borders (EWB) team of five Princeton students traveled to Huamanzaña, a small farming village nestled in the foothills of northern Peru, to perform maintenance work on previously established projects and build community ownership and empowerment. The team has had a working relationship with this town since 2005, and after implementing projects ranging from bathrooms and smokeless stoves to solar electricity and water distribution, the group focused this year on securing the long-term sustainability of these endeavors by developing responsibility within the town and helping community members take ownership of the projects themselves. With this goal in mind, the team initiated the formation of a water committee to oversee maintenance of the water system, taught lessons on the importance of bacteria and hygiene to schoolchildren, and helped repair various aspects of the old projects, from replacing stove chimneys to installing new water piping. Because this trip also represented the last year of EWB’s presence in Huamanzaña, the team visited several other sites around the La Libertad region in search of future potential projects.

SEE PRESENTATION

Keeley, Jennifer ’11

English

PROJECT

Community Forestry with RECOFTC: Protecting People and Forests

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

RECOFTC - Center for People and Forests, Thailand

MENTOR(S)

Deborah Nord

My summer internship, funded by PEI and facilitated by Princeton in Asia, was a position in the communications department of the International Organization RECOFTC – the Center for People and Forests. The internship lasted eight weeks and was based out of their main office in Bangkok, Thailand. RECOFTC deals primarily with community forestry training and project facilitation. During my time there I was responsible for organizing their photo library, putting together an interactive office calendar, working on launching their new website, and most importantly copy editing several of the reports and articles that came through our office for publication. Most of my time was spent editing the text of publications and finding photos to accompany them. I also spent one week doing field research in Cambodia collecting success stories in three villages in two different provinces in relation to an ongoing community forestry project in the country under the management of RECOFTC. Although RECOFTC operates throughout Southeast Asia, it has remained a fairly small organization, which provided me with many opportunities to see the efforts of my work in our finished products. The success stories I collected and the photos I took in my fieldwork are going to become part of a publication on the project in Cambodia. Overall it was a wonderful experience and an incredible learning opportunity.

SEE PRESENTATION

Lang, Wendy ’13

Chemical Engineering

PROJECT

Princeton in Asia Summer of Service 2010

ORGANIZATION / LOCATION

Princeton in Asia, China

MENTOR(S)

Chris Schlegel and Anastasia Vrachnos

For Princeton in Asia’s fifth Summer of Service program, ten Princeton undergraduate students traveled to Hunan province in China this past summer to teach in an English immersion program for college students at Jishou University’s Normal College. The city of Jishou is a small city that has grown tremendously over the years and continues to experience economic, lifestyle, and environmental changes that are similar to many cities across China today. While surveying Jishou and neighboring natural attractions in Hunan, the Princeton teachers incorporated lessons, discussions, and activities concerning the environment in both classroom and extracurricular settings. Within the Summer of Service program, we organized a Princeton-in-Jishou Earth Day, which was a day of promoting environmental awareness during which students shared projects, videos, and presentations they had created throughout the program addressing Jishou’s environmental issues such as water pollution, food and agriculture, waste, conservation, and alternative energy options. Students were also encouraged to develop ideas of their own for raising environmental awareness in their communities, and environmental scholarships were to students who had developed outstanding proposals and initiatives with strong ecological and educational components. We coordinated additional activities to cultivate environmental consciousness and conservation efforts such as an Outdoors Club, which gave Jishou students opportunities to share the natural and man-made surroundings of the city to the Princeton teachers. The exchanges between Princeton and Jishou students and opportunities to develop initiatives to support environmental education and action in Jishou made for a motivating and meaningful summer of service in Asia.

SEE PRESENTATION

Liao, Kristie ’13