How I'm Spending Summer Break - Alyssa McCormick
Every summer Chatham students embark on thousands of different adventures—some returning home for summer jobs, some immersing themselves in city internships, and others studying abroad around the world. This summer we’re highlighting a few of the unique and industrious opportunities our students have seized this summer. First up, environmental science major and research intern at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Alyssa McCormick. Read on to learn more about Alyssa’s day to day internship highlights as well as her strategies for relaxing and unwinding this summer—
Alyssa McCormick,
Environmental Science ‘23
What internship are you working at over your summer break?
Alyssa McCormick: This summer I am completing a research internship at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History with the Assistant Curator of Botany, Mason Heberling. Using herbarium specimens, we are investigating how poison ivy has changed in toxicity throughout history in response to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
How did you land this summer gig?
AM: I am grateful to have gotten this summer gig with help from my professor, Dr. Ryan Utz. I was looking for a research internship that would allow me to stay in Pittsburgh for the summer, so when Mason mentioned that he was looking for someone to help out with his research project, Dr. Utz connected me with Mason.
What does a day in the life at your internship look like?
AM: Currently, I am working on measuring the density of stomata (pores located on the surface of leaves) on specimens in the herbarium. This process consists of painting nail polish on a small square of the leaf surface, removing the impression and mounting it on a slide, taking images of the impression on a microscope, then counting the stomata in the images to measure density. Once all of the data is collected, I will be relating trends in stomatal density to changes in carbon dioxide levels in recent history.
What’s your favorite aspect of your internship?
AM: Working in the herbarium at the Carnegie Museum has given me the opportunity to work with plant specimens that are over 150 years old! It is so exciting to have history at my fingertips and to be able to relate this history to human impacts on the Earth's climate. It has also been interesting to see how the herbarium functions behind the scenes. I especially love seeing how the plant specimens are mounted on paper to be preserved for hundreds of years.
How are you unwinding / relaxing / making time for fun this summer?
AM: I have been enjoying cooking, relaxing in my hammock, and playing Mario Kart with my roommates this summer. I also love to go visit the Eden Hall Campus for a picnic in the Orchard with my friend John whenever I get the chance.
Special thanks to Alyssa for sharing her summer plans with us! Interested in participating next? Email cbell@chatham.edu.
