One way to have a fun and exciting summer may be to do a research internship offered through UT. Many students are interested in having an enjoyable and relaxed summer but worry about gaining the necessary experience for their first career. By participating in a summer research internship, students will gain experience through participating in various aspects of research.

Although there are many research internships offered during the summer, there might not be one that specifically applies to every student's interests. If that is the case, asking a faculty advisor what suggestions and recommendations they offer would be the best way to go.

Last summer's most popular internships were those related to the sciences, primarily ones in physics, biochemistry and engineering.-Jane Taylor, administrative specialist, UT office of research To become eligible for an internship students must fill out an online application or print one off and return it to Jane Taylor from the Office of Research. All applications are submitted to Taylor and sent to a committee made up of faculty members which determine who receives the internships.

Taylor said, "Students are required to have a faculty advisor through the process of the internship." The advisor should help students participating in an internship throughout the whole summer and provide answers to questions or help out as needed.

Taylor said, "Last summer's most popular internships were those related to the sciences, primarily ones in physics, biochemistry and engineering."

Lauren Henderson, a student in animal sciences, says she is going to participate in the St. Kits, sea turtle monitoring network in the West Indies this summer. Henderson found out about the internship by viewing the online link for internships on the animal sciences department website.

Henderson's internship, like most summer internships, will be two months starting on May 4, and ending July 25. While she is participating with the St. Kits sea turtle monitoring network, she will work as a research assistant, working nights from the evening to early morning.

While working throughout the night, she will mark which turtles come to shore to lay their eggs, and will draw blood and do analysis on these turtles. She will also make reports to the public and inform them on the status of the endangered leatherback sea turtle.

Henderson said, "The reason I chose to do an internship was to get away from Knoxville and do something fun, while still gaining experience that can help me get into vet school."

Henderson encourages other students out there to apply for a summer internship. She said, "The application process is very simple, and all you need is two professional references, an updated resume, and a letter of intent."  Once she applied on Feb. 15 it only took a week for her to hear back from St. Kits that she got the position.