Unfortunately, since I worked mapping coordinates for government projects, I can't post an image of my project. However I will attempt to describe it as best I can. I feel that the project I did will benefit SPAWAR employees for a very long time. First let me give the background on how I came up with my project idea. When I got to SPAWAR I was given maps of the facility to help me get around. Later on my mentor asked me to map out some points on the SPAWAR base using Google Earth just to get a hang of the software. But I immediately noticed that several buildings were missing on the maps that were handed out to me. Many others were marked incorrectly. I asked my mentor about this and she told me that finding buildings has always been a predicament at SPAWAR. At that moment I realized what my project could be. I would mark every single building at SPAWAR and upload that file to the SPAWAR private blog so that every employee at SPAWAR could use that. It was perfect a lot of work but the final product would be extremely beneficial to SPAWAR. So I went on my journey and acquired a bunch of maps both digital and physical and then I used those together (they were all different in some aspects) and started making one master Google Earth map. It was a huge pain acquiring all of these maps since they are considered confidential so that was a huge struggle I had to overcome.I had to overcome a lot of problems. One of them was getting my foreign computer onto a government network. So I took initiative and made some calls to get my computer online. Internet was really essential in getting my project done, my mentor was impressed that I took such initiative to get my computer online all by myself. Those were about the only problems I encountered the only other one being labeling literally hundreds of buildings individually sometimes not sure what each building should be labeled. I started this project on my second day and finished it in only a week. The final result was not rushed though, and I'm confident that it's something that will really help out the good folks at SPAWAR!
How has your view of life beyond high school changed during your time as an intern?
I think my view changed quite a bit since now I actually have an idea of what the working world is outside of media and imagination. Also like I previously mentioned it convinced me that I want to get a job in a creative area or at least in an area that I'm passionate about. That only scratches the surface of the things I've realized though. What new questions has your internship inspired you to ask about our world? Hmm, this question makes it sound like I'm some kind of alien or lizard-person. But I guess I'd totally want to ask what paths somebody would take to end up in the positions they're in. But then again that question doesn't have one single answer since it seems that many people at SPAWAR got their positions in many different ways. Some came in as interns others were only contractors but got hired. So I just want to know how to get where in life. How might internship influence your direction in life? If I'd have to guess (which I do with my deficiency of clairvoyance) I'd say that it helped me decide what I want to study outside of high school. Well decide wouldn't be the right way to say it, it helped me narrow down my options. An example of this is how I started doing a lot of writing during my internship just for fun. That helped me realize something I already knew (hmm.) I love writing. So like I've had to answer for all of these questions it helped me realize I want to pursue a creative career. How did you make a meaningful contribution to your workplace?
The project I decided to do independently involved mapping out the buildings in the extensive facility that is SPAWAR. It seems that most of the employees at SPAWAR are still confused about where to find what buildings at SPAWAR, despite working there for years. Even though there are maps with building numbers on them, they aren't accurate. I found this out on my second day here. So I made a Google map that completely mapped out SPAWAR future interns, or even SPAWAR employees, will be able to use this dynamic map to locate buildings at SPAWAR. How was your work as an intern meaningful to your education? I feel that what SPAWAR did for me was it seriously helped me narrow down what it is I want to study out of High School. It made the idea of pursuing some sort of creative career a concrete goal in my head. I also got a bit of a taste of how working in a professional environment is like and that certainly did something for my education. How did your project go from an idea or inspiration to a final product? I think it's pretty interesting how I thought of my final project. On the very first day we were handed maps of SPAWAR to help us get around. Because I was going to be working with maps, my mentor asked me to map out some points in SPAWAR just to practice using Google Earth. However I immediately noticed that there where buildings missing on the paper map I was handed. A lot actually! So I asked my mentor for any other paper maps she might have. I got a few more that had more buildings on it, however it was blurry. So at that point I set out on the project of mapping out all of SPAWAR on Google Earth and saving it as a file that could be efficiently shared and used by everyone at SPAWAR. A few days ago my mentor and I attended a tour of the Modal Range/Barracks area. And it was very interesting to say the least! The first thing we did during this fieldtrip was we went to a small conference room where multiple SPAWAR employees presented what they're working on. In that area the researchers worked mostly on antenna design so I got to see an antenna that would supposedly be immune to jamming by diverting the signal being transmitted to a funky looking antenna that had been in development for a few years. After we did that we went to another building in the area where they tested some kind of machine, most likely something antenna related, using a room filled with blue foam spikes. After that we headed over to a workshop where model bras ships are made. The reason these are made is to test antenna accuracy and potency. But how are these ships used you may ask. You see, the ships are replicated down to the very last detail every small structure on board is replicated and the ship is outfitted with working antennas. Then the ship is placed under a huge sort of dome like structure that sends out a signal. There had to be at least a hundred ships in the building we went to go see. They were all built at one forty eighth of the actual size but they were still unbelievably huge. Some where at least over ten feet long. This was only a small area within SPAWAR, it really makes you wonder just how many different thigs are going on here.
According to the assignment description self-advocacy is speaking up when you need support or feel uncomfortable with doing something. Well I don't think I've actually had the need to use self-advocacy. All I'm doing is sitting at my desk and getting my work done. It's been fairly easy, there have been struggles. But those struggles weren't something that could stop me from getting my work done.
I feel that all times I have been doing something. I've always had full days of work, there's always been something there to occupy me. As for meeting, well, we don't go to meetings. However at the beginning of internship I made sure to take notes during orientation. I think that the biggest thing that my internship has made me realize is that I definitely don't want to study anything too professional. Well that's not the right way to say it. I mean say I got a job at a law firm. Sure it's a "good" job by whatever standards I don't know who set up but it's not something I want to do. I think that now I've made up my mind that I want to study something where I get to create something. When I say create something I mean create something... creative. Again a very broad term, animation is a huge interest of mine! Something like that would be nice. That or film making or working in some area of creating video games, graphic design or something like that. I also love writing I would like to do that. There's so many careers that actually fall into this spectrum of creating something fun. I don't see why I have to study anything that starts with engineering or ends in science. This was actually a pretty big revelation since it sort of gave me an idea of what I want to do with my life. I just don't want a job where I have to be sitting behind a desk looking at numbers that when finished just become other numbers. Of course while working at SPAWAR I've seen that these jobs are way more than this, but still it's helped me make up my mind.
I decided what I would be doing on my first day of internship actually. When I arrived the first problem I had was that neither me or my mentor could find anything at SPAWAR. So I got the idea to make a more precise map. Eventually I decided to use Google Earth to do that. I can make a file called a KMZ and that can be downloaded and other people can see that and be able to determine where every building is. I actually already finished that, all the support I needed was to get my hands on some maps. But now I'm about to start another project. I'm going to go to a place called Windmill Canyon and we will be looking at the landscape and trying to determine a way to use all the excess recycled water here instead of dumping it all in the ocean.
What can I do/read in advance to be ready for my internship?:
Read about GIS, SPAWAR, what they do what the environmental branch is, understanding more what GIS is and why mapping is important to SPAWAR or for environmental research. Research particular links that I would send on how to go from here learning about these concepts. Spacial analysis, also what Kara does which is bio-chemical analysis. Also a bit about GPS,what it is and how it works together with GIS. What should I know about you before I start working here?: I'm probably going to be 15 minutes late everyday, I'm sarcastic, and I'm really glad that, and I don't know if other HTH students are like this, but I like people who aren't afraid to go explore. That you'll go out and look for the answers and do the work on your own. Sometimes employers want students to do a particular assignments, but I think it should be more open. Adaptable is another thing. What is your job title?: I am a scientist, it's a broad title, but that is the interesting thing at SPAWAR. That is the title of all the technical people you'll be working with. Sometimes the title is engineer, some people may have a specialty,but there's people whose specialties may change over time so if you like science that's pretty exciting. What are your main duties and responsibilities?: So part of what I do is I help scope or design science and technical projects and another part of my job is doing specific pieces of analysis on projects and providing technical support to other analysts to their projects. Why did you choose to work here?: I wanted to work in environmental but I'd worked in that before in San Diego but what was so fascinated to me was the depth and breadth of the technology here and the potential to connect it to environmental. I like technology and I like environment so finding that crossover is not that common. I wish I'd known about SPAWAR before, I knew people who worked at SPAWAR, but I only recently learned about it from a friend. How did you end up doing the job that you do?: I've only been here for a year and a half, so really with the particular project I'm interested right now is using unmanned aerial systems to find solutions to natural resources problem. So just like you did when you came in here somebody gave me the idea to expand my ideas through research. So a lot of what I do is finding where my talents and interests fit. And what's exciting is from the branch head and the division head is as I'm learning that they say you can do anything you want to here, so there's a lot of opportunities to expand on your interests. What skills and training are necessary for your position?: For a position as a scientist at SPAWAR just a strong background in science or engineering, remember when we were we were talking with John back at the robotics demo and there was this other guy James? He started as a biochemist went into bioengineering and now he's in IT. But I guess for the spacial analyst job and the environmentalist job it was important to have a background in environmental studies and environmental analysis. How did you acquire these skills? Through school? On the job?: I would have to say through school, to start, and not just school but graduate school too. Part of it was sort of like you do, as an undergraduate I learned about a kind of environmental science that I wanted to do so I made an independant study to learn GIS. But now I think there's more opportunities to tailor your learning to any particular interests you might have. But much of what we do is applied practice and not only here but at my previous jobs. Do you consider a career in this area satisfying? In what ways?: Yes, partly because it's really, a fancy way to say it is, intellectually challenging, a fun way to say it is problem solving. Challenging problems, but I really care about the outcome, I believe in environmental conservation. Not only that but helping make jobs for people like scientists easier by seeing how we can apply technology to improve problem solving. Is there anything you wish you'd realized about the world of work when you were my age?: I think I've always approached work the same way I approached school, my brother said "You won't like certain aspects of your work, that's why it's called work." But I think work should be fun, but maybe it's because I went to a school that developed that in me. I guess what I'd say is that I'd just encourage young people to enter the workforce with that kind of concept and it's a good concept to keep. They shouldn't get bogged down by the difficulties of work. And knowing about it, I mean you've worked before right? Even if you grew up working at home if you kinda come along doing that, I don't think the work world is that shocking. What should I know about this organization before I start working here?: So many of the things you've already experienced,I wonder if new students could adapt, the new generation is more adaptable. Somebody could come in tomorrow and repurpose this room. Being a government business there's a lot more change in assets, since they're shared across 4,500 people so there are many levels on deciding what you need, furniture, internet , those things change much more frequently than at a private company. So flexibility on how things work, just like you did! With getting the VLAN on your computer. Also security is much more important here than an internship elsewhere What is a typical work day like?: For me, if I'm in the office I try to, on a good work day, I get to focus several hours on an analysis problem or I get a big block of time to do technical writing in a project I'm working on. But half the day ends up being providing technical support, solving issues on projects you didn't know about so you have ad hoc problem solving also ad hoc administrative problem solving. Partly dealing with the way the system works because it's large and because security is so important. How is this organization structured?: By codes, and you know I'm just learning about this too, so we are in a technical code 70 so the whole organization is divided into technical and administratives code and competencies it's how they describe groups that provide different services, maybe you're an engineer working on radio or an engineer working with robots or a scientist working with environmental sciences so all those are different skills working on different competencies. All of them are seen as being integral to how the whole organization functions. We were taught in our training how we need HR as much as we need the scientists in order for it all to function. What is the purpose of this organization?: One of the missions one of the little tag lines is C4ISR, it's funny they say that so much but they don't define it, but really providing the technical and science support to the navy with a focus on C4ISR and one of the primary goal is information dominance. I've also heard that even though we don't think about it day to day much of what we do supports the warfighters and sometimes it's a lot of steps between what we do and the men and women in the field. We actually had a commander come and speak to us about that. That there are people whose lives are depending on our improvements on communication, improvements to access to information and different kinds of scientific analysis. What does it take to be successful in this organization?: The same as would be required from anyone doing a job in science and technology but I think it's very different from being say a researcher at a university, because you're part of this organization with lots of things going on. Sometimes your project takes a back seat to other parts of the organization, hence the whole flexible adaptable thing. You have to enjoy contributing to this team, even if it means doing certain tasks that weren't part of your job description. If you worked with a small company that only did two things that wouldn't be the case. What other advice do you have about working here?: One thing that I certainly found is because the structure is not a hierarchy and we don't have labels on on our doors it's that if you have questions be proactive and learn who people are and what people do because there's a lot of people who've been here a long time. Learn how to do their task and get work done, if it were a small company you'd have small focused meeting and everyone would know the goals but here it's really diverse but if you get the opportunity to learn more then take that opportunity because you might not get that opportunity just sitting at our desk doing your project. How important is getting along with other people in your career?: Very important, and I think more important in government employment. You can get away with being more isolated in an academic setting, but here you have to interact with people a lot more, a lot of different people. What other personality traits, skills, or knowledge are important here?: Being inquisitive, just because think it makes adapting to diversity in people and skills and tasks easier. And also having respect for not just other fields of research but all of the different roles people play in this organization. I remember some of the people in unmanned systems, a couple of people used to say "We didn't want any PHDs over here because they're such snobs." You've gotta work with a lot of different smart people with different ideas on problem solving than you. But here you learn a lot of respect for all different aspects of this job. What questions did I not ask that I should have?: If I were coming in I'd want to know something about who I'd be working with or in particular, so much of what we do is computer oriented so what you might want to ask is what software do I need to know or how will I do my work? But also will I have certain tasks or will I get to develop my own project? Today was only my second day actually working onsite at SPAWAR. And just like last time I've noticed that all the buildings here are really amazing. When I say that I mean the building where I work has a maze like structure of offices that for some reason interests me a lot. So yeah just the general look of the architecture, which is basically a regular office building but it's the first time I've been in an office building. Like I wrote last time everyone that I've been working with is really amazing. They are all so knowledgeable of their subjects. You can tell they're really doing something that they love.I'm not quite sure this kind of work is right for me though. So getting to experience it and finding that out is very important. The work that I'm currently doing is working on mapping out all of SPAWAR and create a map that can be used to find every building since the current maps are lacking. Not only that but I'll also create a map for the public so they can get an idea of what SPAWAR is. Still I'm very excited to start working with an advanced GPS and maybe go to Camp Pendleton. Again the only thing that worries me is that I might not be able to live up to the expectations of me.
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