Name: Emma Blersch
Class Year: 2027
Major: Geology
Minor: Environmental Studies
 
Internship Organization: University of Freiburg
Internship Title: FIT Research Intern
Location: Freiburg, Germany

What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

The beautiful city of Freiburg!

FIT is a lab group at the University of Freiburg made up of many professors and post-bac students doing bio-inspired tech research. I was placed with two PhD student advisors doing active research, who have been guiding my personal research project. The main focus of the research is bio-inspired polymer-based actuators, specifically testing the thermo responsiveness and the effect of different materials on the actuation. My days are mostly spent in the lab, carrying out tests and collecting data!

Why did you apply for this internship?  

I applied for this specific internship because I’m interested in sustainability research and what that looks like in an international university. I found this internship through Bryn Mawr’s connection with Innovation Academy. There were multiple sustainability-based internships offered, but I want to go into research, and so working with a lab at the University of Freiburg appealed to me the most. It’s an incredible opportunity to work with such an active and international lab abroad! 

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship? 

Travel opportunities; took the train to Sion, Switzerland

This is my first research-based internship and it’s a bit challenging to figure everything out, especially in a lab abroad! The German university and research system works a bit differently and it was very confusing to get settled and understand what I was supposed to be doing in the beginning. It was also my first time being outside the US on my own, so getting my bearings in a new job and a new country at the same time was very challenging at first. But once I overcame that initial newness, I’ve come to love my internship and the city I’m doing it in! It’s a challenge I’ve been happy to face! 

What has been your favorite part of this internship? 

The people and the place! FIT is a very international lab with people from all over the world doing so many different kinds of research projects. It’s a wonderful community to learn about science and about others’ experiences. I also love the University and the city of Freiburg so much! It’s such a beautiful place to spend the summer, surrounded by the Black Forest, and with a great public transportation system and sustainability initiatives.