This past summer, I was given the opportunity to mentor Andrew White, an undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island, as part of the SURF fellowship program.

My research involves the development of novel detection methods for environmental pollutants in Narragansett Bay, and I am seeking to develop sensors as part of a larger network which would allow access to real-time environmental data. These sensors could be used as an early warning system for events such as algae blooms.

Andrew supported this work by creating his own project, taking an approach we had tested in our lab and improving a device which was closer to being useful in the ocean. He got a chance to investigate a few potential deployment sites, and also design and 3D-print his own devices for continuous measurement operation, testing them with artificially polluted water.

Andrew was a great help for me, not only regarding our research, but also on a professional level. I already had some leadership experience from my commitment as the membership co-chair at Graduate Assistants United GAU, the local graduate assistant union. Guiding Andrew one-on-one instead of making decisions in a group setting where everything can be discussed beforehand was definitely the biggest challenge.

Figuring out his work and communication style, and giving meaningful feedback was a steep, but extremely valuable learning experience for me. It also helped with structuring my own research as I had to coordinate Andrew’s project as well as my own simultaneously.

As someone who is pursuing a doctorate in chemical engineering, I will help guide graduate students and others in the future. It was a great experience to practice my leadership skills in a working environment, and I am looking forward to working with another student during this summer’s SURF program. I hope to impact their learning experience in a meaningful way.