Summer Internship Reflections: Joleen Buchanan

This reflections blog was written by 2025 SE CASC Summer Science and Communication Intern, Joleen Buchanan.

If you had told me a year ago that I’d spend my summer talking about bees, mussels, and elevation models, and actually enjoy it, I honestly would have been confused as to why I wasn’t doing something related to GIS (Geographic Information Systems). But my summer internship experience at the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) turned out to be exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

Coming into the internship, I was hoping to grow in three areas: learn a new programming language, get hands-on field experience, and build confidence in my science communication skills, specifically my writing skills. I also hoped to network with professors and researchers at NC State, where I’ll be starting my master’s in GIS this fall. SE CASC gave me all of that and more.

On the first day, I was excited but nervous. I had some coding experience but never used a package like spAbundance or Rstudio before. I thought the learning curve would be steep, but I was surprised by my ability to catch on, thanks largely to the support around me. Between our weekly meetings, workshops, and mentor check-ins, I wasn’t just learning the science; I was learning how to talk about it, write about it, and make it matter to others.

One of the coolest things about this internship was how personalized it felt. We weren’t boxed into one role, we got to explore. Whether it was snapping photos in the field, attending “Lunch and Learn” sessions at RTP, or participating in the Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training (C-CRIT) symposium, each experience added a new layer to my confidence.

Outside of the Lunch and Learns, we also had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Rebecca Ward and Dr. Georgina Sanchez over lunch, which led to our invitation to attend C-CRIT. At the lunch and learn sessions, we connected with other interns working in science communication and met science journalists like Karl Leif Bates, and chief editor of American Scientist, Fenella Saunders. We learned how to communicate science not just through writing, but also through visual storytelling, photography, and videography. 

Also, I am a sucker for the outdoors and I love going out in the field. That’s why those days were my favorite. From chasing crystal skipper butterflies on the beach to tagging along with researchers at the mussels lab, the bee farm, and in the city for tree surveys, each trip gave me a real sense of what fieldwork looks like. We even took a trip out to NC State’s Coastal Campus, the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST), where we got to meet Dr. Jeff Buckel and his graduate students who were conducting research on the fish species of North Carolina.

We weren’t just tagging along, we were actively contributing. From helping extract larvae from honeycombs to examining and counting bees for mites, and even assessing the health of trees, we got hands-on with real research. We got up close with freshwater mussels, assisted with tracking butterflies for tagging, and I even had the chance to practice my photography skills by capturing moments out in the field.

There were also smaller wins, like designing my first business card. That might not sound like a big deal, but handing out something that says I’m a “GIS Analyst” on it? Feels special!

One of my biggest takeaways from this internship was learning to trust my writing. As a perfectionist, it was challenging to navigate a new style of communication, but I had to learn to take feedback and understand that it was part of the process, not a reflection of failure, but a step toward growth.

To the entire SE CASC team, Gabriela, Michelle, Cari, and all the incredible researchers who welcomed us in, thank you. This summer gave me more than experience; it gave me clarity, community, and a little extra push to keep going in this field.

And maybe, just maybe, it made me want to stick around NC State a little longer.

Learn more about this summer science and communication internship program.

Watch a presentation by Joleen about her summer: