Mya will be going into the second year of her Bachelor of Science degree in Fall 2019. During her first year, Mya began looking for opportunities outside the classroom that she could immerse herself in, and found the Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge (SPARK) internship program. Mya is currently interning at SPARK, interviewing researchers about their current and recent studies and summarizing their work for a broader audience through knowledge translation. Having previously written for the undergrad Bio-Ed blog, this was a natural fit for her. 

"As a science major I’ve gained valuable knowledge from researchers that directly/indirectly correlates to what I study and enables me to broaden my interests for future careers"

Although a challenge in her first few weeks, Mya quickly grew to adapt to the demands of her role at SPARK, learning a new writing style and developing her professional knowledge and skills. "As a science major I’ve gained valuable knowledge from researchers that directly/indirectly correlates to what I study and enables me to broaden my interests for future careers. Most importantly, SPARK has given me more confidence in public speaking as a result of interviewing professors and graduate students," she shares. Not only has she been sharpening her skills, but this opportunity has also exposed Mya to the many kinds of research opportunities at U of G, that she can consider pursuing. 

Despite being a co-curricular opportunity, interning at SPARK contributes to Mya's learning inside the classroom. A lot of the articles she writes tend to be heavily science-based and relate to topics in her courses. In addition to this, the knowledge Mya gains through learning about new research has been strengthening her understanding of scientific terms and concepts. 

"As a determined individual, I was set on tweaking my time management to accommodate a part time job while still maintaining my grades as a full-time student"

SPARK has had a significant impact on Mya's academic pursuits and eventual career path. Having started undergrad in the Biomedical Sciences program, Mya eventually switched to the Nutritional and Nutraceutical Science major, recognizing through her work and interactions with researchers that she was more interested in a career in nutrition and nutraceuticals research than becoming a doctor. The role at SPARK, however, comes with its own time demands which can seem daunting, particularly in first year, but Mya was keen on making it work with her academic schedule. "As a determined individual, I was set on tweaking my time management to accommodate a part time job while still maintaining my grades as a full-time student. SPARK gave me an outlet to take a break from my studies while still providing me with knowledge that I could forward into my studies," shares Mya. 

Her role has allowed Mya to share the incredible research that happens at U of G with a broad audience. The impact of her work reaches far and wide as her articles are available to audiences online and allow her to contribute to sharing new information. As she continues her studies at U of G, she hopes to engage in more volunteering in and around the campus community and looks to join a research team to pursue her academic interests. 

Learn more about the SPARK internship program.