High School Internship Program Trains New Cohort of Young Researchers
Interns tackle real-world Issues with sophisticated techniques under the guidance of GEOG faculty.
In its second year, the Department of Geographical Sciences High School Internship Program (HIP) paired 11 local high school students with eight faculty members for a rigorous six-week research initiative this summer.
Conducted remotely from June 17 to July 26, the program culminated in nine college-level poster presentations on projects tackling diverse geographical and environmental issues. Here are the research projects:
- “Detecting Solar Panels Using Satellite Imagery and Implications for Strategic Land Use Planning” by Alejandro Barry-Obregon and Urjit Chakraborty, both mentored by Assistant Professor Xiaopeng Song
- “Walkshed Sensitivity Analysis within Machine Learning-Based Predictions of Metro Ridership” by Emerson Guillen, mentored by Assistant Professor Taylor Oshan
- “Detecting Artillery Craters and Military Vehicle Tracks” by Jiali Wei, mentored by Associate Professor Sergii Skakun
- “Tracking and Analyzing Progress for the Maryland 5 Million Trees Initiative” by Endric Lotsch and Elizabeth Yoo, both mentored by Professor and Associate Chair George Hurtt
- “Socioeconomic Characteristics and Mental Health in MD ZCTAs” by Liya Mehari, mentored by Professor Kathleen Stewart
- “Lower Mississippi River Floods of 2019” by Cian Quinn mentored by Assistant Research Professor Zhenhua Zou
- “Estimating the Impacts of the 2024 Floods on Cropland Areas in Kenya” by Allison Everett, mentored by Assistant Professor Catherine Nakalembe
- “Performing Terrain Analysis for Point Cloud Data” by Anna Yegorova, mentored by Professor Leila De Floriani
- “Validating Cropland and Rangeland Dynamics in Senegal using Copernicus Global Land Cover Layers” by Myla Leung, mentored by Assistant Professor Catherine Nakalembe
“It was a great experience to see students contribute meaningfully to solving important problems,” said Skakun, a first-time mentor in the program. “The students were very well prepared, grasped concepts quickly, and made significant impacts in a short time.”
This year’s high school students hailed from Prince George’s, Montgomery, Howard, Anne Arundel, and Wicomico counties. They were selected from a pool of stellar applicants, all of whom were committed to their research and to learning geographical sciences techniques.
Among these dedicated students was Myla Leung, a junior at Winston Churchill High School, who is passionate about environmental studies and public health. “I’ve always wanted to learn how GIS could address crises like climate change," Myla said. Her research focused on the transitions from rangeland to cropland and the implications for sustainable agriculture in Senegal, a region facing significant food insecurity. Reflecting on her experience, Myla noted, “Being open-minded is crucial, especially when learning a new tool. Despite initial struggles with Google Earth Engine, my mentors provided the support I needed to succeed.” She also highlighted the new skills she acquired: “I became adept at interpreting data, understanding image band values, and comparing satellite imagery. This enhanced my ability to analyze land cover changes.”
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After working on tracking and analyzing progress for the Maryland 5 Million Trees Initiative, Walt Whitman High School sophomore Endric Lotsch expressed similar enthusiasm: “I really enjoyed this internship because I learned so much more about our environment. I found the numerous ways we can collect data on tree density, flooding, cloud formation, etc. incredibly fascinating, which has motivated me to learn more about this topic.”
Cian Quinn, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School, also shared his excitement: “Realizing that I could complete an independent research project in high school was very rewarding.” This sentiment was echoed by Liya Mehari, also a junior at Montgomery Blair High School, who emphasized the program’s academic benefits: “UMD HIP was a great experience that contributed to my academic growth! As a high school student, I gained valuable insights into collegiate-level research and culture.”
Launched in 2023, HIP aims to inspire high school juniors and seniors to delve into geographical sciences research. During the summer program, students dedicate 10 hours per week to their projects and receive a stipend of $900. The program is organized by Associate Chair and Professor George Hurtt and faculty specialist Valeria Morales. It is supported by the University of Maryland’s Grand Challenges Institutional Grant "Assessing Climate Challenges for a Sustainable Earth," which focuses on mitigating climate change impacts in Maryland.
The Department of Geographical Sciences would like to thank this year’s HIP mentors:
- Assistant Professor Catherine Nakalembe
- Professor and Associate Chair George Hurtt/ Faculty Specialist Valeria Morales
- Professor Kathleen Stewart
- Professor Leila De Floriani
- Associate Research Professor Sergii Skakun
- Assistant Professor Taylor Oshan
- Assistant Professor Xiaopeng Song
- Assistant Research Professor Zhenhua Zou
Published on Thu, 11/07/2024 - 03:17