After three months of working at Ipas, my internship has come to an end, although my involvement with Ipas certainly has not. While my team and I faced unforeseen obstacles in our analysis timeline, I was nevertheless able to produce four deliverables and have been invited to continue assisting in research dissemination. The deliverables I have produced include a community validation presentation; Samburu County, Kenya climate policy desk review; climate resilience and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) codebook; and research impact plan. As our study of intersecting climate resilience and SRHR in Samburu County is still ongoing, I will further contribute to data analysis during my enrollment in Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (HBEH 754), as well as to dissemination through involvement in Ipas webinars and manuscript-writing.
Skill Development: I consistently focused on strengthening and developing my skills throughout this internship. In particular, my qualitative research skills have significantly improved, such that I am more familiar with codebook creation and using Dedoose. Moreover, I had never conducted a desk review nor crafted a research impact plan prior to this internship, both of which I am now able to do. Finally, I strengthened my communication and organization skills, as I mainly worked independently and needed to keep my team informed and myself on schedule.
Mentorship: Sally Dijkerman, MPH was an invaluable mentor throughout my internship. While she guided me on how I could contribute to the project, she permitted me to work independently to complete those tasks. Furthermore, I appreciated that Sally always ensured I had a voice. Whether it was welcoming me into group meetings or asking for my input on her methods and reasoning, her mentorship allowed me to feel seen and heard, despite the subordination typically associated with intern status. I could not have asked for a better mentor to formally introduce me to the field of global SRHR research.
Overall Experience: I cannot speak highly enough of this practicum experience. I find it has not only solidified my interest in global SRHR research but also given me a greater understanding of the role climate change plays in all aspects of life. I am proud of the impact my team and I have already made through our research and look forward to expanding our reach in aims to influence the next climate change policy in Samburu County, Kenya and beyond.
– Caroline