Summer Internship Experience at Cabarrus Health Alliance by Kenzie Graham

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:23:26 UTC

These mosquitoes are from an apartment complex site where we used dippers to examine the larvae present within the standing water sources, and we gave the property owner mitigation methods to follow

1. Learning Objectives:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:24:34 UTC

Understand public health initiatives: Explore how environmental health initiatives, like mosquito abatement efforts protect communities.

Develop field and lab skills: Gain hands-on experience in water testing, surveillance, and public health practices.

Expand public health knowledge: Learn the intersection of environmental science and health in real-world applications.

2. Internship Goals:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:26:48 UTC

Goal 1: Gain practical experience in environmental health projects.

Goal 2: Develop analytical skills for data collection and interpretation.

Goal 3: Engage with community-based public health efforts.

3. Key Responsibilities:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:27:15 UTC

Mosquito Surveillance & Abatement: Set traps, collect data, and analyze insecticide efficacy

Water Quality Monitoring: Test public pool chemistry for health parameters

Community Engagement: Assist in public outreach and education on health risks

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:45:06 UTC

This is a general photo of our CO2 dry-ice setup of our main traps. The dry-ice cooler hangs which attracts the mosquitoes, and below is a battery powered light and fan where the mosquitoes are sucked into

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-05 19:58:02 UTC

This is me posing in front of our CO2 dry-ice light traps we used to trap the mosquitoes

4. Highlights & Day-to-Day Work:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:29:28 UTC

Conducting fieldwork for mosquito abatement, ensuring public safety from vector-borne diseases.

Monitoring public pool water and ensuring compliance with health regulations.

Collaborating with professionals in environmental health to implement public health initiatives.

6. Reflection on Goals:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:32:31 UTC

My internship goals were not only met but exceeded through a variety of real-world experiences. Collaborating with the Cabarrus Health Alliance not only gave me the practical knowledge I sought but also broadened my perspective on how public health and environmental science intersect.

The experience enhanced my skills in conducting fieldwork, data analysis, and community outreach, which will serve me well in my academic and professional career.

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:32:42 UTC

This is a photo of our gravid traps which aimed to attract only gravid (pregnant) mosquitoes to give birth in. This was a stew of fermented yard clippings which we let brew for over a week. It smelt horrible!

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:34:32 UTC

This picture is from our Robins Nest location with over 1000 mosquitoes. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes in the world, 200 different mosquitoes in the United States, and 60 different species in North Carolina. A few to list would be: Aedes, Psorophora , Culex, and Anopheles

5. Biggest Takeaways:

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:34:58 UTC

Strengthened Technical Expertise: Gained hands-on experience in environmental monitoring, water quality assessments, and implementing public health protocols.

Deeper Insight into Community Health: Recognized how environmental health programs directly contribute to improving community well-being and safety.

Professional Development: Solidified my passion for environmental health, confirming its alignment with my long-term career objectives.

kgraham14_2 — 2024-10-14 00:35:13 UTC

This collection of mosquitoes is from Robins Nest which took us a while to sort through and identify. We caught over 400 mosquitoes

Ways to reduce mosquitoes are done by getting rid of stagnant water by emptying bird baths, pet water bowls, potted plants, children's toys, etc. Cleaning out roof gutters and getting rid of old tires are also effective methods to reduce mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can breed in 1-2 fluid ounces (A single-serving coffee creamer cup). It is also imperative to stay inside during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.