{"id":105,"date":"2018-03-16T22:15:44","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T22:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/cbee\/?p=105"},"modified":"2018-03-16T22:15:44","modified_gmt":"2018-03-16T22:15:44","slug":"johnson-internship-program-turns-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/cbee\/2018\/03\/16\/johnson-internship-program-turns-20\/","title":{"rendered":"Johnson Internship Program turns 20"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Nicole
Bioengineering junior Nicole Laschober, a two-time Johnson Intern, presented a poster in October 2017 at the national conference of the Biomedical Engineering Society in Phoenix, Arizona.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since it was launched in 1998, the Peter and Rosalie Johnson Internship Program<\/strong><\/a> has provided paid research opportunities for more than 400 students in the School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering.<\/p>\n

Created at the initiative of chemical engineering alumnus Peter Johnson \u201955 and his wife, Rosalie, the program was endowed with a $2.4 million gift in 2008. Each spring, about 25 qualified first-year students are matched with research labs on campus, or with one of Oregon State\u2019s academic partners.<\/p>\n

In addition to a good, paid summer job and valuable training on laboratory equipment, Johnson Interns gain confidence and new perspectives from their research experience.<\/p>\n

The Johnson program is special, says Professor Skip Rochefort<\/strong><\/a>, who administers the program, because there are very few comparable, intensive research opportunities available for students with only one year of schooling under their belts. The experience that Johnson Interns acquire in their first summer can be instrumental in assuring their future success.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur students compete nationally for internships and undergraduate research experience programs,\u201d said Rochefort. \u201cTo be competitive for these positions, they need to have demonstrated mastery of skills not widely taught or practiced at other schools. This is what the Johnson Internship provides them in the summer following their first year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bleeding for science<\/h3>\n

Nicole Laschober<\/strong>, a bioengineering junior, has spent the past two summers working at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in the lab of Owen McCarty, examining the clotting mechanisms at work in blood platelets. From the beginning, she says, it was a hands-on learning experience. \u00ad\u00ad\u00ad<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the lab every day, working with fresh blood,\u201d she said. \u201cGoing in, I didn\u2019t realize at all what the job was going to be like. So in retrospect, I guess it\u2019s a good thing I\u2019m not squeamish. The blood I worked with was often my own, so I got to learn a lot about my own platelet count.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laschober says her platelet count wasn\u2019t the only thing she learned about herself during her time at OHSU.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also figured out that I really enjoy doing research,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I like being at a lab bench. That has helped me to focus. I’m thinking I might want to go to graduate school, and I\u2019m looking around at different labs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The work Laschober was involved in during her first summer led to publication in a peer-reviewed journal, where she was the third-listed author. And last fall, she presented a research poster at the annual meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society in Phoenix, Arizona.<\/p>\n

\"Kendra
Bioengineering sophomore Kendra Jones presents research she did over the summer at OHSU, during the Johnson Interns poster presentation in January at Oregon State University.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kendra Jones<\/strong>, a bioengineering sophomore, joined Laschober last summer in McCarty\u2019s lab, where she worked on a research project examining the unique properties of platelets in newborn babies. And, just like her fellow student, Jones had the opportunity to shed a little blood for her research. But for her, that wasn\u2019t the scary part, she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very nervous going in, just because it was OHSU, and it\u2019s kind of a big deal,\u201d she said. \u201cBut there’s really no reason to be nervous. You just need to slow down, and know that you know things. I think my biggest problem was that I was just a first-year student and I felt like I didn’t have enough background in engineering or biology. But you learn on the spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones says the experience was a transformative moment in her educational career.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking back, I gained so much confidence in myself,\u201d she said. \u201cI can see how my education lines up with a future career. It was hard to see that before.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting a close-up view of the field<\/h3>\n

Joe Hebert<\/strong>, now a sophomore in chemical engineering, spent his summer on campus in the lab of Professor Greg Herman<\/strong><\/a>. There, he worked alongside another intern, using atomic force microscopy to examine the orientation of a certain type of chemical structure, called beta-Keggin clusters, on a graphite surface. The research has implications for the development of new materials for microprocessors.<\/p>\n

\"Joe
Chemical engineering sophomore Joe Hebert presents research he did last summer in the lab of Professor Greg Herman, at the Johnson Interns poster session in January.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hebert says he had looked at a few scientific papers detailing the standard operating procedures for the instrument, but even just assimilating the required technical vocabulary presented a big challenge up front.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very intimidating \u2014 until that first day,\u201d Hebert said. \u201cMy partner and I were immediately introduced to the graduate students who took us under their wing. They showed us how to use the equipment and what to watch out for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hebert says he had always envisioned himself focusing on the pharmaceutical side of chemical engineering because of his personal interests and family background. However, his experience with the Johnson program has expanded his horizons.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt kind of opened my eyes to how broad chemical engineering can be,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are so many other fields that are extremely interesting. The doors are wide open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bioengineering with beads<\/h3>\n

Kelly Hollenbeck<\/strong>, also a sophomore in chemical engineering, worked with bioengineering Assistant Professor Kate Schilke<\/strong><\/a> on a project to engineer tiny beads made of bionanoparticles. These beads are coated with various proteins that give rise to different surface properties, making them useful in a host of potential bioengineering and biomedical applications.<\/p>\n

\"Kelly
Chemical engineering sophomore Kelly Hollenbeck presents research she did last summer in the lab of Assistant Professor Kate Schilke, at the Johnson Interns poster session in January at Oregon State.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The beads Hollenbeck worked with are grown in a type of cell that typically is fed with glucose. Hollenbeck\u2019s project involved growing the cells on an alternative substrate, 1-4, butanediol. Growing the beads was a long process that involved learning a lot of different microbiology techniques, including the use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Getting time on that equipment is a rare experience for an undergraduate, Hollenbeck said, let alone a first-year student.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got so many things out of the experience,\u201d Hollenbeck said. \u201cI learned how to work in a lab environment, individually, with peers, and in groups. I learned how to present my findings, both written and orally. That was a big part of our group, actually. We really had to communicate a lot, because there were so many projects going on at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hollenbeck says the knowledge she gained over the summer helped to consolidate what she had learned in class during her first year. But more than that, she says, she felt the work she was doing had value beyond what it could do for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could definitely see how the stuff I was learning in the classroom applied to real-world applications,\u201d she said. \u201cBut knowing that I was working on something that was real, and that has the potential to help people \u2014 that was a really a cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applications due March 30<\/h3>\n

Applications for the 2018 Johnson Internship Program<\/a> are due March 30. First-year students who meet the eligibility requirements<\/a>\u00a0are encouraged to apply. Those with questions may contact Skip Rochefort<\/strong> directly at\u00a0skip.rochefort@oregonstate.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since it was launched in 1998, the Peter and Rosalie Johnson Internship Program has provided paid research opportunities for more than 400 students in the School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering. Created at the initiative of chemical engineering alumnus Peter Johnson \u201955 and his wife, Rosalie, the program was endowed with a $2.4 million … <\/p>\n

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