Emily Peachthong, EUSA intern from Boston Univeristy

Being an intern here at the InfantLab at Goldsmiths University of London has been an extremely unique experience for me. Not only was this my first internship in a new country outside of my native one, but it was my first internship ever. I went into this experience with a lot to expect, in terms of cultural differences and what it’s like to be an intern. However, I also went into this experience with a lot unexpected as well. By the end of my internship at InfantLab, I can confidently say that I was completely satisfied with my experience here.

I was kept busy every day with a variety of tasks to complete. Almost every day, I was in the lab with my colleagues and with some of the cutest babies I have ever seen. I got to observe and assist in various capacities in different studies being conducted at the time. I learned so much as an observer, from how to prepare the equipment involved in testing to how to comfortably interact with the babies. As an intern in the lab, I was completely comfortable with the tasks I was given. I had roles that were within my capability, and roles that led me to learn and grow in my skills. Plus, getting to hang out with babies is always an added bonus. I spent a lot of time in the lab getting to play with baby toys and blow bubbles, and I can assure that it’s always a good time.

In addition to assisting during testing, I also spent a significant amount of time in the lab recruiting parents and their babies to take part in our studies. Quite frankly, this was one of my favorite roles in the lab because the more time that passed with my being there, the more I learned how to meet the needs of the lab in an organizational way. I learned along the way that there is a lot to keep in mind when booking babies for the lab: correct age group; how to reflect the needs of the studies; how to comfortably and appropriately talk to parents; etc. This was one of my favorite tasks at InfantLab because not only did I gain a practical skill in recruiting participants, but it certainly helped in strengthening my organizational skills as well.

Another huge component of my time as an intern involved editing and redesigning the InfantLab’s website. This task involved changing around color and photos, and reshaping the organization and hierarchy of pages within the website. I’ve never taken on a role like this before at a job in the past. It was challenging at times, but also an educational and creative role that I engaged in. I am proud of the final product, and it is nice to know that I have this tangible piece of work to look back on of my time here at InfantLab.

There are so many more aspects of my internship at InfantLab that I truly appreciate. I was involved in the studies being conducted, and in future projects that were in their beginning stages. I got to read many interesting research papers. I even worked closely with MIT in preparation for an online study. Most of all, one of the biggest aspects of InfantLab that I appreciated was the very lovely community that made up the team. Everyone at InfantLab was friendly, and always willing to answer my questions and to teach me something new. I’m extremely grateful for how welcoming everyone made me feel. InfantLab was an incredible experience to embark upon during my time in London, and I wish any future intern or any member to have as great a time as I did!

Emily Peachthong was InfantLab intern from October to December 2018. She came to us through the EUSA internship program www.eusainternships.org.