Nora Hicks, 2026 DOD CAPE Office Intern

Biography

SPS Chapter: North Carolina State University
Hello! My name is Nora and I am a recent graduate from NC State University. I have a B.S. in Physics and a Minor in math. While in university I served two years on the Society of physics student’s national council as associate zone councilor for zone 5! I also was involved in leadership at my local SPS chapter and served as president of our Women in Physics club. I spent 3 years working in a material physics lab, specifically studying the manipulation of different nanoparticle-polymer composites. Through both my research experience and leadership, I discovered my love for science communication and for using science to drive change. I particularly love the fast-paced, changing environment found in research conferences, zone meetings, and organizing community events. Post graduation. I am very excited to explore different avenues of science policy and communication in DC and discover more ways to use my physics background to give back to the community.

Internship

Host: DOD CAPE

Internship Blog

Week 1

Today was my first week in DC! I moved in on Sunday and was very fortunate that it was not too hot. After moving in, I went to Subway with my new roommate! It is so nice how vibrant it is here. Monday was Memorial Day, so I had the whole day to explore the city. I went to my favorite bagel shop, Pearls Bagels, and then went to Trader Joe’s with my roommate to get groceries. We came back and had a snack before walking down to the monuments. As we were walking toward the capital, we heard lots of commotion and ended up running into a Memorial Day parade. We caught the tail end of the parade, but this felt like a proper DC experience. Later that afternoon, I biked to the national cemetery. On my way, I biked through a protest by accident! Again, seems very fitting for DC! That evening, half of the interns went out to a restaurant, had dinner together, and then walked around the Washington Monument at sunset. It was so beautiful, and the weather was perfect. The rest of the week, I had orientations. I am very excited to be here.

Week 2

This was my first full week in DC! Wow—it was so busy. I am starting to get a routine together. I’ve been waking up at 6 a.m. to go on a walk before it gets too hot. I have really enjoyed this time because there are not many people out, and I get to explore the city without the crowds. In the mornings, it’s been in the 50s, which is a nice break from the 90-degree afternoons.
Last weekend, I went to Porch Fest in Petworth. All over the neighborhood, there were local bands playing on people’s porches. There were vendors and people having yard sales. I went with four other interns, and we had a blast. The weather was perfect. That evening, two other interns and I went to the University of Maryland to see the orchestra. It was fun to make a trip out of the city and see how much quieter it is in Maryland.
I’ve been biking a lot. My favorite route was on Sunday afternoon when I went to the Jefferson Memorial and around East Potomac Park. This was really nice because it feels almost like a small island surrounded by the Potomac River. There were no cars driving around either, which made it much more relaxing than biking on the road. On Tuesday, I rode the Metro back out to Maryland and had dinner with my grandma, who lives right outside the city. It was nice to have a home-cooked meal.
Wednesday, we had an intern potluck. I tried to make bean salad but somehow failed, and now I have way too many beans.
Thursday, two other interns and I went out to dinner and then walked around the monuments for a few hours. I love how close the dorms are to the Mall because it is so nice to walk around in the evening with all of the monuments lit up.
Friday, most of the interns and I went to Georgetown for happy hour on the river. This was a great bonding experience, and we had a lot of fun walking around afterward. When we got back, we made a group dinner and then walked around the monuments again—clearly they’re my favorite.
Saturday, some of the interns and I went to Arlington to thrift. They had a really good local thrift shop, and I got so many tops for work. I then walked to Adams Morgan and thrifted some blazers for work. Safe to say I am now fully equipped with business clothes.
Sunday was super hot. I went out to Maryland again, hopped on a trail, and biked 18 miles. The terrain here is much flatter than what I am used to, but the trails have a lot more bends, which keeps things interesting.
I am loving DC.

Week 3

This week, the weather in DC started to get a lot more humid, which meant I did not spend quite as much time outside. The heat has definitely been more noticeable, so I have been adjusting my routine a bit and saving most of my walks for the evenings when it cools down. That being said, I went on a bike ride around the zoo on Monday. It was fun until I made a wrong turn and realized the only way back home was up a long and steep hill. That was not fun. If you ever go on rock creek trail I highly recommend staying on the path and not cutting through the woods.

One of the highlights of my week was taking the Metro out to Maryland to have dinner with my family. It was really nice to have a home-cooked meal. In my opinion, home-cooked meals taste very different from dorm-cooked meals, and it was a nice reminder of home. It was also great to take a break from the busy city.

I also took a bus trip to Lidl to do some grocery shopping. Since moving to DC, I have mostly been shopping at the small grocery stores near the dorms, so it was exciting to visit a larger grocery store again. I missed that. Going there required leaving the main party of the city and navigating public transit while carrying a week’s worth of groceries, which turned into a bit of an adventure.

This week we also had another intern potluck. My roommate and I decided to make pani puri, and it turned out to be a huge success. Almost everyone tried it, and most people really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun cooking together.

DC has felt especially lively lately because of all the sporting events happening around the city. Even though the heat has kept me indoors more during the day, I have been taking evening strolls around the city. It is fun to see the temporary structures for sports events and watch parties.

I am still loving DC.

Week 4

This week was so fun and busy.

Monday: I went to Maryland and had dinner with my grandmother again! The weather was so nice that I walked to her house from the Metro. It is so quiet and peaceful when I leave DC.

Tuesday: The interns had a dinner cruise with AIP staff. This was so fun. I spent most of the time out on the deck of the boat. Again, the weather was amazing. I enjoyed seeing the city from the river.

Wednesday: Today we toured NIST. It took over an hour to get to the campus, but it was worth it. I really enjoyed our panel with AAAS. I learned a lot about different avenues of science and its role in the federal government. It was also one of the interns’ birthdays, so we had a celebration for him.

Thursday: Today I was sick. I slept all day.

Friday: My friend came up from Raleigh to see me. It was so great showing her around. Her tire popped when she got here, right as the National Guard was walking by, and they changed her tire for us. That was so nice. We went to my favorite bagel shop, Pearl’s Bagels. We went out to dinner at an incredibly good Mediterranean restaurant, and then we went to the Smithsonian at night. We went to the Hirshhorn, and it was cool to visit the museums in the dark.

Saturday: Saturday morning, we got a new tire for her and then explored NoMa. NoMa is such a fun area; I want to go back and explore more. Then we went to Pride. We saw the entire parade and then went to the Dupont block party. It was so cool to see how large the parade was and all the communities that were in it!

Sunday: Sunday, I went to the Georgetown Flea Market and got a watch! Then I made the trek to Lidl to stock up on groceries.

Week 5

This week started with a walk around the Reflecting Pool before work. It had been closed for most of the summer, so I was glad it was open. Unfortunately, it closed again later in the week. After work, I started applying for jobs and reaching out to people in the DC area. I want to pursue science policy after graduation, so I am making the most of my time here by setting up informational interviews with people working in different parts of the field.

On Tuesday, I took the Metro and bus to Maryland to have dinner with my grandmother and aunt. We went to a restaurant where I had a chili-loaded sweet potato, which was really good. The bus was heavily delayed, so I ended up waiting about 45 minutes at the Metro station before it arrived.

Wednesday, I biked on the Mount Vernon Trail. My map routed me across a very long bridge with a narrow bike path, which made me a little nervous. I also accidentally ended up on the wrong trail, which was almost entirely uphill, so the ride was more challenging than I expected. On the way back, I biked through Georgetown before heading to the weekly intern potluck. Later that evening, I went on a four-mile walk around the monuments. The military was practicing flyovers for the Fourth of July, so fighter jets were flying overhead throughout the evening.

Thursday, I went to dinner with a few of the other interns. Afterward, we walked around some of the ponds near the monuments before heading back to the dorms.

On Friday, I attended the intern dinner in Baltimore. The Uber ride there took about two and a half hours because of traffic, but it was worth the trip. I had the opportunity to meet several board members and had a number of useful conversations about careers and opportunities.

Saturday, I walked around the National Mall, which was almost completely blocked off as preparations continued for Fourth of July events. From there, I walked to the Wharf. It has become one of my favorite areas in the city because it is right on the water.

Sunday was rainy all day, but I still made it to Pearl’s Bagels, which has become my favorite bagel shop in DC. After breakfast, I stopped by the Dupont Circle Farmers Market before heading back to the dorms. My roommate and I had dinner together and watched a movie.

Week 6

I had a short work week because of the Fourth of July holiday. My boyfriend came to visit on Friday, which was my day off. We walked around the National Mall, and there were so many people. We ended the day at the Wharf, which is one of my favorite areas in DC because it is right on the water. It is also a little cooler there when there is a breeze.
Saturday was the Fourth of July. We watched the flyovers from the lawn of a building near the Mall. We brought a blanket, snacks, and lots of water, and sat in the shade while we waited. It was really relaxing, although it was incredibly hot. Later that evening, we met up with the other interns and went to Georgetown to watch the fireworks. The fireworks ended up being delayed, so we went back to the dorms and watched them from the street instead. There were a lot of fireworks, and it was a great way to end the day. I spent most of Sunday catching up on sleep.

Week 7

It was very hot this week. On Wednesday, it rained, so I went for a walk because the cooler weather made it much more enjoyable. I walked around the Tidal Basin near the Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorials. That has become my new favorite walk. The round trip is about five miles, but it is definitely worth it.
I have been waiting for the Reflecting Pool to reopen, but it is still closed. I really enjoy walking around it in the mornings, so I hope it opens again soon.
This weekend, I took the train back to North Carolina to visit home and escape the heat for a few days. While I was there, I went skateboarding. One thing I really like about DC is how many train routes stop here, which makes traveling very easy. The train had Wi-Fi, so I was able to get some work done during the trip. On the way back to DC, I even had a window seat.

Week 8

Monday: I went to Georgetown and had dinner with a friend from college who recently moved to the area.

Tuesday: I went to Maryland and tried Salvadoran food for the first time with my grandma and aunt. It was very good.

Wednesday: I went on a long walk around the Tidal Basin. It has become my new favorite walking route.

Thursday: I went out to dinner with some of the interns, and afterward we saw a Shakespeare play. It was very funny.

Friday: My boyfriend came to visit, and we spent the evening with my friend from college, some of her friends, and a few of the interns.

Saturday: We went to Blank Street Coffee, where I had a really good cold brew. Later, my boyfriend and I went to IKEA and tried their new veggie nuggets, which were surprisingly good. After that, we walked around the White House.

Sunday: We visited a Colombian coffee shop. I had a corn cortado, but it was not my favorite.