Jenna Mastropolo, 2024 AIP Mather Policy Intern

Biography

SPS Chapter: High Point University

My name is Jenna Mastropolo, and I am a rising senior at High Point University, where I am double majoring in chemistry and physics and minoring in mathematics. I’m from Hamilton, NJ, and am excited to spend my summer working in and exploring Washington D.C. as a Mather Policy Intern for NIST. I have a passion for learning about new science and technology and look forward to witnessing first-hand how the government is involved in its progress.

I currently serve as the President of the High Point University SPS Chapter, I am a member of the American Chemical Society and Alpha Chi Sigma, and I act as an ambassador for the Culp Planetarium and Wanek School of Natural Sciences at High Point. I have also participated for the last two years in undergraduate research, including a summer research program, at High Point University, where I am currently exploring the use of biomimetic patterned surfaces to combat bacterial biofilm growth. When I am not in the science building, I enjoy reading, spending time with friends, and listening to Taylor Swift. I am so excited to meet and learn from everyone this summer!

Internship

Host: American Institute of Physics

Internship Blog

Week 1: ...Ready For It?

Hey, I didn’t see you there! My name is Jenna, and I am the Mather Public Policy Intern at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) this summer. I am from the greatest state ever, New Jersey, and I attend High Point University in North Carolina! The first week has been exciting and scary. However, over the next ten weeks, I can hope that the scariness goes away and that more exciting things will happen!

Sunday started a long and eventful week. The day started with an hour-long wait to check-in. I finally made it to my room and met my roommate, Sonja! My parents helped me move my things in and get settled in. We had some lunch to celebrate the start of my internship and then said our goodbyes. The day ended with Sonja and me talking and getting to know each other.

Monday was pleasant and relaxing since it was Memorial Day. Since we had the day off, Sonja and I went to Target for groceries and other needed items. I took the rest of the day to relax and read my book. Later in the night, most of the interns and I hung out in someone’s room playing card games and got to know each other a little more!

Tuesday was a little stressful but overall exciting. It was orientation day, and all of us interns had commuted to the American Center for Physics (ACP). There, we had our orientation and professional headshots taken. A few of us played bocce ball on the roof and spent our lunch chatting with one another. I had to leave orientation early to make it to NIST in time for my fingerprints to be done. Just before I was about to leave, I realized I had forgotten my second form of identification! I took the metro all the way back to the dorm and headed up to NIST to make it just in time before the office closed! Once everything was handled, I met with two of my coworkers/mentors, Kimmai and Brad. I had a little orientation at NIST, and before I knew it, I was back on the metro, heading back to the dorm. A few interns and I ended the night with a trip to the National Mall to play Spikeball, except we got caught in the rain and had to walk up ten flights of stairs.

On Wednesday, I returned to the long NIST commute and began my first official day in the office. I met some incredible employees and was given a short tour of campus. I was assigned my first mini-project and couldn’t be more excited to start. I went out to lunch with three coworkers and another intern, Charlotte! Later that night, a few interns and I went to a bar for Astronomy on Tap to listen to three astronomy talks!

Thursday had to be the longest day ever to exist. It started with a fire alarm going off at three in the morning and another walk up ten flights of stairs. I had an early morning meeting, so it was already an early wake-up call. I met my capstone mentor, Susan, and got the official rundown of my project (let’s say I am thrilled for this summer). I attended an all-hands-on meeting and met employees in other divisions at NIST. It was interesting to see what everyone was working on in the building. When I returned to the dorm, all the interns met for dinner in the dining hall and shared some laughs. The night ended with one of the interns, Johnny, and I heading to Trader Joe’s, where I watched him calculate every single price per ounce of smoked salmon and then take everything out of his backpack because his milk started leaking all over it!

On Friday, six of us headed to the ACP office to get some work done! We tried our very best to be productive, but occasionally, someone would start talking, and the conversation would continue. We played some bocce on the roof again and got back to work. That night, a few of us went to an art exhibition and then got together to play some games and have a lot of laughs.

Now, that leaves us with the last day of the week. We headed to the National Mall on Saturday afternoon to play Spikeball and football! It was a lot of fun to run around and laugh. That night, my roommate and I had a few people over and played card games like the classic Go Fish (thank you, Johnny).

It was a pretty eventful week. This ten-week journey has been an exciting start, and I am ready to explore what this city and internship have to offer. As Taylor Swift once said, “Baby, let the games begin.” So, are you ready for it?

Week Two: Foolish One

Welcome back to my channel! Week two ended up being a series of unfortunate events. I learned that sometimes you have to embrace the foolish things in life.

Sunday morning, I spent with Kai and Sonja at the Dupont Farmer’s Market, where I purchased some of the best strawberries ever. The evening was filled with Indiana Jones movies, and I realized that Charlotte had never seen any of them.

All was well on Monday until the evening, when I decided it was time to do laundry. Clearly, the washer and dryer had other plans because my clothes came out soaking wet and then never dried in the dryer...twice. George Washington University, I hope you enjoy my $7 for laundry. Sonja and I hosted a game night, where we learned about Charlotte’s love for Bananagrams and that Jaden can do some impressive impressions.

I almost got kicked out of the Department of State on Tuesday. Charlotte and I were invited to a meeting at the DoS, which was interesting to see how everything works. However, since I didn’t have my official NIST badge, I took longer to get through security and had to be escorted around the building (I was the only one like this). After a long wait for my official GWU card, I could pick it up from the housing office. The people in the office had a mix-up and wondered how I had been getting into my room (Hi, Jaden and Reidyn, I’m your new roommate!). The problem was resolved!

Wednesday was spent at the ACP building with a few other interns. Thankfully, lots of work was done, and I finished my 6-page report that I had to do! We spent the rest of the evening there, where we had the opportunity to listen to Dr. John Mather and Dr. Mark Clampin’s Trimble Lecture titled “The Next Great Space Telescope: Lessons for Success in the Search for Life Outside the Solar System.” Charlotte and I were able to talk to Dr. Mather before his talk and thank him for sponsoring our internship! A few of us were also able to meet with Dr. Robert Petre (Director of Astrophysics at NASA Goddard) and Dr. Chris Stark (NASA Goddard astronomer), who were so generous as to give us their contact information and invite us to NASA Goddard for a tour. The night ended with a fashion show to see what everyone would wear for the next day, aka our dinner cruise.

The best thing happened on Thursday: I finally became a Federal Employee.... Sort of. I was in the NIST office on Thursday and met with my mentor, Susan, who gave me great feedback on the report that I had written. Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property are two areas of life that I will be VERY familiar with by week ten. Brad was lovely enough to buy Charlotte and I Cava for lunch. During lunch, I learned that Brad is a major Swiftie (twins) and that the deer on the NIST campus are more of a federal employee than I am. I finally received my NIST badge (so I can get up the elevator), but I can’t use it to log into my laptop because my background check is still pending (I promise I’m clean). Charlotte and I rushed home to get ready for the SPS Dinner Cruise! I learned what “cocktail casual” means and that even executives like the Cha Cha Slide and Wobble. When we returned to land, a few of us went to a club to celebrate our networking skills.

Imagine my face when I walked into the ACP building on Friday morning and my NIST laptop wouldn’t let me log in. Needless to say, I was on the phone with IT for 30 minutes to fix it (shoutout to the NIST IT). My week finally started to look better when Jaden, Charlotte, Charles, and I went to Jazz in the Garden at the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden—forever thanking the high schoolers who let Jaden and Charles in! The night ended with the fourth Indiana Jones movie and Shrek (Charlotte is uncultured about movies).

The weekend was nice and restful, with Saturday spent with Sonja. We had brunch at Tatte Bakery and checked out some bookstores in Dupont. I baked some banana bread and just enjoyed the evening. Charles and Kaden joined us later in the night to play Cranium (If you ever meet Charles, ask him to act out Jekyll and Hyde). Sunday was spent at the zoo, where everyone learned that I have a fear of birds (I think they’re using it against me now). We ended the week with intense games of Uno and a miniature indoor cookout courtesy of Jaden and his George Foreman grill.

Overall, it was a pretty good week! I was going to add the lyric from the great Dr. Swift, “You will never learn your lesson,” but jokes on her, I did.

Week 3: I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

This week, Charlotte left me. The week was filled with bad movies, missing Charlotte, and Jaden breaking our truce. It was hard to go on, but I did it with a broken heart (aka Charlotte being gone for the weekend). Quoting the great Ms. Swift: “Cause I’m a real tough kid, I can handle it.”

The week started with working at the ACP building. I had a few meetings and completed some work, making it a productive day. That night, I met with one of my old professors, Dr. Brad Barlow, for dinner at Founding Farmers. It was so nice to catch up with him and tell him about the work that I have been doing. Afterward, some of the interns and I watched Shrek 2 (another movie Charlotte had seen). I finished the evening by winning two games of Bananagrams (out of many) with Jaden and Charlotte.

Tuesday was a slower day. I went to NIST in the morning and was more productive in my work than the day before. I had a meeting with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Software Intellectual Property training. It was an interesting meeting, and I learned a lot that will help me later in my career (I want to be a patent attorney). The night ended with a few interns and me attending a free comedy show!

Wednesday was my first day missing Charlotte. She overslept and left me ALONE to travel to NIST. I spent the entire day thinking about how she should be right down the hall from me, but instead, she was forty minutes away . It was quiet in the office without Brad and Charlotte, making me realize I am the distraction. After a long day at work, I took the trip back home (shoutout to Susan for letting me skip a meeting). That evening, Charles, Jaden, Brynn, Reidyn, Charlotte, and I went to the Wharf for Rock the Dock! We played a few games of cornhole while listening to good music and watching the sunset. We learned that in another life, I want to be a figure skater, and Jaden wants to be a blacksmith.

Thursday morning, I watched someone get arrested at 7 A.M. right outside the metro. A good way to start the day. The day was filled with back-to-back meetings, consisting of meetings with the USPTO and two staff meetings. Some important work was being done by the Mather interns because I ranked every flavor of Starburst to end the workday (watermelon is the best, and lemon is the worst). Charlotte and I joined the rest of our NIST team for a retirement happy hour (thank you, Brad, for the beer). We chatted with fellow colleagues Said, Mike, and Brad about a congressional hearing that Charlotte and I are attending. We ended the night watching Charlotte’s new favorite movie, Spy Kids.

Friday morning, Charles almost set the ACP building on fire. Fear not, all was well. We spent most of the day playing with boom whackers to prepare for Astronomy on the mall next weekend. Charlotte departed us halfway through the day and began our weekend separation. I would be lying if I said Friday was a productive day because, at one point, I had to give Charles my phone so that I could lock into my work (that lasted an hour). I convinced Jaden and Sonja to leave early with me. We had twelve Jazz in the Garden tickets this week, so ten interns went! It was a relaxing night to end a busy week.

The weekend was also relaxing. I spent most of Saturday cleaning my room and putting away laundry. I received photos of bird statues from Jaden, Maia, and Charles. I thought Jaden and I had an agreement that he wouldn’t bully me about my bird fear, but I have, in fact, been betrayed. That evening, Amanda, Maia, and I met Brad for dinner at the University of Maryland because we were invited to go to the symphony with Jack! I had never been to a symphony before, and I can gladly say that I would love to go again. On Sunday morning, Sonja and I walked to Starbucks and chilled in the AC on a hot day. Charlotte finally made her return, and we took a walk to catch up over the weekend. Charlotte, Jaden, Charles, and I had dinner and played some intense rounds of Bananagrams. Kaden joined us to watch one of my favorites, Good Will Hunting and Wall·E. That evening, we learned that Charles and Charlotte are now enemies (go read the end of Charlotte’s blog). I think it was a good way to end the week.

Week 4: Guilty as Sin?

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby.

I believe there’s a reason why the longest days are in the summer. I think it’s because these are the days that we create the most memories, the memories that we will look back on 20 years from now and wish those days never ended. This week felt like it was long for a reason because I’ll never be 21 again playing spike ball on the National Mall, or playing Uno while everyone is singing the words to “Brown Eyed Girl,” or watching Charlotte try to get into the White House.

Monday was a simple day. I spent it in the ACP office getting some work done, and we had lunch on the roof, as usual. Afterward, Maia explained some of the demos we would do for Astro on the Mall on Saturday. That evening, we played Spike ball and watched the sun go down over the Lincoln Memorial.

Tuesday was the true start to a very eventful week. Charlotte and I met with Said in the Hart Senate Office Building for lunch before heading to a Senate hearing. He gave us a little tour of the building, and we waited in line to get into the hearing (thinking we wouldn’t get in). Lucky for us, the manufacturing gods were on our side, and I was able to experience something that I had never dreamed of. The hearing was from the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations with Boeing CEO David Calhoun. It was surreal being in a room that you see all over the news and then hearing people talk about it afterward.

We had off on Wednesday for Juneteenth and started the morning with brunch at Founding Farmers. After that, we visited the National Portrait Gallery for a few hours. In the late afternoon, we all started prepping for a dumpling potluck (full credit to Maia). I wanted to make peanut butter cookies, but my oven decided that was a bad idea and not to bake them. My apologies to all. Maia made us all help with making the dumplings, and not to brag, but I think I can make a pretty good dumpling (this is a complete lie). We ended the night by surprising Charles with a cake and card, playing Uno, and listening to good music.

Thursday morning, Charlotte and I met Said and other colleagues at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. We had a quick meeting there and wandered around the building for a few hours. We were lucky enough to see John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Astronaut Jose Hernandez, and Vice President Harris. Normal Thursday, right? We were sitting outside, and Charlotte thought it was a good idea to go through one of the gates from the Eisenhower Building to the White House. The Secret Service thought otherwise. It was a little silly to watch. I met Maddie, Charles’ girlfriend, who is the sweetest thing ever! We went out that night to celebrate Charles’ 21^st birthday too! Happy Birthday, Charles! Welcome to 21!

Friday was another chill day spent at the ACP office. We had lunch on the roof again, and Charlotte and I somehow convinced everyone to have a watch party for the Bachelorette (I am thrilled!). After work, some of us went to the French Embassy for Fête de la Musique. We listened to live music and had a great time!

Saturday was the hottest day ever. A group of us went to the DC annual BBQ Battle. After a few hours of delicious BBQ, popsicles, umbrella and hot dog hats, a cold shower and a nap under the air-conditioned vent were much needed. Saturday night was filled with rave music and the fabric of spacetime for Astronomy on the National Mall! The event being held inside was the best decision someone could have made, but overall, it was a fun night! On Sunday morning, Charlotte and I took a quick trip to Trader Joe’s for groceries. I spent the rest of the day getting some work done and relaxing in the AC. I finished the day cooking a delicious chicken and pasta meal and watching Spider-Man with the group!

To say the least, it was a very eventful week! 4 weeks in, and I am excited to see what the remaining 6 will look like. When this is all over, am I allowed to cry?

Week 5: Holy Ground

“There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat...” The key to success lies in recognizing and seizing the opportunity. You can learn a lot in five weeks. Whether it’s about the people you are surrounded by or yourself. Learning that an internship and opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime, you must seize the moment.

Monday was like any ordinary day. I went to the ACP office in the morning and did some work. In the afternoon, Charlotte and I met Brad in National Harbor for a meeting and listened to him give a talk. In the evening, a few of us went to play spike ball at the mall (which seems to be a common occurrence with this group). We played a few Jackbox games to end the night.

Tuesday was a day spent at NIST. Kaden joined Charlotte and me for our 6:30 a.m. commute. In the morning, I met with my mentor, where we discussed my final report and adjusted my outline (I’m a little scared, to say the least). Overall, it is going to be an exciting 30 pages! Charlotte was adamant about going to trivia that night, so somehow, we managed to find one for which we didn’t have to be an hour early. Trivia started fantastically with your typical general knowledge trivia and us being in second place, and then we discovered the theme, and it went downhill from there. I guess Charlotte loved the first two Shrek movies so much that she managed to find a Shrek-themed trivia. Our second-place ranking went down really quick after that.

Charlotte and I attended the 2024 National Meeting of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) on Wednesday. It was so nice meeting people from different agencies and hearing about their work. The food was delicious, and the talks were informational, making it a good day! That evening was laid back with watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (in my opinion, one of the worst movies to exist... sorry, Michael Cera). Thursday was also spent at the NIIMBL Meeting. I, however, left early because I went home for the weekend! My Thursday afternoon and evening were spent on a train heading north to New Jersey!

On Friday, I watched my dad retire from a job he had had for 26 years. Tears were shed, and laughs were had. Over the weekend, I was very grateful to see family and friends I hadn’t seen in a while and share all about my adventures in D.C. After a nice weekend at home on Sunday, I returned to city life. To end the weekend, we watched one of my favorite movies, Cars (yes, I own the Lightning McQueen Crocs)! It remains a mystery who missed me the most this weekend!

For all that we’ve been through, I love the people I’m surrounded by.

Week 6: the last great american dynasty

“You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.” – William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World

Monday was like every other Monday. I spent the day at the ACP building getting work done as usual. That night, we played spike ball down at the mall (a recurring Monday), making it a really relaxing day...minus the stress that was brought upon when I learned my report will be 30 pages. Tuesday was the same type of workday, except for Charlotte, and I traveled to NIST. After an extra-long day, Kaden and I met some of the other interns at Tuesday Trivia. I still think that we should have placed higher, but we’ll try again next week. Also, Sonja left me all alone in our room on Tuesday, and I won’t see her for a WHOLE week. :(

Wednesday, we took the long trip to NIST to begin yet another day. Surprisingly, Charlotte and I could leave two hours early per government rules (thanking someone for that one). The night ended with watching yet another Michael Cera movie, Superbad. Not my favorite, but not the worst either. I’m starting to think I don’t like Mr. Cera... sorry king.

On Thursday, I woke up and immediately listened to “the last great american dynasty” by Taylor Swift. I could feel the patriotism running through my veins from Miss Americana herself. Some of the interns (plus a few guests) went to Jaden’s frat house to grill some hot dogs. No better way to celebrate the birth of America than hot dogs and beer. (I had four hot dogs this day)

Multiple people told us that we had to get to the mall five hours early to get a good spot to see the fireworks. So, there we were, camping out in the rain, heat, and bugs for five hours. Whoever was on aux for the fireworks show deserves the highest pay raise because it went from Bruce Springsteen to Taylor Swift to Toby Keith, and nothing could have been more American than that.

While most people took Friday off, I decided to get some work done. I worked from home, and Charles joined me late in the morning. We took the metro to Rosslyn for lunch and continued working until he left me to go climbing (lame). Jaden then joined me to do some work, and we were both equally productive, which was good! In the evening, Charles, Charlotte, and Charlotte’s boyfriend (Skylar), and I played Catan.

Saturday, I spent the entire day relaxing and catching up on some school-related work that needed to be done. I restarted my favorite show, One Tree Hill, and watched that for most of the day. I then decided I needed some fresh air and took a walk around GW’s campus during the sunset.

Sunday morning, I took an extensive walk to the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and White House with Charles, Charlotte, Skylar, and Collins! In the evening, we had a little pizza party and played Uno to welcome Collins to DC. We decided to watch The Dark Knight late at night, and I’m shocked that I didn’t have a nightmare.

Overall, it was a stressful but fun week. I plan to spend these last few weeks surrounded by friends and make some of the best memories.

Week 7: Fearless

“I was surrounded by friends, my work was immense, and pleasures were abundant. Life, now, was unfolding before me, constantly and visibly, like the flowers of summer that drop fanlike petals on eternal soil...Free to look out over the rooftops of the city. Happy to be alone in the company of friends... Everything I decided, in this life, was pure pleasure.” – Roman Payne, Rooftop Soliloquy

If you’ve been following along for a while, Mondays are always the same. I went to the ACP office in the morning with Charlotte, Charles, and Jaden. I think we were all productive in our work, considering we are a chatty group. I’ve been working on my extensive report, and I think there is a chance I will finish it before the summer ends. Intellectual property and artificial intelligence are no joke. That night, we ended up watching the new season of The Bachelorette with some wine. This season seems like it’s going to be crazy, but it was fun to see everyone get into the show during the rose ceremony.

On Tuesday, Charlotte and I headed to NIST. I think the train ride gets longer every time we go. It was a normal day in the office: getting work done, chatting with colleagues, and having an all-office meeting. Sonja came back, too!! Tuesday was trivia night, so we rounded up some of the interns and headed out. This week seemed a little easier than last, but we were still beat out. Maybe it’s better that we don’t win; we would be too powerful if we did.

Wednesday was a fun day! In the morning, Charlotte and I met two of our colleagues, Kimmai and Aime, to attend a Senate hearing on the response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. It was an interesting hearing, mostly discussing who was responsible for payment for damage and reconstruction. We had some lunch in the Senate building and then met an AAAS fellow that Aime knows for a tour of the Capitol Building. I finally checked one thing off my bucket list: to ride the Capitol subway (sounds lame, but this was the best minute and a half of my life). If you ever visit DC, I highly recommend checking out the Capitol. The building is gorgeous, and its history is also interesting. We were in the old House side and saw Speaker of the House Mike Johnson walk right by (he almost ran right into Kimmai, which was funny). Our group was lucky enough to get a pass to see the Senate Chamber while in session. While we were sitting there, we saw Senators Tim Scott, Josh Hawley, and Elizabeth Warren vote on something. It was a rainy night, so we ended the day with the best movie ever to exist, Cars 2.

Thursday wasn’t as exciting as Wednesday, but it was still a good day! Charlotte and I went to NIST and spent the first two hours there chatting. The Director of our office, Mike, brought in donuts for everyone, so we spent some time sitting in his office talking about everything under the sun. It was a great start to the day. The rest of the day went by quickly. Jaden’s brother visited, so we spent the night playing Mario Kart and Just Dance on the Wii. I’m convinced that Jaden and Charles have been practicing, but we may never know.

The end of the work week finally arrived. Somehow, despite Wednesday and chatting all morning on Thursday, I managed to be productive during the week. The day was spent working at the ACP office, which happens almost every Friday. Friday night, a group of interns and I went to happy hour in Dupont. We finished the night off with a trip to a bar in Georgetown.

Saturday was filled with multiple excursions. Charlotte and I woke up a little earlier than normal and took a trip over to Arlington. Charlotte needed her fingerprints done; that was the only post office in the area to do them. We had to wait two hours before she could get them done, but we were lucky enough that my dream law school was a five-minute walk away. We took a short self-guided tour around George Mason’s law school, making me more in love with it. We decided to check out the public library, and on our way there, we stumbled upon George Mason’s club softball team playing Georgetown, so we stopped and watched for a little bit. Charlotte got her fingerprints done, and we headed back home. In the afternoon, Kai tagged along with the two of us, and we visited the National Archives. It was a quick little touristy spot, and we were on our way back to the dorms. That night, I made buffalo chicken dip, and we played Just Dance.

Sunday was a true day spent in the sun. A group of us headed to Sandy Point Beach in Annapolis. We spent time running and playing with a football in the water. We stopped for sandwiches before and had lunch on the beach. Jaden decided to buy the biggest sandwich he could find, and I still don’t know if he finished or not. We broke out Spike ball and played a few games before it started to storm. Thunder and lightning don’t mix well with a beach, so we packed our stuff and headed home. After a nice shower and nap, we ended the night watching a true classic, Forrest Gump.

I still can’t believe we have three weeks left. In this moment now, capture it, remember it ‘cause I don’t know how it gets better than this.

Week 8: So High School

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” – Aristotle

It’s hard to believe that we only have two weeks left in the internship!

Monday was a day spent at ACP (shocker). I turned in my title and abstract and was somewhat productive with my report. After work, I painfully watched a two hour game of Chess between Charlotte and Jaden (with the help of Charles, of course). Charlotte made dinner (grilled cheese using the rest of my buffalo chicken dip) for the two of us. I have to admit it was quite delicious. I joined Charlotte in making a peach cake at Maia and Kai’s place (meaning I did absolutely nothing).

On Tuesday, Charlotte and I spent the workday at NIST. I continued working on my report and was surprised by Brad bringing a gift for Charlotte and me (his favorite beer from North Carolina). Tuesday night, we celebrated Kaden’s divorce from his worm! If you haven’t read anyone else’s blog, Kaden took a little trip to Mexico and was suspected of returning with a friend, the worm. We celebrated with the peach cake made on Monday and watched episode 2 of The Bachelorette.

Instead of going to NIST on Wednesday, I worked from ACP to attend the Lunch and Learn with Mitch Ambrose to discuss science policy. It was an interesting discussion, and it was cool to see other ways to get involved with science and government. I was locked in on Wednesday to continue working on my paper. I’m happy to say that it is coming along well (there is a lot of red ink so far).

Thursday was one of my most stressful days during the internship. After a lot of prior planning (courtesy of Charlotte), we managed to get all the interns to NIST with no problems. Imagine getting 15 people onto the metro in DC at 8:15 in the morning. Stressed is an understatement. Somehow, we made it on time. Brad gave a wonderful talk about the different career options available to people with a physics degree. My mentor, Susan, also gave a wonderful talk on empowering your potential. She is so great, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. After enjoying some pizza, Team Jenna set out to see the million-pound weight and the Ballistics lab. I had a hard time focusing on what was happening, but I think that was because I was more concerned with the timing of our busy day. Charlotte and I had the wonderful opportunity to introduce Dr. Sarah Horst before her talk on the physics of Titan. She came to High Point once, and her talk has stuck with me since then, so Thursday was a full-circle moment for me. Happy hour was much needed after our long day.

Friday was again spent at ACP. I was trying so hard to lock into my work, but writing six pages on the USPTO is not the most appealing thing on a Friday. During lunch, I hopped in a cornhole game with Jaden, Charlotte, and Charles. Jaden and I did our best, but after resetting four different times, the cornhole gods turned us away, and we came out with a loss. After work, a group of us hit up Ben’s Chili Bowl for some chili dogs. Overall, I can see why it is a popular attraction. 10/10 from me. The night ended after a game of Catan in which I was the banker.

Saturday afternoon, Charlotte and I went to the Postal Museum. I give the museum a solid 9/10. The content wasn’t my favorite, but the building was gorgeous, and the exhibits made it exciting to walk through. It was also quiet for a Saturday afternoon, making it a perfect day. That night, Charles, Kaden, Jaden, Charlotte, Brynn, Brynn’s sister, and I went to a Nationals baseball game. Let’s just say I know how to ball, and Jaden and Charlotte know Aristotle (see pictures below). The Nats won, and I had a hotdog, which was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

Sunday afternoon, Charlotte, Jaden, and I went to the pool to cool off in the DC heat. In the evening, while we worked on our presentation, I made my grandmother’s pasta sauce (technically, gravy, if you know you know). We had Sunday night family dinner and I liked to think that my grandmother was smiling down after sharing her meal that I miss so much. We played spike ball in the evening and then watched the sunset over the Potomac. It was a perfect Sunday.

Week 9: New Year’s Day

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.” – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Nine weeks down, one to go.

Monday was spent the same way as always in ACP. It was a quiet day in the office, but I focused on the last bit of my report and presentation slides. In the evening, I watched Charles, Kaden, Jaden, and Charlotte play Catan. Instead of being the banker, I fell asleep on Charles’ floor.

On Tuesday, Charlotte and I went to NIST. We spent the first two hours in the office yapping with everyone. Our director, Mike, invited us in the morning to have coffee, tea, and muffins to celebrate “National Corpse Flower Day” (apparently, a rare flower was blooming at the US Botanic Garden). I managed to finish the first draft of my paper (35 pages), and I’m really proud of myself for accomplishing it quickly! In the evening, Charles and I made banana bread. To end the day, we all watched the Bachelorette.

On Wednesday, Charlotte and I went to NIST again. I was able to work on my presentation while no one was in the office. We invited Kaden to join us for lunch and learn about resume building. We ended our lunch break with a shopping trip to the NIST gift shop. Ever since I turned 21, I’ve been collecting shot glasses of all the places that I’ve been to, so naturally, I had to get a NIST one (I also have a White House and Senate one).

Thursday was intern appreciation day! All of the interns went to the ACP office, and we filled the area. They provided lunch for us, and it was a nice afternoon. I ran through the first two versions of my presentation with Susan in the afternoon. I spent the night with Maia and Kai, who blessed Sonja and me with chicken enchiladas and Muppets Most Wanted (apparently, I would make a good Miss Piggy... it might boost my ego).

Friday morning, I met with a High Point Alum, now a Patent Attorney (Nikki Sanford, who was also a Mather Intern in 2013)! She gave me a tour of her firm’s DC office, and it was great to catch up and chat with her! I later met up with some interns before heading to Maryland to tour NASA Goddard. We walked around the visitor’s center and gift shop (where I bought another shot glass) before meeting with the Director of Astrophysics, Rob Petre. We saw the Hubble Control Room, the LISA telescope prototype, the OSIRIS-Rex lab, and the Roman Space Telescope. It was definitely a highlight of the summer! Thank you to Charles and Rob for putting this all together!!! That evening, a few of us went to happy hour and discovered more Kaden lore. We ended the night with Mamma Mia.

Saturday, we faced the horrors of brunch. It was actually a fun time, and I enjoyed talking with Amanda, Kai, and Amanda’s friend Evan! After a long nap, we watched a few heats of Olympic swimming and then headed to the Air and Space Museum. The night was spent relaxing and preparing for Sunday’s events.

Sunday morning, Charlotte and I walked to grab coffee and pastries. We walked through Georgetown and stopped in two stores before heading to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few groceries. I finished my presentation with Jaden and Charlotte in the afternoon while watching Olympic swimming again! The late afternoon and evening brought the 1^st annual Intern Olympics. I was the game master, so I held the torch and welcomed everyone to the opening ceremonies. After some silly games, the points were in, and the medals (made by me out of lined paper) were given. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of every one of them.

To my fellow interns, whom I am so lucky to call friends: Hold on to the memories; they will hold on to you. Please don’t ever become a stranger.

Week 10: Long Live

“I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We’ll all become somebody’s mom or dad. But right now, these moments are not stories. This is happening...” - The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

I said remember this moment in the back of my mind.

10 weeks wrapped up in 10 minutes. Why do we always use the number 10? It is an even number, divisible by 1, 2, 5, and 10; the sum of the first four consecutive whole numbers equals 10; the metric system is based on the number 10. Taylor Swift wrote a 10-minute song about a scarf, and it is easy to count by. But how can one wrap up 10 weeks of hard work and exploring the city into a 10-minute presentation?

One can start by explaining why we care about a particular topic. Why is AI so crucial to Intellectual Property in manufacturing? Then, examine what is happening in the field today based on this topic. Before you know it, you’re telling people again why this is an important topic and the next steps. You’re then answering questions based on your knowledge of this topic. Finally, once the 10-minute mark hits, you thank everyone who has stood by you through the stress, tears, and laughs of writing a 42-page paper. That’s how you wrap up 10 weeks in 10 minutes.

I said remember this feeling.

I won’t bore you with what the last week entailed. Still, some highlights are touring the White House with Charlotte, having multiple lunches with mentors, the NIST bathrooms flooding, having a pupusa dinner with Charlotte, Johnny, and Jaden, having a potluck dinner, and saying final goodbyes.

To all my mentors at NIST and SPS, thank you for everything. Thank you for allowing me to join a wonderful office and program. Thank you for giving me a project that has shed light on what I want to do for the rest of my life. Thank you for believing in me. I am proud of my work over the summer and wouldn’t trade my experience for the world. I miss you all already and hope to stay in touch.

To my fellow interns, you all are so special. You have so much potential, and I cannot wait to see what you all do in the future. Thank you for the most incredible summer. Thank you for putting up with my stress over my report. Thank you for always having my back. Thank you for the spike ball games and trips to the National Mall. Thank you for the happy hour trips. Thank you for the museum trips. Most of all, thank you for the memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for a summer that finally felt like I was living the life I should be living. I miss you all dearly. Please call me if you need anything. I love you all.

P.S. Please listen to Long Live by Taylor Swift because it sums up how I feel right now.