Monday, June 2, 2014
By:
My first week as an SPS intern in Washington, D.C. got off to an incredibly exciting start. My roommate, Kelby, and I both arrived on Sunday afternoon and moved into our cozy and antique apartment that very quickly became homey and filled with life, especially as the other interns began to arrive. We all got along well right away and begin to take on D.C. with enthusiasm. In the first two days alone, we toured monuments (including going to the top of the Washington Monument), attended the Memorial Day parade, and learned our way around the area.
On Wednesday, my time with the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in the House of Representatives began mid-way through the day while the other interns continued with the AIP orientation. Within an hour of arriving, I was immediately thrown into an exciting markup: a vote on the Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014, or FIRST. Then, the next morning I was able to work at a hearing focusing on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Both the markup and the hearing were really fascinating—I learned a lot about the legislative process and my way around Capitol Hill. The staff for the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a group of really intelligent, friendly, enthusiastic, and helpful people—I’ve loved every minute of my job so far! Starting my internship at such a busy and exciting time has allowed me to truly jump right into the job. I have already looked up statistics, learned how to set-up the dais for the congressmen and women, photographed the hearing, and recorded quotations from the video records. My position is fast-paced, detail-orientated, and always changing—I’m looking forward to being challenged throughout the summer.
This Friday will be my formal orientation with the Committee since nearly all of my time until now has been focused on the excitement of FIRST and IPCC. I am hoping to get to know the staff members a little bit better and learn the ins and outs of my own office and building.
Ashley Finger