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Field and lab work in aquatic research

At Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, research is carried out in several departments relating to the sustainable use of water resources and infrastructures in terms of ecology, economics and social issues.. At the same time, these departments integrate research, teaching and consulting. 

My experience

The three-month internship at Eawag gave me a great insight into the day-to-day research of the Remote Sensing Group of the Surface Water Department. This group works with satellite and airborne data and calibrates these with in situ measurements from buoys, platforms and boats in Swiss lakes as well as water samples. During my internship I participated in literature research, data processing and coding as well as field work on Lake Greifen, Lake Aegeri and Lake Geneva. 

I also had the opportunity to carry out a first experiment run with a new set-up, named ENVILAB. This allows phytoplankton to be grown in the laboratory under well-defined light, temperature and nutrient conditions. A custom-built light source enables the recreation of spectral compositions of aquatic environments. After exposing the phytoplankton to the specific light spectra, absorption measurements are taken with a spectrophotometer and the data can be analysed subsequently. 

Regarding the working environment, the exchange with employees from all over the world and from different academic backgrounds and areas of work at Eawag was particularly enriching! The working atmosphere is very pleasant, people meet for lunch, for a short break or in meetings and support each other in the lab, office or in the field.

  • Fieldwork for an ARES campaign on Lake Greifen, depicting an AC-S and other measurement devices (Jael Mencke).

  • Scenedesmus linearis (left) and Asterionella Formosa (right) samples after filtration, grown under specific light conditions, produced by the ENVILAB set-up (Image: Jael Mencke).

  • ENVILAB set-up depicting the light source (right) and phytoplankton specie (left) (Image: Jael Mencke).

    ENVILAB set-up depicting the light source (right) and phytoplankton specie (left) (Image: Jael Mencke).

Organization of the internship

I was interested in an internship to gain practical experience and to familiarise myself with topics for a Master's thesis. I applied directly to the head of the Remote Sensing Group for this internship position. The position was not advertised publicly. A bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for a complete application. In addition, Eawag can only hire interns at an internship salary who do not yet have a Master's degree. With a Master's degree, it is possible to apply as a research assistant. As I was employed at the Dübendorf site, my living situation did not change. By arrangement, it is also possible to do some of the work from home. 

Jael Mencke

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