What are you studying?
MGeophys, Geophysical Sciences BSc at University of Leeds
Tell us a bit about the project you have been working on this
summer?
I’ve been using ASTER surface temperature imagery to study the surface
thermal regime of glacial lakes in the Himalayas, to further understanding of
glacial lake evolution and development at varying stages of deglaciation. The
satellite imagery record I have been using dates back to 1987, providing a
long-term insight into patterns of lake temperature behaviour, and a visual
representation of lake growth over the past 3 decades.
What new skills have you learned while doing this internship?
I’ve gained skills in ArcGIS Pro and ArcPy, including writing a Python
script to execute raster analysis over large datasets. I’ve also had the chance
to branch out and use different geoanalysis technology, such as the Google
Earth Engine.
How have you found working with your research team?
I’ve had a fantastic time! Everyone has been very lovely and friendly, and
if I had any questions people have been very happy to help! It doesn’t feel
like a competitive or intense work environment, everyone is happy to share tips
and research with everyone else!
What has been the highlight of the internship for you?
Being able to take the project in the direction I think is best – there have
been a couple of points where we reached a crossroads in the research, and to
be able to say ‘I think this is the direction we should go in’ and lead
research has been very rewarding for me.
How has doing this internship changed your plans or thoughts about
your future career?
I had already planned on doing a PhD, so this placement has confirmed to me
that a PhD is the correct choice for me – it’s given me crucial experience that
will put me in a good position for future research work.