Katie Larkin '22

Intern, Geological Resources, Inc., Summer 2020

This past summer, I was fortunate enough to have been able to work as an intern for Geological Resources, Inc. in Monroe, NC. Though the firm offers a laundry list of services for their clients, my work mainly concerned the enforcement of environmental regulations in NC and SC. A small portion of my work was done out of their headquarters and included tasks like transferring field data to Excel and using ArcGIS to research land parcel information for clients. The majority of my work was done outdoors and allowed me to watch and participate in services such as monitor well drilling, removal of underground storage tanks, soil and groundwater sampling, and SVE/AS system maintenance. I performed many ‘routine checks' for contaminated sites, which entailed bailing monitoring/telescoping wells, recording well data using a water level meter, and sampling extracted water. The quality of my work depended heavily on my ability to record data efficiently, so this opportunity improved my field note-taking skills. Additionally, many worksites required me to create or interpret maps (site, elevation, water table, groundwater flow, soil types, etc.), testing my ability to understand the land around me. I really enjoyed getting to use the many different handheld devices needed for my work (PID, water level meter, LEL, etc.) and getting to drive a company truck was pretty sweet as well! My work was not strictly geology-based but allowed me to soak in knowledge as a field tech at a professional level. It contributed to my understanding of hydrology and introduced me to the complexities of environmental regulations and legislation. I am hoping to be able to apply my new skills over the course of this school year and during future summer opportunities.