Every May, Fuss & O’Neill welcomes a talented group of interns to our offices throughout New England. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing the way that most companies do business, May of 2020 was very different than May of previous years, which made the Fuss & O’Neill intern program a bit different this year. We were lucky to host three interns this summer: Ian Paterson in our Quincy, MA office; Katherine McCombs in our Providence, RI office; and Austin Frank in our Manchester, CT office. Here they take us through their experience in a summer unlike any other.
by Ian, Katherine and Austin
Ian Paterson – Traffic, Quincy, MA
My best experience this summer hasn’t been one moment in particular, but I have really enjoyed being mentored my colleagues each week. It has been a pleasure, and I have experienced a wealth of learning — I couldn’t ask for more out of an internship. I have particularly enjoyed working on a bike path project. This project has facets in conceptual design, alternatives analysis, environmental permitting, final design, and preparation of construction drawings. My role has largely been preparing supporting documents for the route alternative analysis. I have enjoyed working on this project from the start and seeing the process unfold over the time I’ve been here. Although, COVID played a role in shortening my internship considerably, I’m glad I was still able to have this opportunity!
Katherine McCombs – Natural Resources, Providence, RI
Over the course of this internship, I have done dry weather outfall inspections and sampling, as well as algae sampling. I have also been able to work on a variety of projects with AutoCAD, HydroCAD, and ArcGIS. I made edits to AutoCAD drawings and created figures for several projects. I used HydroCAD to model stormwater runoff for project sites. I also created maps using ArcGIS and collected outfall inspection and sampling data with the associated mobile apps. I am assisting in the creation of stormwater reports, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) reports, and road-stream crossing replacement concepts. I enjoyed being able to work on projects in different capacities, ranging from fieldwork and data collection to editing and report writing. COVID has definitely made this a more unique summer than others, but it did not stop me from having a valuable experience. The challenges imposed by COVID may have limited many in-person experiences, but they led to different experiences, like working remotely and relying on video calls and virtual meetings for communication. I am surprised by how well this internship opportunity was able to adapt to the sudden change and still provided me with exposure to a wide range of tasks and projects.
Austin Frank – Environmental, Manchester, CT
Despite the pandemic, I was still able to experience different aspects of field work within the Environmental Department. Some of the field work I participated in included groundwater sampling, soil borings/samples, and underground storage tank (UST) removals. I was able to work at a variety of sites, such as current and former industrial sites, mill sites, and gas stations. My favorite experience was groundwater sampling at a manufacturing company. Overall, I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to work with, and learn from, different field staff. Although, I wish the internship could have started earlier, I still believe it was a valuable experience for me.
Fuss & O’Neill would like to thank Ian, Katherine and Austin for sharing their summer experience, and working with us during these challenging times. We wish them the best moving forward with their academic and professional careers!
For more information on internships at Fuss & O’Neill, visit our Careers Page.