POST#9-The major problems I ran into and how I worked through them

POST#9:

Dates: 8/6/15 - 8/21/15

Activities: Presented my summer project to team, finished my project, tested emails using AWS.

Technical Information: Used merge tags in my HTML samples, Uploaded my samples on to a platform with merge tags, tested samples using AWS and a Queue Generator.

Reflection:


           During my internship I hit a few bumps in the road on the way to completing my summer project. My project was to research the best practices to use when creating emails for email marketing. During this process I made several HTML samples that visual explained my research. I had to transfer these samples from my flash drive to one of SAS's platforms for testing purposes. During this process I would copy my code from my sample on to their CKeditor. During this sometimes it would compress my code taking out a few tables and table cells messing up the layout of my email HTML sample. In order to fix this I had to copy code from another one of my HTML samples to fix the layout of the compressed HTML sample.

           Another surprise that I encounter was given to me by my manager. I had received an email instructing me to present my summer's work in front of my manager and his team, two days before I was to present. I was extremely nervous because this was my first presentation in a real world situation. Using the soft skills I learned through AOIT and with some pep talk from my co workers I tackled the presentation the best I could.

          I made my powerpoint explaining my project and the steps I went through to complete it and typed up my notecards ready for anything that was thrown my way. The next morning I practiced my presentation several times, and was ready to give my presentation. I took a deep breath and walked into the room. I stopped breathing for a couple of seconds when I realized my managers bosses boss, the Sr. Director of our department would be watching me give my presentation. I calmy recomposed myself and took a deep breath, I was going to be fine. I proceeded to give my presentation and was nervous at first but after a minute or two I was in the zone and was able to speak clearly and confidently holding everyone's attention just like Mrs. Smith said I could. I received several compliments after and even managed to make the Sr. Director, stay later than he had planned making him late for his bosses meeting! I was so glad that I was able to have that experience and am so grateful for all my teachers who helped me work on my soft skills.

Topic: The issues I ran into during my internship and how I worked through them.

POST#8-What I have learned about myself and what I want in a career

POST#8:

Dates: 7/31/15, 8/5/15

Activities: Job shadowing at the Life Sciences building at SAS

Technical Information: Demoed in visual analytics, made graphs analyzing clinical trials.

Reflection: 


         Going into my internship I expected my experience to only deal with very high level technical applications. However, I was able to internship at the Life Sciences building at SAS who provide technical services and build programs to benefit healthcare companies. I was thrilled that there was a whole building that combined my top two interests, science and technology.

         Before my internship I wanted to work in the medical field and the technology field. I didn't think that they could be combined without one overpowering the other. My experience at the Life Sciences department proved me wrong. I was able to analyze clinical trials data looking at enrollment in studies and the effects of new drugs and medicines. This fascinated me in so many ways. I was thrilled I could use my programming skills to problem solve and benefit a healthcare company at the same time.

         After meeting with a team member to further discuss visual analytics I was convinced I had found my dream job. Visual analytics means displaying the data you find in user friendly appealing ways to find concerning issues and highlight the best ways to solve these problems. The first step to analyzing data is figure out the requirements of what issue you are trying to find and fix. Then once you find the data you need to demonstrate this, you build visually appealing graphs to further explain your research. Helping the company find new useful information. From my experience of working with visual analytics I have learned that I want to analyze medical data to benefit healthcare companies. Combining both my interests in science and technology.

Topic: What my internship has taught me about myself and what I want in a career.

POST#7- How my internship has changed my college plans

POST#7:

Dates: 7/31/15, 8/5/15

Activities: Job shadowing at the Life Sciences building at SAS.

Technical Information: Worked in visual analytics demoed a program, participated in a scrum meeting, met different members of the team.

Reflection:

         During my internship at SAS I was able to job shadow some employees over at the Life Sciences building at SAS. I had always been interested in the medical field and wanted a career that would combine my interests in science and technology. The Life Sciences team does just that they analyze and apply statistics to medical data and clinical trials to benefit health care companies needs. This was the exact career I was looking for.

         While job showing I met with many of the team members of the healthcare side of life sciences. I had originally thought that because the employees were working with medical data that they needed a medical degree. I had originally wanted to major in biomedical engineering which also combined technology and the medical field. I was surprised that most of the employees did not have a degree associated with the medical field but mostly had computer science degrees. Based on this information I asked what was the best degree to get if I wanted a job at the Life Sciences at SAS or a job similar to it.

         After meeting with many people it was clear that the best option for me was to major in computer science. It would not only give me highly valued skills to program but also would open many doors for my future.  I am also planning to minor in statistics. This will give me skills to analyze data and learn useful new innovative ways of looking at it to get new information. My first choice college is NC State University, because they have one of the best engineering programs in the state. I plan to take some science classes on the side of my major and minor to quench my interest in the medical field. I am so grateful for my experience at SAS. I have gained useful, helpful information that will brighten my path to college.


Topic: How my experiences at my internship changed my college plans.