THE INTERNSHIP AT BIOCEV HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT WHAT I MIGHT WANT IN A FUTURE CAREER
Lauren Marlier, a student at North Carolina State University, is one of eight interns whom SIC arranged short-term work placements in research centers and companies in the Central Bohemia Region. Lauren spent six weeks as a Communications and PR Intern for BIOCEV – Biotechnology and Biomedicine Centre of the Academy of Sciences and Charles University in Vestec.
What did your work consist of during your internship?
At BIOCEV, I was responsible for assisting the Director of Communications with drafting various workplace documents. In addition to editing and proofreading some of BIOCEV’s published work, I created visuals for promoting the Czech Academy of Sciences “Věda Fotogenická” photography contest and conducted multiple interviews with Ph.D. students studying and working in the labs at BIOCEV. My largest project was creating a Communication Strategy Plan for BIOCEV’s Ph.D. program that would help the Communications department continue to grow the program’s success.
What did you find most interesting about your internship?
During my internship, I was exposed to many different aspects of a job in communications. Most communications positions do not conduct interviews on a regular basis within the organization so being able to act as a journalist was very interesting. Journalism has never been a career I have seriously considered so it was a lot of fun to be able to experiment with it while at BIOCEV.
Will you use any of the lessons learned in your future studies at NCSU?
Yes, absolutely! My experience this summer has inspired and motivated me beyond what I could have hoped for. Because of my internship at BIOCEV, I have enrolled in specific business, communication, and marketing courses for the next semester at NCSU. The internship has also taught me a lot about what I might want in a future career.
In addition to your internship, you had the opportunity to visit a number of places in and around Prague. Which places did you like the most and why?
During my stay, I visited a couple of places both close and farther away from Prague. Over the six weeks, I traveled to Česky Krumlov, Budapest, and London. While all of these places were beautiful and entrenched with so much history, the city of Prague itself was my favorite. There were always countless activities going on during the weekends and the public transportation made getting around so incredibly easy. It was a bittersweet goodbye but I hope to see Prague again soon!
Thank you and good luck!
Petr Solil
Head of Communications and Spokesperson of the BIOCEV, Lauren´s supervisor:
Lauren was superfantastic! She really helped me to take the communication of the BIOCEV Center to the next level. The interviews, articles and social media posts she prepared were of a high standard and full of interesting information. This allowed us to let the public know about the great young people and scientific results being produced at BIOCEV.
I really appreciated her feedback on the many communication projects and tools we use. Even though BIOCEV is an international research centre, most of our outputs are directed towards the Czech target group. For this reason, it was crucial for me to get the views on sub-tasks from a foreign communication expert.
Lauren’s approach to her work was always consistent, professional and she completed everything on time and with the highest quality standard. If I had the opportunity, I would hire her right away:) I wish her all the best for her future life and career!
