"Although my internship is formally over, I hope to continue collaborating with the organization I worked with in Thessaloniki. In my work, I focused on conducting a literature review related to one major cognitive function, namely attention. Eventually, this shifted to learning about and reading sample results of standardized neuropsychological evaluations that the organization I worked for administers to patients when they first arrive at the day care centers and routinely afterwards. This in turn led me to my final focus on misdiagnosis. I was able to learn about misdiagnosis among dementia patients, as well as methods and practices that researchers and clinicians have so far utilized to minimize false negatives or false positives.

Empiria exposed me to my weekly dose of cultural immersion through guest lectures and other various resources. It was fascinated to learn about interconnectedness that extends to the larger Mediterranean region, the concerns for the preservation of the Aegean Sea and the sociopolitical security of Cyprus. I want to express my gratitude for this opportunity provided through Empiria Learning."

"This summer I interned with a lab at the University of Nicosia at Cyprus, researching how to count the different categories of marine debris on video that are recognized by a deep learning classifier. I became aware of the crisis that we are facing today regarding the massive amounts of plastic pollution and other debris that are ending in up in the world’s oceans, and how my work could contribute to accurately estimate the litter on beaches and in the ocean.

So far, methods of estimation have been limited to manual collection and identification, and remote sensing is an up-and-coming technology that still has room for improvement. It was fascinating to experience how artificial intelligence could help us in this endeavor."

"During my internship in Cyprus, I gained a lot of knowledge about the different types of photovoltaic cells, ranging from the architectural structure to the PCE and economic efficiency of both perovskite and colloidal quantum dot solar cell. I gained experience in reading academic papers and analyzing information. I also produced a paper summing my findings about the comparison of PCE and economic efficiency of the two different photovoltaic cells. "

“Over two months, I not only developed crucial journalistic skills like thorough research, understanding an audience, editorial proficiency, writing and communication abilities, storytelling, time management, unique content creation and interacting with sources, but I also learnt how to improvise, adapt and overcome less favorable circumstances in the wake of the unexpected…

I learnt a lot from [my editor], and I really enjoyed working under her supervision…

I have grown as a writer, certainly, but much more importantly, I have grown as person—in this internship, I have learnt to do more than write and edit, I have learnt to push myself, persevere through adversity and prosper. I will remember it for the rest of my life."

"My research dives deep into the cognitive benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil which is thought to be important for cognition because of its prominent role in the Mediterranean Diet which has already been linked to many cognitive health benefits.

I am writing a review of clinical trials that use olive oil as a potential treatment for a variety of cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s, autism, and multiple sclerosis…

I have learned a lot about the many dimensions of Alzheimer’s care, both for the patients and their caregivers, and about how beneficial olive oil is for our cognition."

"Every week, I had meetings… with neurologists, psychologists, researchers, and other faculty members… In these meetings I learned about a variety of topics regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment such as non-pharmaceutical interventions, cognitive rehabilitation programs, and the Brain Health Assessment (BHA)… they discussed the consequences of feeling burdened and the different psychological support groups and interventions the organization offers at their care center.

Learning about these therapeutic techniques targeted at caregivers caused me to see the significance of dementia in a new light and gave me a better understanding of how we should not just increase awareness, but increase compassion as well, in order to reduce the social stigma surrounding dementia."

"I am very grateful to have been part of such an important project and being able to apply my previous knowledge of neuroscience to a “real world” setting. This was the first time I have seen real PET and CT scans, and I know it will not be my last. The project I worked on was about identifying regions in the brain relating to speech and language, in brains of both control patients and dementia patients. I have learned a lot about the functions of various brain scans, specifically CT, PET, and fMRI. I also learned the importance of data collection and descriptive statistics and was able to apply the knowledge I had on the subject.

Also, and thanks to Empiria again, throughout the summer, I have learned how the culture in the USA compares to that of Greece, but also how ancient Greece and its history has influenced our modern world."

"Throughout the eight weeks of the internship, I have grown as a student, researcher, and lover of neuroscience. I attended weekly meetings that focused on various aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, which include dental, psychological, and familial conditions, just to name a few. Along with lectures about the disease itself, I also had weekly arts and culture lectures that were specific to the Greek experience that I would have had in person if it were not for the pandemic.

During my internship, my work focused on the relationship between religion and memory. I was able to learn more about this topic through both research and stories from accomplished practitioners who were sharing their experiences. Because of this internship, my knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease (and neuroscience in general) has greatly expanded and I cannot wait to work with this organization again in the future! "

"Within 8 weeks I am glad to say that I have not only developed technically but also gleaned a sense of what it is like to work in a foreign country and experience its culture. My job was to analyze data from vibration sensors that were placed on machinery used to produce microsensors. Working in a formal internship introduced me to professional practices and exposed me to the challenges of maintaining effective communication. Separated by thousands of miles and seven hours, it was evident that we had to use online technology to bridge the communication gap between me and my supervisor. I hope that overcoming the barriers of virtual internship has prepared me for whatever I may encounter in my future career.

Through our weekly cultural immersion lectures, I learned about the rich history of Greece and Cyprus. From the ancient arts and architecture that fill these regions to the effects of tourism and industrialism on the cultural and environmental state of these countries, it was fascinating to learn about them."

"Most of the work I conducted was research oriented. One of my assignments for the internship was to read scholarly literature and write up a literature review on an assigned subject. I was given the broad topic of Memory. From there, I learned about the pattern in which memory degradation progressed in Alzheimer’s diseases as well as memory systems that survive relatively intact.

I was astonished by the careful attention to detail and the many logistics involved as well as how technology had adapted to serve dementia patients. I was surprised to learn how specific toothbrushes had been designed to accommodate dementia patients whose finer motor functions had degraded. Because of my work with the organization, I was able to obtain authorship for a research publication.

Through Empira Learning’s lectures, I was also introduced to other aspects of Greece. Lectures were given on topics ranging from art to politics to history. The sheer variety of topics enabled me to have a broader understanding of Greek culture and history."

"This summer I interned at a biomedical engineering lab in Athens. I worked to compare PET/CT scans acquired with 18F-FDG and 68Ga-DOTATATE for identifying and assessing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in the liver. The NETs were identified, segmented, and quantified using the area of the tumor and metabolic metrics such as the maximum standard uptake values, parameters that may be useful in comparing the prognostic value of the two tracers for NET diagnosis, i.e., FDG vs Ga, and in the management of NETs."

"With this internship, I enjoyed learning about artificial neural networks and machine learning, topics which are a ripe area for academic and professional work. Being able to work hands on with these topics and directly apply them to real world needs such as photovoltaic energy production was incredibly exciting. Throughout the project, I engaged with a new software program, scholarly research, and data analysis. This internship helped me learn how to propose, develop, and direct a research project. Additionally, working with the researchers at the University of Cyprus was a very rewarding experience as it helped me to learn effective communication and collaboration skills."

"I interned for an organization that is using a program for geospatial data analysis which tries to analyze water depth from satellite images. However, the algorithms that were used, still had some errors, since reflection of the sun changes the color gradient of the satellite images. I worked to eliminate these errors by adding on to the algorithm. This internship helped me understand what it means to work on an actual algorithm that we are trying to improve.

Personally, I feel like this organization fits my academic interests. I was always interested to combine engineering work with environmental studies. The coding part of my internship advanced my engineering skills and allowed me to experience some actual computer science work. This project is very helpful for further environmental studies and having that in mind, it was very motivating to be part of it."

"This internship was an incredible opportunity to become more globally educated in aspects of business, culture, and social pieces. I was able to learn so much throughout my time working and I was able to enjoy every second of it. I have been interning at a company that specializes in producing and organizing digital, in-person, and hybrid events and conferences. They focus on techniques in video journalism and use a high-tech online platform to provide users with services that will enhance their companies’ events. During my internship I was tasked with researching the general market of companies to make recommendations as to what our company can improve on to better compete in the global market. At the end of my internship, I produced a report evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of our company and its competitors by breaking it down into the services they offer and the advertising and marketing strategies. I attended many of the events organized and produced throughout the summer, including a conference that incorporated local government addressing the issue of sustainable energy and an awards ceremony for children that are patients in a large hospital in Greece. I was able to learn much about the market for video journalism, the decision making behind marketing and advertising for companies, and cultural aspects of Greece.

In addition to my work, Empiria Learning provided us with many resources and opportunities to learn more about the cultural and social environment of Greece. I am grateful for the resources and intriguing lectures that Empiria Learning provided us with, as I was still able to get a taste of what makes Greece so incredible, despite being virtual due to the pandemic."

"Over the summer, I worked at a lab at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. I worked on automotive dynamics, traffic accident reconstruction, and vehicle technologies and how those technologies contribute to safety.

After I learned how to operate it, I began working with Virtual CRASH, an accident simulation software. I then took information from a real crash and tried to get a better understanding of how the crash might have occurred.

Throughout this internship, I’ve also been learning about the culture and environment of Greece and Cyprus through a combination of lectures and online videos. My prior exposure to Greek culture has been exclusively through its ancient literature, mythology, and certain ideas of philosophy. It’s been interesting having the opportunity to learn about modern Greek culture, influenced by its more recent history, particularly with Greek independence in 1821 and philhellenism that’s rarely covered by world history classes.

I am grateful for this internship experience because I’ve been able to improve skills relevant to my future career path and have had the opportunity to understand a culture from a new, modern lens."

"Over the course of summer ‘21 I interned at a Lab at the University of Nicosia, in Cyprus. Cyprus did, however, become my bedroom in New York, as the internship was fully remote.

I studied a variety of topics including ocean stratification, acidification, heat budget, heat transfer, implications of all of this on marine life, and much more. I conducted the research by completing literature reviews and using some public data to complete calculations. Using all of this information I created two animated videos. These videos were meant to inform the public about ocean processes, and the dire consequences they could be facing as a result of human action.

Towards the end of the internship I wrote an article about how climate change is impacting the Eastern Mediterranean Sea’s internal workings and the implications that has on the environment and the communities living along the nearby coasts.

Throughout the internship I learned a lot academically and personally. I gained a lot of knowledge on the variety of oceanographic topics I studied. I also learned how to analyze data more effectively, using proper graphing visuals and equations. Additionally, I gained skills in self motivation, organization, animation, storytelling, and research as a whole.

I grew my experience and relationship with academia, as well, as I had never held a research position before. "

"During my summer 2021 internship, I worked at a lab at the University of Western Attica in Athens. I studied optimum parameters (buffer system, solvent concentration, pH, salt concentration, temperature etc.) for specific drug binding to and drug-elution from DNA immobilized on a silica gel column.

I found my work in the lab very fulfilling, since there is a real-life application for it, and I also really liked that I was learning lab techniques, since I have had minimal exposure doing wet lab work due to the pandemic and had never worked on an experimental research project before. I enjoyed getting to use the different lab equipment, especially since we had been so deprived of hands-on learning for a year and a half. I also liked understanding the research process, as it allows one to think creatively while building on previous scientific findings.

Additionally, I learned a lot about myself and Greece during my internship. The most rewarding part was navigating life as a local in Greece. Getting to work in Greece and living there on my own was a completely new experience. I enjoyed getting to understand Greece from a native’s perspective, as someone who not only vacations there but also lead their professional lives. It has allowed me to feel a deeper connection to Greece and understand my family and friends there better. It also forced me to become more independent, since my immediate family was at my home in New York during the internship, and I therefore had to rely on myself to navigate my life there, despite having other family and friends nearby. Even though I am fluent in Greek, it was still a learning process to get to know the public transport system of Athens, and I also got to meet a lot of new people at places like the grocery store and restaurants."