Alyssa Doyle, ECS membership intern
My name is Alyssa Doyle, and I had the privilege of interning with The Electrochemical Society’s Membership Services Department for a semester. When I first began my internship in August of 2017, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. I wasn’t all that familiar with nonprofit operations, and as a junior English major at The College of New Jersey, I knew practically nothing about electrochemistry. I’m going to be honest—I was quite nervous, but I was also incredibly excited by the prospect of acquiring knowledge about an entirely new subject.
From the moment I arrived, I was quickly immersed in ECS’s mission and culture. I learned a lot about ECS’s Free the Science campaign, and as a student who is interested in publishing, I was intrigued by the possibility of open access. When I first heard about the initiative, I deeply admired ECS for their desire to provide free research to people across the world with the hopes of increasing the sustainability of the planet—I still do, but now even more so.
Throughout my internship, I worked on various rewarding, engaging, and meaningful projects—there’s no getting coffee here. Instead, I had the chance to write blog posts about award winners and upcoming ECS meetings and events, and I was able to participate in the preparation for the 232nd ECS Meeting in National Harbor by completing mini projects, such as creating volunteer schedules, confirming registrants, and writing bios for speakers. I also had the opportunity to work on longer projects as well by maintaining contact with ECS’s 67 student chapters and creating a list of prospective employers to reach out to about ECS’s Career Expo. Even within the last week at my internship, I put together a timeline of the Edward Acheson Award and had the chance to read through Transactions of the American Electrochemical Society from 1903 onward. Each project was incredibly fascinating, and I started each day ready to tackle a new task.
Between projects, I worked on transitioning membership files into a digital format, and through this process, I discovered the plethora of scientists who have been members of ECS over the years, which further strengthened my belief that ECS is an extraordinary and inspiring organization as well as a melting pot of innovation.
I am confident that my experience has equipped me with a new set of skills that will benefit me in my career and in life, and it has also given me a newfound appreciation of science. I am immensely grateful for my time at ECS, and I will always think fondly of my internship because not many people can say that they interned at a company that literally changes the world every day. When I think about where ECS started in 1902 (as the American Electrochemical Society) and where the organization is now, I am continually amazed by its growth and development. ECS is truly one of a kind, so thank you to all of the wonderful staff members who piqued my interest and made my internship experience unforgettable.
