Brad Pfeifer
In the summer of 2017, Oregon State University students Brad Pfeifer and Zach Leslie journeyed to the South island of New Zealand to begin thirteen week internships with the Scion Research Institute and Ernslaw One Ltd.
Alongside fellow OSU student Zach Leslie, I ventured to New Zealand to complete a thirteen week internship with Scion Research Institute and Ernslaw One Ltd. Together, we were given an amazing opportunity to explore the little island country and grow as individuals professionally, academically, and personally.
Throughout our experience, we were able to explore majority of the south island’s natural areas, learn about how forestry is done the Kiwi way, and meet some amazing people along the way. In all, it has been a phenomenal experience and I would encourage everyone to take a trip like this one. For me, the mix of cultural influence made for an intriguing challenge. I was eager to learn about the Kiwi way of life and my colleagues were more than happy to answer any questions I had. Most offered to take me to see and experience New Zealand from their perspective.
This led me to realize just how big the U.S. is and how diverse we are and that we may not always be right or have the best way of doing things. Many New Zealanders are well traveled and have a global viewpoint. I learned to widen my perspective and I realized that exploring new places can be a reality instead of a far off dream.
The internship task itself was to assess a large phenotypical genetic progeny trail of second generation Douglas-fir trees. In real words, we assessed trees for desired qualities and the best will be put in an orchard to produce seed for the next generation of forests.
The best part of this trip is a close race between the place and the people… New Zealand is a gorgeous country with a vast array of landscapes and outdoor opportunities. The natural areas boast unique flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else on earth.
Luckily the Department of Conservation has done a wonderful job of protecting it and making it available to the public. Zach and I spent a week hiking through native forests, we climbed a mountain, hunted Himalayan Tahr in the alpine peaks, chased fallow deer, red deer, and pigs in the valleys, caught blue cod in the ocean, explored the picturesque coast, and viewed the natural and native history at a few of the many museums.
Behind these weekend adventures and what made them possible were the people of New Zealand. Every person we interacted with was gracious, welcoming, and excited to show us their country. Many invited us into their homes, cooked us meals, and shared their time to ensure that we had the best experience possible. The pictures I have taken will help me remember the beauty of the place, but the stories will remember will be those of the people I met and the time I shared with them.
My advice for future student interns is simply to take every opportunity presented to you. The experience that you have, the people you meet, and the ways that you improve yourself during an international internship are invaluable and will help shape the person that you will be in your professional and personal life. It is important to go in with no set expectations and take the time to enjoy each day. The trip will be what you make of it.
[Zach and I] we were given an amazing opportunity to explore the little island country and grow as individuals professionally, academically, and personally. Throughout our experience, we were able to explore the majority of the south island’s natural areas, learn about how forestry is done the kiwi way, and meet some amazing people along the way. In all, it has been a phenomenal experience and I would encourage everyone to take a trip like this one.”
