Hi, my name is Olivia Jacobs and I work under Chrissy Lucas-Woodruff in the Groundwater Protection Education program. I just finished my third year at Oregon State studying Ecological Engineering, which is directly connected with my work. Last term, in my ecohydrology class, we learned about the two types of aquifers and how wells interact with local hydrology. In my internship, I have learned much more about how human interactions with the environment improve or diminish well water quality. Next week I get to learn more about septic systems — yay!

After two weeks with OSU Extension, I have done four events, three of which included testing the community’s well water samples for nitrate. I love being a part of people’s journey to learn more about their groundwater and care for their home water systems. And, of course, seeing the excitement around Extension and meeting folks from all over Oregon is always a treat!

Through this internship, I want to learn about what is important to the members of all the counties we serve. I want to educate as best I can while learning about the intricacies of human-environment interactions.

Alongside this internship, I also work year-round as an Academic Coach at the Academic Success Center at OSU. My work mainly involves helping my student peers with their academic goals and insights. I get to work with folks with different backgrounds, learning styles and perspectives on the world around them, which is my favorite part of the job. I hope my communication skills as a coach translate to my interactions with the community this summer.