By Jenna Sbeitan, English Major, D.U. Quark Intern
Although my internship was born out of a scheduling conflict, I am extremely grateful for the conspiring universal forces that yield beautiful opportunities in mysterious ways.
I had known very little about the D.U. Quark prior to my endeavorment as a Scientific Communications Intern. I remember it being briefly mentioned in some of my previous classes and deep within the crevices of my mind I faintly recall seeing advertisement posters for it throughout Duquesne. Yet I do not think I would have ever taken the leap to be a part of the journal if not for this internship. This is partly due to my reservations for my ability to contribute to the fields of STEM.
As a child, I found myself drawn to the realm of art, so my interests and hobbies were cultivated around this attraction. Even more so, I enjoyed how knowledge was communicated through art, especially with the use of emotions. I thought data, formulas and equations could never measure up to the intense and diverse array of feelings and thoughts an excellent piece of literature could elicit. I also blame the education system’s tendency to polarize the two subjects as it further propelled me away from science and into art. It was almost as if I did not believe that these two worlds could be bridged together. That is until I watched the movie Interstellar. Suddenly, I was thrown into a whirlwind of questions and complexities dealing with dimensions, planets, and space itself. It was then that I began exploring scientific related topics in my free time as it helped me understand the world around me in a divergent yet eerily similar way that I did with art. It also allowed me to incorporate a whole new world into my own art. Despite this newfound interest though, I continued to shy away from science in an academic setting. So when this chance of an internship arose, one that is rooted in STEM and Scientific Writing, yet solely designed by me thereby allowing me to incorporate creativity as well, I felt as if it was fate. It has given me the push I needed to step out of my writing comfort zone while still having the familiarity of my invested interests so I am not as intimidated. Furthermore, seeing articles published by previous interns that also link these two worlds together further inspired me as being able to contribute to a collective source outside of myself is so comforting during a time of isolation and social distancing. I am eager to further enhance my abilities as a student and artist through this experience.
Building Bridges 