— Nicolas Garnand
I had the honor of receiving the Herman Bouwer Intern Scholarship for 2023 from AHS. This honor helped resolve the anxiety I felt going into my senior year and allowed me to complete my capstone in geology for ASU, initially a huge barrier I faced when looking for summer internships. The flexibility AHS showed me in helping me complete my studies and provide a meaningful experience was amazing, and I will always be grateful for it.
I had the privilege to work with the U.S. Forest Service (Tonto Forest), ADWR, WSP, and LRE Water during my intern scholarship experience. The people at the companies showed me the importance of all their work and I got to see a variety of work in water resources. No words could describe the experiences I had at each company, as each added a new perspective on water resources.
I learned how USFS hydrologists must have vast knowledge of not only the hydrology of the region but on the flora and fauna that interact and live in the water. At ADWR, I experienced the joys of ArcGIS and how useful the software is in the industry, as well as the tremendous amount of work people put into creating Active Management Areas in Arizona. WSP took me to groundwater well construction sites and explained to me the significance of each step in the process. I also learned how hydrogeologists are used to help with contamination, which my environmental chemistry background really enjoyed. LRE Water taught me a lot about the importance of recharge wells, as well as how well maintenance is done.
I had an incredible time shadowing the companies and am so grateful to all the people who helped mentor me as they were all extremely friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. Thank you, AHS, for the amazing experience and the incredible people in the association.
