Gabrial Goldner, a water sciences master’s degree student, is getting invaluable work experience and building her professional confidence through a summer internship at the Department of Natural Resources in Georgia.
During her internship, Goldner has been working in the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) where she assists in testing for contaminants in water samples, known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.
“The idea of being able to do this sort of testing would never have been possible without this internship. I go in every day thrilled to be there,” said Goldner, who has a Geosciences degree from Georgia State (B.S. '21). “The internship has helped me understand what a possible future for me could look like.”
The EPD is currently transitioning to a testing method that expands the number of PFAS compounds that can be analyzed for in drinking water samples.
Goldner, whose geosciences graduate research focuses on PFAS transport and testing, said she plans to work in the environmental contamination field and said her internship helped instill a level of confidence in her to be successful after graduation.
“Now that I’ve done this testing, I feel like I can go out and apply to any [job] dealing with drinking water or PFAS contamination and I would know the steps needed to do it,” Goldner said.