Name: Nuha Mohammed
Class Year: 2025
Major: Chemistry and German
Hometown: Malvern, PA
Internship Organization: Innovation Academy e.V.
Job Title: Summer Intern
Location: Freiburg, Germany
What's happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
We participate in guided tours and conduct our own research on sustainability efforts in different European cities. We just finished a series of presentations about biodiversity in Gewerbepark Breisgau, the industrial park in Freiburg. We took a tram to Heitersheim and continued on the journey by bike. Along the way, my supervisor, Hans-Jörg, pointed out different plants and animals common to the region. At the site, I presented our ideas for a future photo competition hosted by Klimax Parcours, a project developed by Innovation Academy. I also conducted research for my supervisor’s presentation on bird and insect deaths from man-made structures and efforts that can be taken by the companies in the industrial area to avoid these tragedies.
Why did you apply for this internship?
I applied for the internship because I wanted the opportunity to expand upon my German skill set. My dream is to work for a pharmaceutical company based in Germany, and I believe that this internship has simulated that work experience. I’m also interested in environmental chemistry, and I think that learning about sustainability endeavors can help promote research in the field and decrease our consumption of certain chemicals. Overall, it’s been a great experience to learn the steps Freiburg has taken to embody the term “green city!”
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of this internship was the guided tours with the UNC-Chapel Hill students! We accompanied them on trips to Ribeauvillé, Strasbourg, Vauban, and Basel. My favorite trip was Riabeuvillé because we had the opportunity to learn about Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg’s history and explore the remnants of the other castles nearby. It was also my first time ever visiting France, so it has a special place in my heart. Nonetheless, the architecture was beautiful, and I learned a lot more about European history than I expected. I enjoyed the trip so much that I returned to the Alsace region a few weeks later!
What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn't expect?
I didn’t expect how useful my graphic design background would be in a workplace setting. In high school, I learned how to use different Adobe programs, and I now make infographics or edit pre-existing pedagogical tools with Illustrator and Photoshop at the organization. I feel like I neglected how useful experience with these programs can be for an organization. It definitely makes me want to further develop my skill set with different graphic design tools.
Visit the Summer Internship Stories page to read more about student internship experiences.