DAN LI
PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT
TOURO UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA INTERNSHIP YEAR 2017
“CMDN is a very dynamic work place, where I can find public health research, wildlife research, biomedical research and plant biodiversity research in one organization. I had a lot of different trainings related to public health in CMDN, such as participating in public health field work, observing in different types of labs, getting trained in GIS and bioinformatics. CMDN had a lot of ongoing projects that can make a huge impact on Nepal, such as IBBS surveys and HPV/HCV research projects. I could freely observe and be involved in any projects that interest me. CMDN also gave me new thoughts about my future career. In the past, I had never thought of becoming a researcher; however, because of CMDN, I found research work can be very interesting and meaningful. At the same time, as a global health student, CMDN helped me understand that I don’t have to restrict myself in the US. I can also participate in research work that takes places in different parts of the world. At the end, I really want to recommend other students to take their chances and intern in CMDN. I am certain that they will enjoy their time in CMDN as much as I did”.
EVELYNE NGUYEN
PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT
TOURO UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA INTERNSHIP YEAR: 2017
"I would like to express my gratitude towards CMDN for an exceptional experience during my six-week internship.Throughout my internship, Dr. Sameer Dixit organized activities around my research interests, from meetings with researchers, experts in diverse health disciplines, workshops and field trips in various districts. The level of expertise of the staff at CMDN allowed me to apply skills acquired during my MPH training and to further my knowledge of biostatistics, research methods, epidemiology and grant writing. While enhancing my research skills, the activities I was involved in were always safe and enjoyable. The range of projects conducted by CMDN is remarkable and has expanded my grasp of public health issues in Nepal. Participating in the Zoonotic Disease Pandemic Preparedness workshop with Mr. Dibesh Karmacharya was an unforgettable experience. I was able to meet with researchers from around the world and to contribute meaningfully by writing meeting summary notes and a newspaper article.Lastly, my stay in Nepal will remain a memorable one, thanks to Nikita and the staff at CMDN, who made sure I felt welcome and part of their team."
JILLIAN GRAHAM
PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT
TOURO UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA INTERNSHIP YEAR: 2018
My experience at Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal was incredible, and above and beyond what I could have expected. The entire CMDN was so welcoming and went out of their way to provide my classmates and me a compelling and well-rounded experience. We were able to put our public health training to work while also learning many new skills. Being involved in each part of the process of a research project from initial conception to final manuscript writing was instrumental for my development as a public health professional. Thanks to CMDN I gained an immense amount of knowledge, a new and unique perspective on global public health, a love for Nepal and a group of new friends!
ELIZAVETA DE LONG
PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT
TOURO UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA INTERNSHIP YEAR: 2018
I am writing to thank you for the six week internship with CMDN; now being home for a month I was able to reflect and re-evaluate my experience in Nepal and I hope that you find useful what I have to say. First and foremost I would like to mention the holistic approach that CMDN leadership employs as their strategy to select and assign work for the interns. There are no boundaries in what I was allowed to work on, learn and contribute my expertise to. Starting the first week everyone in my group was thoroughly introduced to CMDN projects with the opportunity to attend meeting, meet the leadership and the staff, and review the documentation in order to make sure everyone was fully informed about the work that was done before and work that lies ahead. Everyone was not only allowed but encouraged to learn as much as we could about the projects that interested us the most. We had an unprecedented opportunity to work at level two laboratories, learn from and assist experienced Nepali medical biotechnologists, observe and participate in live human and nonhuman sampling, process sampling and data. The education potential of this internship is enormous and with one’s willingness to take full advantage of it really make CMDN the outmost value to the foreign students.
G. Leela Raja
Touro University California Intern Testimonial, 27 August 2018
I consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from all of those at CMDN. Not only was everybody welcoming, but they also made sure that I knew about their functions and the amazing projects that the company and its affiliate organizations were working on. From day one, I felt a part of their team, from the laboratory and building tours to my own desk and work space among some inspiring team members. Another important facet of my learning experience that made a distinctly positive impression upon me was the consummate professionalism and work ethic of all of my colleagues, preceptor/mentor, administrators, laboratory scientists, and staff. Everyone knew who I was, why I was there, and what I was working on. Multiple people from different project areas consistently inquired about my satisfaction with experiences thus far and whether or not I was satisfied with the learning opportunities offered to me. They insisted that I ask questions or obtain help whenever necessary from a wide variety of people and expressed interest in my background, what I was working on, and whether or not they could help in any way. Additionally, I learned that they had recently launched a Global Public Health Division and they even offered its resources to my specific project, despite everyone’s being busy with their own work. All with whom I had the pleasure of working and getting to know at CMDN and its affiliated organizations I would feel exceedingly fortunate to have as permanent colleagues.
Ryann Smith
New Mexico State University
My internship with the Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done. It was my first time traveling outside the U.S., and I’m really happy that I went somewhere so different from home. I thoroughly enjoyed the cultural differences (especially the food).
All the people that we met were really friendly, especially the friends that we made at CMDN. Kathmandu reminded me of New York City, with the sheer size of it and the number of people in vehicles and walking through the city. The buildings in Nepal are so colorful, unlike in the U.S., and were really cool to look at as we drove or walked by. There are so many amazing sites to see there, and each one that we went to was beautiful.
For the internship itself, we got to travel to Chitwan National Park along the southern border of Nepal and hike in the forest in search of tiger scat (and scat from other animals) to analyze in the lab. Adarsh and Prajwol were really great at teaching us the proper sampling techniques for DET buffer and the silica gel desiccant. The guides we were with were really informative about all the plants and animals that we saw. We also traveled to Sindhupalchok district for one night for additional field sampling, and we stayed with Kumar and his family. They were really welcoming, and we had a really fun night with them. The forests that we hiked in were truly beautiful. I loved seeing all the different plants and birds, and I don’t think anything will ever top seeing a wild rhino in the forest. I learned so much during the days we spent in the field, and I cherish those memories and the knowledge I gained.
The days we spent in the lab were equally informative. We were taught how to extract DNA from scat samples in DET buffer, how to amplify the DNA, and how to run it through a gel to get species and sex ID. We were also taught about the value of DNA in characterizing populations and in anti-poaching efforts. We also attended a symposium at Resources Himalaya Foundation, and we spent a few hours at the U.S. Embassy in Nepal meeting with people from USAID.
One of my absolute favorite things about the entire experience was the people that we interacted with every day from CMDN. I developed what I hope will be lifelong friendships with them and the other students from NMSU that I was with.
I am eternally grateful for the experiences that I had in Nepal. It felt like a dream that I wasn’t ready to wake up from.
