I interned at the World Bank this summer! As part of the Data Development Partnership, I was able to become a member of the team and better understand how they provide a bridge between the World Bank’s very important data work and the many private companies and other intergovernmental agencies that can help their goals get fulfilled. Specifically, I worked with the development of a new project between the team and the Philippines Country Office of the World Bank involving the health impacts of heatwaves in urban areas of the Philippines. The goal of the project is to develop a tool to help municipal stakeholders better understand vulnerability and impact in near-real time. This will help maximize impact and, in a region particularly sensitive to the changing climate, aid in change.

Much of my work involved reading and drafting a comprehensive literature review of current research, as well as looking for areas where knowledge is insufficient. I was further able to develop and improve data visualization tools for the varied kinds of data regarding temperature that we utilized. Data analysis and project brainstorming were some of the other tasks I particularly enjoyed, since they gave me the possibility of engaging with the proposal in a higher level and think about what kinds of impact a team within an organization like the World Bank could do. I am very excited to be able to continue work on this even beyond the summer!

Overall, this internship was a great experience. I was able to connect with members of my team, other people from my cohort, and enjoy all of the World Bank’s facilities and training, including getting CPR certified. This program truly changed my trajectory by opening my mind to the kind of impact a STEM career could (and should) have, and I could not be more thankful!