In the summer of 2019,  I began an internship with the City of Pittsburgh at their Department of Mobility and Infrastructure. I applied for the internship when I was abroad in Copenhagen, having taken an interest in urban mobility, the ways people get around the city and the ramification that has for their personal health and access to housing, food, work, and community. I had also become very interested in bicycle urbanism, and the various benefits of cities becoming more bicycle-friendly.

Working at the city was a really rewarding experience, because I was able to understand the on-the-ground work that was required to make the larger visions that I had been considering a tangible reality. I worked primarily with engineers in the traffic bureau, and was able to pick up new skills (including working with softwares such as Cartegraph and AutoCAD) that are helpful for traffic design. I was also able to contribute to some of the city’s emerging bicycle projects, and learned the advantages and limitations of pursuing a bicycle program in Pittsburgh. This is my most direct work experience that I expect to apply to my future career, and it is reassuring to know that my success in this internship was partly fueled by what I brought with me from my study abroad and global studies program.