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According to President and CEO Dennis M. Flood ’88, CoreWater Technologies is frequently doing this work with the help of 91ֱ�� chemistry students in the form of summer research or Winter Term projects. Flood says the company hired summer 2024 interns in collaboration with members of the chemistry and biochemistry department by the Internship+ program administered by the Office of Career Exploration and Development.

Internship+ is tailored to help third- year students pursue experiential learning opportunities in their chosen career or area of study; accordingly, those who complete the Internship+ program are eligible to receive up to $5,000 to support an internship, research-based project, or another pre-professional (or performance-focused) experience.

For Flood, who played on the men’s soccer team and club ice hockey and designed his own independent major in modern sports management, working with current 91ֱ�� students makes perfect sense. “[They’re] highly motivated, inquisitive, and talented with a keen interest and desire to learn,” he says. “Part of what sets 91ֱ�� students apart is their passion for tackling social, cultural, and environmental challenges. They are eager to discuss social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.”

CoreWater Technologies’ interns fit this description. Alison Grant ’26, a double major in biochemistry and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies who plays on the , explored the relationship between public health data and reported PFAS levels in municipal water supplies. Her project “represents a significant contribution to the field of en- vironmental health research,” Flood says, as her research uncovered a connection between PFAS contamination and health issues like thyroid disorders and cancer. “Alison’s findings indicate a potential predictive public health model for identifying previously unknown areas with high PFAS contamination.”

Zach Smith ’26, a chemistry major with a business concentration who’s a member of the , explored various techniques for octadecylamine deposition—a crucial step in the development of CoreWater Technologies’ water treatment solution. “By the end of my internship, I conducted a series of experiments that hopefully enhance the ef- ficiency of [this] process,” he says. “These experiments also have the potential to contribute valuable insights to the field of analytical chemistry.”

Internship+ also opened career doors for Obies in other industries. Kayla Elias ’25, who is on the pre-medical track majoring in neuroscience and biochemistry, spent the summer of 2024 in the Elahi Lab at the Friedman Brain Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City researching how brain vascular pathology can contribute to cognitive impairment and dementia. Maya Denkmire ’25, a creative writing major with a concentration in education, spent the summer assisting with the summer youth writing programs at The Telling Room in Portland, Maine. Lucy Lee ’25, a neuroscience major with a minor in anthropology and a concentration in global health, interned at the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center, assisting research program coordinators with data collection and maintenance.

And TIMARA major Penina Biddle-Gottesman ’25 spent the summer at Dogbotic, a creative workshop, lab, and studio for music and sound founded by composer Kirk Pearson ’17, building instruments and set pieces for the dreamy indie-pop band Vansire. This internship was particularly Obie-centric, as Vansire features cinema studies and TIMARA grad Josh Augustin ’20.

“While I was a student, many Obie grads were incredibly cordial and candid about career advice,” Pearson says. “I’m overjoyed to be able to return the favor whenever possible.”

Biddle-Gottesman notes that this support is a two-way street. “As much as I was helping Kirk with their artistic practice, I also was learning from them, so I came out of the summer with an entirely new set of skills in instrument fabrication, circuitry, logistical planning, [and] communicating with other artists.”

Indeed, the connections fostered via Internship+ endure even after the summer is over. For 2025’s Winter Term, CoreWater Technologies is hosting four students for an analytical chemistry and business micro-internship that combines scientific expertise and the development of business and marketing skills. Flood says he’s also excited about the possibility of future internships connected with two of 91ֱ��’s new majors, business and environmental studies.

“As an alum and community resident, it is personally important for me to establish an industry-immersive learning experience less than two miles from the 91ֱ�� campus,” he says. “I know first- hand the time commitments of balancing academics and athletics. I am grateful for creating an enduring network of support for all 91ֱ�� students to demonstrate their versatility, intellectual capabilities, and to explore career possibilities.”

Additional reporting by Lucy Curtis ’24 and Jacob Strauss.

Alums interested in learning more how they can provide internships, career opportunities or mentorship to current students can reach out to the Office of Alumni Engagement or Office of Career Exploration & Development.