In my three-month stint at IPUR, I had the opportunity to work alongside various professors on projects addressing gaps between lay and expert risk perception. Under their supervision, I piloted surveys, conducted literature reviews and contributed to a novel research paper that was presented at an academic conference in Dublin, Ireland. The paper aimed to generate a theoretical concept framework looking at individual, domain, and societal factors influencing risk perception gaps between experts and the general public.

For the conference, I also created presentations to be used in an expert focus group workshop and a plenary discussion. These projects were of great personal interest to me as a third-year Psychology major looking to pursue a career in this academic field and I am very thankful for the opportunities to improve my writing, presentation, and programming skills.

Other than liaising with different team members of IPUR, I also worked independently on a case study investigating different aspects of risk communication during the 2009 and 2019-2020 Australian bushfires. The case study was of educational purpose and described the different factors causing the disastrous consequences of the bushfires. Lapses in risk communication between authorities and the lay public were highlighted and possible areas of improvement discussed. Doing up the different sections and components of the case study was complex, and it forced me to generate new ideas, illustrate theories succinctly and combine different objectives efficiently.

Throughout the internship, I was exposed to many facets of risk communication and research. I have better understood the impacts of different risks on global communities and the need for effective and accurate risk communication. I have also learnt about working well with others in a research-focused workplace, and to challenge myself to think outside of the box when presented with tasks I found complicated.

I am also very grateful for the guidance from my direct supervisor, Dr Olivia Jensen, IPUR Lead Scientist (Environment and Climate). Dr Jensen gave excellent advice and feedback for all my projects, and I have learnt much about the importance of effective risk communication from her. I also enjoyed working with Dr Carolyn Lo, IPUR Research Fellow. Our brainstorming sessions taught me to think critically, and I am very appreciative of her supervision and advice.

This was my very first internship and I am very thankful for the chance to collaborate with many distinguished and reputable researchers, as well as the opportunities to learn new things and enhance my skillsets. I look forward to applying what I have learnt at IPUR in school and my future internships!