Meet Niko! MISS Spring ‘24 Intern

By: Kayla Alamilla

Niko is a high school senior from Arizona and is interested in majoring in marine biology in college. Niko dreams of becoming a field researcher and working with samples from the deep sea. For their research project with MISS, Niko surveyed marine scientists of various backgrounds to learn more about discrimination in the field and its impact on scientists.

Other than their interests in marine biology and equality, Niko is an artist and anime fan. Here is our Q&A with Niko!

What is your favorite part about being a MISS intern?
Niko: My favorite part about being a MISS intern is being able to work with data. It may sound strange as people are generally put off by working with data sets and numbers, but seeing the different sets gathered by MISS is fascinating to me! So long as it's related to my interests, like marine biology, I enjoy working with numbers and hard data.

What motivated you to apply for this internship?
Niko: Applying to MISS was a complete shot in the dark. In fact, I didn't expect a response at all. My situation is a bit unconventional as a high school senior, but MISS
aligned very closely with my senior project's topic, so I felt that there was no harm in
trying. Imagine my surprise to not only get a response, but to also be accepted as an
intern!

How do you balance school work and internship duties?
Niko: Luckily for me, I am considered unofficially graduated even though I am still
enrolled. I do not have to go to any classes anymore and am able to fully dedicate my
time to my internship. It's admittedly pretty strange that after being under the pressure of a busy schedule with tons of homework, I am finally able to focus on and dedicate all my time to something I'm extremely passionate about.

What was your favorite class?
Niko: My favorite class was always art class, but I've also enjoyed chemistry and
biology!

What advice would you give to future interns in your position?
Niko: My biggest piece of advice would be to be wary of your time. As someone who’s far too familiar with time blindness and procrastination, doing things in a timely manner is something that is not only important to your project, but also to others around you.
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If you are interested in becoming a MISS intern in the future or want to get involved with MISS, follow us at @miss_elasmo on Instagram and X for updates on upcoming
opportunities!