University of Wisconsin Madison Ergonomics Unit

Internship Location: Madison WI

Organization Type: State Government

Policy Areas: Occupational Health

This internship has been such an educational experience, as I have been able to dive deep into all of the processes that keep an organization’s employees safe. One of the key focuses of our program is on maintaining safe and healthy working environments for university employees to promote well-being, health, and workplace efficiency. One of my favorite things I have learned from this internship is how an organization facilitates accommodations for employees that require certain types of furniture. I have developed a strong foundation in how to create a healthy work environment for a variety of university staff members, from office workers to laboratory researchers. I have valued getting to meet 1:1 with university staff members to find them a chair, desk, and computer accessories that fit their needs as an individual. From these specific experiences, I have now affirm my love of working with people to help them feel more comfortable or healthier. It is very fulfilling to receive thank-you messages from university staff members who are grateful for the resources my team and I provided for them! Overall, this internship introduced me to an area of public health I hadn’t given much thought to before. I would recommend this program to any future students who are interested in public health, as this internship provides a strong mix of health policy, occupational health, and health education.