About Me

Hi! My name is Emmy Trivette, I’m a junior at UNC Chapel Hill. For the last two years of my degree I’ve been studying journalism, but because nature’s always called to me in more ways than one, I took on a second major in Environmental Studies in the spring. I grew up in Kitty Hawk, and after moving back for this field experience, I soon realized how many of my memories – swimming in the Albemarle Sound on Christmas or bodysurfing through many autumns in the ocean – were distinctly coasted by a childhood on the beach. When I jumped into the field site here at the Coastal Studies Institute, I felt entirely like a fish out of water, despite having grown up on the Outer Banks. 

The classes were science, my peers seemed steeped in scientific experience, and even my internship revolved entirely around science. As intimidating as it was, it was exactly what I signed up for: complete, shocking immersion. While I could still hang tightly to that familiar thread of journalism, even then I found myself constantly being pushed to practice my photography skills by CSI’s Outreach Director, John McCord, and hone my digestibility of scientific papers.  

Outreach Intern

My internship with the CSI Outreach Department was a deeper look as to how a communications department for a research lab functions. At the beginning of the semester my mentor John and I set several goals and deliverables for myself. Those included several articles, continuous photo documentation of the Outer Banks Field Site work, and a photo story.  I’ve furthered my Lightroom editing skills, quickened my workflow, and most importantly, practiced my writing and photography skills almost waist-deep in a research environment.  I did some of my best work and greatest mistakes as an Outreach Intern, but I’m sure there’s some great quote floating in the info-sphere about how that’s the way you learn – which is true. 

Future Aspirations

After I leave the field site, and even after I drive a half hour back to Kitty Hawk to stay with my parents for winter break, I’ll head to Thailand for another semester abroad from Chapel Hill.  Even after that I have only another year until I graduate, which is a terrifying thought. Despite that fear, which will probably hold fast beyond my graduation, this internship has allowed me to pursue my interest in photography further, and confirm that my comfort spot is in fact storytelling, and regardless of the challenges, I want to be in the game of environmental storytelling. In what form that will take as a career, I have no idea. With that said, I’m beyond excited to take these revelations with a still-open-mind as I head further into the working-world.