My Experience as a practicum student working with Natural Resources Canada's Space Weather Forecasting team

The Canadian Hazards Information Service (CHIS) and more specifically the Space Weather Forecasting team was not at all what I was expecting going into this work term. They are a small (~20 people) closely knit group of scientists . For the most part work hours are somewhat informal with people showing up between 8:00am at 10:00am and staying until 4:00pm to 6:00pm. I based my work schedule around my supervisor, Dr. David Boteler, who worked 9:00am-5:00pm most days. 

My daily schedule looked something like the following. The first thing that I would do when I came into work would be fulling up my water, and grabbing a cup of coffee. I would then go to my work station and check all my emails from the last few days, and then start working on whatever the task was for the day. I ate lunch much later than the other employees because I started my second job after leaving this job, which meant that I would eat dinner late. I normally ate a 10 minute lunch at ~2:00pm. After I finished lunch I would resume my work before leaving at ~5:00pm.

Over my stay with the team there were two unique days where I put my projects on pause and did something special with Dr. Boteler and the rest of the forecasting team. The first of these days was when Dr. Boteler showed me around the rest of the facility and showed me the work that the geophysicists, engineers, and machinists do. As he gave me the tour he explained the science behind the importance of all the different services the CHIS and the Space Weather Forecasting team provide. This was benefitial because I do not come from an engineering or physics background and it helped me develop and understanding into the importance of the project that I am working on in relation to the many other services provided by the team. The second day was spent going to a seminar  held by the National Research Council on the use of virtual reality in science and engineering. While this was an interesting seminar it had little to do with my project and I failed to understand the application to space weather forecasting. After the seminar was finished the team went out to a late dinner which was nice before returning to work for the last two hours of the day.

Over all my experience with the team was very positive. The team was very supporting and interested in what I was working on. They provided some general direction and told me in great detail what they hope the results of my project will contain, while giving me a large degree of freedom to pursue the project how I felt would be best. All of the negatives that I experienced in my time with the team was caused by a series of delays to starting the project. This was not the fault of the forecast team but rather the slow process at which the federal government processes new employees, and the very slow internet speed at the facility.

I look forward to continuing my project next semester and hopefully seeing it to completion.

 - Daniel Mutton