Linfield College junior Michael Metter combined his interest in physics and travel into an internship this past summer at Torex Gold Resources, a mining company, in Nuevo Balsas, Mexico.
Metter, a physics major from Portland, applied for this opportunity after speaking with a mining engineer, who suggested a gold mining internship in Mexico. He spent six weeks on-site shadowing a manager from each department to learn the roles and responsibilities of each individual. He was also able to apply the knowledge he gained from his major at Linfield in a reallife setting.
“I applied my understanding of physics in a couple ways. For example, rock formations were producing electromagnetic anomalies that indicated there is valuable material in that area,” said Metter. “Also, a combination of geology and physics is used in the mine layout to ensure there are no landslides or wall failures.”
During the internship, Metter improved his communication in Spanish by never giving up.
“The best part was getting to meet new people and experiencing the cultural differences,” said Metter. “At the same time, this was one of the more difficult barriers I had to face because I didn’t know how to speak Spanish, which made it hard to communicate and learn.”
Metter is unsure what he will do post-graduation, but hopes the rest of his time at Linfield will help guide him into his future career.
“I learned lots of things in my internship. I learned independence, organization skills, but most of all I learned what it takes to be professional and successful in the business world, including communication,” said Metter.
