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Katie and Duncan will be interning with Sound Rivers this summer, in our New Bern and Washington offices, respectively. Welcome, we’re glad you’re part of the team!

Katie McQuillian is joining Sound Rivers as a summer Swim Guide Intern for the lower Neuse River. As a Swim Guide intern, Katie works with citizen scientists to regularly monitor water quality at popular recreational sites and provide weekly water quality assessments to the public.

Katie is a rising senior at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Environmental Science with minors in Statistics and GIS. She has worked for the Institute for Marine Sciences at UNC as a research assistant evaluating the impacts of living shorelines on ecosystem health. Katie worked for two years as a research assistant in the school of public health, studying the fate of hydraulic fracturing fluids in the environment, and currently works in the global hydrology lab studying the storage and movement of surface water. Katie loves being in and around the water, skiing, and eating cheese flavored snacks.

Duncan Anderson, interning in our Pamlico-Tar office, is currently working on his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Technology and Management at NC State University, where he pursues his interests in environmental toxicology and environmental management. During the academic year he works alongside graduate and doctoral students to investigate the hydrologic and water quality effects of a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Jacksonville, NC. He has created his own research project examining the potential for crops using the irrigated water to uptake pharmaceuticals and personal care products into their biomass. He also serves on the advisory board of the Engaging Leaders program, an opportunity designed for first year students at NC State’s College of Natural Resources to turn their leadership potential into engagement in local communities for positive change.

Duncan is excited to be part of Sound Rivers and gain hands-on experience in environmental management. He hopes to gain a strong understanding of how environmental nonprofits operate and the work they do for the community as he decides how to start his environmental career. Duncan is from Huntersville, NC and loves to get to know new towns like Raleigh and Washington. He enjoys reading, hiking, and baking.