2025 NEWVEC Summer Intern Experience at URI
Written by Valerie MacDonald, Mason Palmer, Emma Vollucci, Dr. Alexis White, and Dr. Tom Mather
Exploring Tick Research: NEWVEC Intern Insights
Ticks are tiny, but their impact on public health and wildlife is enormous. This summer, three University of Rhode Island (URI) students—Valerie MacDonald, Mason Palmer and Emma Vollucci—dove into the world of tick ecology and tick control as interns with NEWVEC’s Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping). Their experiences provided a unique window into how science, community outreach, and public health come together to tackle the challenges posed by ticks.
What is Project ITCH?
Project ITCH (Is Tick Control Helping?) is a large-scale research study across New England exploring how different backyard tick control methods might affect tick populations and reduce the risk of people coming into contact with ticks. By collecting samples from yards across the region, researchers are identifying which tick control strategies are most effective at keeping ticks away—and which ones aren’t.
What does a Project ITCH intern do?
Project ITCH interns, Valerie, Mason, and Emma helped collect ticks from residential yards across southern Rhode Island, engaging with homeowners throughout the summer on tick bite prevention. Their work included flagging for ticks, data collection, tick identification, organizing samples to send to collaborators for testing, and communicating with homeowners.
Overall, the hands-on role of Project ITCH helped our interns develop vital research skills while also understanding the importance of community engagement in vector control efforts.
Meet the Interns
Valerie MacDonald recently earned her degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Data Science. Her passion for ticks and tick-borne diseases began during her sophomore year when she joined a research lab focused on public health. Valerie’s goal is to bridge the gap between science and the public through effective communication and education.
Mason Palmer, a rising senior majoring in Wildlife Conservation Biology, has long been fascinated by the connections between animal health, ecosystems, and human well-being. His prior lab experience sparked his interest in the One Health approach recognizing that human, animal, and environmental health are intertwined. Mason is eager to contribute to research that supports both conservation and public health.
Emma Vollucci, a rising senior double majoring in Biology and Anthropology, plans to blend the humanities with science in her future work. Emma has had many personal altercations with ticks throughout her life making her exceedingly interested in studying them. She joined the research lab to learn more about ticks and help educate others.
While Valerie and Mason’s internship focused primarily on Project ITCH, Emma worked in Dr. Janelle Couret’s lab to study a variety of topics including how a tick’s microbiome might affect its behavior.
Why They Chose Project ITCH
For Valerie, the internship offered a chance to deepen her understanding of public health strategies while working in a collaborative, impact-driven environment. Mason valued the hands-on experience working closely with faculty, gaining insight into scientific research, graduate school, and career paths in science. Emma also enjoyed helping with Project ITCH, discovering the factors that may result in “tickier” yards than others, and being able to talk with homeowners about tick bite prevention.
What They Wish You Knew About Ticks
Ticks can be tricky, and understanding their behavior is the key to preventing pathogen transmission. Valerie points out that the “risk of tick bites does not disappear in the winter,” and reminds us that “ticks do not jump, they crawl.” Mason adds, “ticks can be present everywhere—even on treated lawns,” and surprisingly, “ticks can survive under water for days.” Emma adds, “not every kind of tick carries Lyme disease germs so it’s really important to know how to identify ticks to know your disease risk.”
Learning and Growing
Throughout the internship, Valerie, Mason, and Emma developed a diverse set of skills blending science with real-world application. They learned how to survey for ticks, and how to identify different species, while also mastering accurate data entry and laboratory methods for preserving and testing tick samples for pathogens. Beyond “ticknical” skills, they gained valuable experience administering surveys, engaging with study participants, and communicating scientific findings to both professional and public audiences. They acknowledge that the combination of fieldwork, lab research, and outreach helped them grow as researchers and communicators in the field of public health and environmental science.
Mason shares, “Every day in the field raises new questions—being curious has become one of my most important tools.” Valerie echoes this with her belief that “awareness is prevention, and it’s important to learn the signs, know the risks.”
Looking Ahead
The Project ITCH internship not only enhanced Valerie, Mason, and Emma’s scientific knowledge but also strengthened their commitment to public health and environmental stewardship. Their experiences highlight the critical role of research and community involvement in managing vector-borne diseases.
