When it came to finding data for many of my projects, I was a spoiled. All I had to do is visit International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) Data Library, select the product and region I was interested and hit download. But that all changed this summer during my internship at the IRI with Pietro Ceccato.

Words matter. How we read, define and share information has a massive impact on our lives. Everything from ordering lunch to driving a car runs more smoothly when we all agree—or at least understand—what something means.

My parents always told me I could be anything I wanted when I grow up. I believed them, but even then, the mere thought of working for an agency like NASA seemed as distant as the moon.