Michael Dupuis, '16, Optical Engineering Intern for the Schepens Eye Research Institute and Harvard Medical School

I am an optical engineering intern for The Schepens Eye Research Institute and Harvard Medical School within the Dr. Peli laboratory. I work on several projects that are designed to help people with low vision. As part of a project team, I design prism lens systems to aid patients with hemianopia (loss of a portion of the visual field due to stroke or traumatic brain injury). I also conduct work that helps assist and train low vision patients to drive better via our driving simulator. In addition, I work with lab members, designing low vision applications for Google Glass.

To find an internship in optical research, the most important step was sending out countless emails. I contacted more than a dozen researchers around Boston who worked in a relevant field—and I received only a few return emails. However, with the people who did take the time to return my interest I was quite persistent and expressed a strong interest. In the end, that persistence paid off.

More 2013 Spotlight on Summer Intern Stories here.