Sorry for the delay in my second blog…the time is flying by and I hardly feel I have had a moment to myself!

In my second week, meetings took up a lot of time. As I was beginning new projects…and continuing others, a lot of initial discussion is required in order to ascertain the objectives of the project. I am still learning a lot about SPIE itself, understanding the ‘audience’ and what they require. As the content is rather confusing (optics, photonics, lasers, solar energy) I have had to adapt what I would expect traditional marketing to be like to fit in with the needs of the highly technical audience we aim to attract.

My time is split between PR Activities and Marketing activities which mean a lot of variety, which has been great in order for me to decide where my passions lie. With regard to PR, I am helping with various projects surrounding the 50^th Anniversary in May 2010 of the first demonstration of a working laser. This has involved gathering relevant contacts of leading laser institutes then asking them for a contribution regarding their experiences in the industry. It is quite a daunting task contacting such respected Professors in their fields of research. I have therefore transformed into a journalist over the last few weeks, writing and editing articles to be published which has been a new and exciting task, whilst also learning about vital new technologies on our planet! In marketing I have been continuing work on my SEO project, researching current practices and possible areas for improvement and have started work on a new project surrounding e-postcards which are sent to the conference chairs of each event in order for them to encourage further submission of papers from researchers on brand spanking new technology …it is all quite confusing at first as there is so many elements to each exhibition SPIE puts on! Other projects have also surrounded utilizing social networking sites by expanding the list of contacts on Twitter and working on the content of the general exhibitions brochure.

The highlight of my previous two weeks has surrounded learning about the creative processes involved in the graphics department. Their lead designer had come from a marketing agency background, something which is of particular interest to myself, so I got the lowdown on what it is like working in that type of environment. The creative side of marketing really appeals to me, particularly within agencies due to the close proximity with clients developing solutions, so I hope to learn more as the weeks roll on.

I also met with my managers, Amy and Jeff, who wanted to have a chat with me about what I wanted to gain from my internship. This really made me think about the opportunity I have been given here to broaden my marketing mind and gain as much exposure to the different medium used within a company. It was nice to know that they wanted me to get as much from the experience as I could, as well as utilizing myself for projects of benefit to SPIE.

On the social side Alex and I have been very busy! It is a heat wave here, seeing record temperatures so after work we have been going to the many lakes that surround Bellingham for a refreshing swim and a bit of sunbathing. The BBQs are still in full swing with our new friends as well as an SPIE BBQ at the Bellingham Bells baseball stadium. We have now spent weekends in both Seattle and Portland, which were both amazing. The train down to Seattle was simply beautiful along the Washington coastline, especially the sunset on the way home. We watched the Seattle Mariners baseball game where they lost by a mile but it was an experience. The stadium was next-door to the Seattle Sounders FC football ground – it is getting really popular here, I think I would have preferred to have been in there as we could actually see the big screen showing highlights of the game with binoculars! Someone previously mentioned the use of doggy bags in America when you haven’t finished your meal, and I have to say, I found it quite embarrassing to say yes at first, but actually everyone does it! You have paid for it so why not have the whole meal…so I have swallowed my pride and now do it all the time! I can’t see it catching on at home though!

This weekend we are staying here to hopefully visit the neighboring islands and do a bit of hiking. We have also booked a trip to Vegas, staying in New York New York! And I am going to LA to visit Fiona at MediaXchange the weekend after to hopefully catch a slice of her amazing celebspotting talent!

Nice to read everyone’s experiences, look forward to meeting you all when we are back to reality…