Calling all policy people! If you’re looking for a way to gain valuable experience in the realm of environmental policy research and writing or want to experience the government sector, this is a great opportunity to check out. The White House Council on Environmental Quality is accepting applications for its Summer Internship Program. It is open to current undergraduate and graduate students. Applications must be submitted by February 23, 2024.
EarthLab summer internships are back! This unique program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to amplify impact on environmental issues and craft equitable solutions through interdisciplinary projects and community-engaged research. Internships are wide-ranging in topics and are open to any currently enrolled undergraduate student from any UW college, school, or campus as of Spring 2024.
Interns are placed with an EarthLab member or partner organization for 9 weeks, but also participate in a collaborative cohort model enabling them to have weekly dialogue with their peers. A stipend will be dispersed over the 9 weeks.
Check out the EarthLab website to learn more, and attend one of three upcoming virtual information sessions! Applications are due by 5:00PM PT on March 1st, 2024.
The College of the Environment’s annual Environmental Career Fair is coming up fast, and it’s back in-person this winter! See details below, and make sure to register on Handshake.
Please join us on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 12:00-3:00PM PST for this year’s Environmental Career Fair, hosted in the HUB North Ballroom!
This IN-PERSON Environmental Career Fair, hosted by the College on the Environment, will give you an exciting opportunity to network with dozens of employers who are all looking to recruit UW students and alumni for full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities. All UW students are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!
Questions?Please reach out by emailing us at envjobs@uw.edu.
To get the most out of your Environmental Career Fair experience, check out these resources:
The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made 10 days in advance by emailingenvjobs@uw.edu.
In recognition of the many contributions of Dr. William (Bill) Lapenta to advance NOAA science and services and his dedication to training the next generation of scientists, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established the William M. Lapenta Student Internship Program in 2019. The program builds on the highly successful National Weather Service (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Internship which Bill created in 2017 and has since expanded to all NOAA Line Offices.
NOAA is offering paid summer internships targeted towards current 2nd and 3rd-year undergraduate and enrolled graduate students to work in areas that will provide robust research and/or operational experience that will prepare the student for further study in NOAA fields, for application to fellowships or for the NOAA-mission workforce. This internship program enables National Weather Service, (NWS), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Ocean Service (NOS) and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) to target the skills needed to fulfill their specific mission needs. Projects may be focused on research areas or development of operational products such as decision support tools, climate and weather forecast models, population dynamics of fish populations, ecosystem modeling, hydrology, ocean circulation models, unmanned systems, data analysis methodologies, social science, and strategies to communicate information pertaining to NOAA’s mission to the public and to stakeholders.
Must be enrolled in an undergraduate (sophomore and junior status) or graduate degree program, and be a U.S. Citizen willing to undergo a security background check.
Students from all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) majors and social science are welcome to apply. Other majors will be considered provided that the student’s experience is relevant to NOAA’s mission.
NOAA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan states that:
“NOAA’s unique mission of science, service, and stewardship demands a diverse workforce to reflect, understand, and respond to the varied communities and stakeholders we serve. Equally important is an inclusive work environment that drives employee and organizational performance. NOAA recognizes that a sustained commitment to strengthening diversity and inclusion is critical to enable a future where societies and the world’s ecosystems reinforce each other and are mutually resilient in the face of sudden and prolonged change.”
Members of groups underrepresented in the sciences including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders, persons with disabilities, veterans, first-generation college students, LGBTQ+, and economically disadvantaged students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Washington Sea Grant has an outstanding opportunity for a Community Engagement Specialist with a focus on the West Coast of Washington State. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by July 14. Learn more at UW Hires.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published a student opportunities database listing NOAA scholarships, fellowships, and internships across the agency from K-postdoc. Students can filter on several criteria to find the best fit.
Environmental Studies majors take part in a unique 3-quarter Capstone experience combining professional development, a built-in internship (locally or abroad) and a public presentation tying in their academic research with their practical on-the-job work. Students gain valuable hands-on experience exploring potential career paths and they build communications, research and analytic skills that serve them well beyond their time at college.
Read more about what the student experience is within our Capstone, in this fifth post in our Student Capstone Q&A Series.
Corina Yballa
Capstone Internship focus: Community and environmental stewardship Capstone organization: Young Women Empowered (Y-WE) Nature Connections UW faculty mentor: Jessica Hernandez
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose to intern with Young Women Empowered because this organization, more than any other I’ve seen, champions environmental and social justice, community organizing, and education in a way that centers and uplifts the voices of young people. In addition to my first impressions of Y-WE during ENVIR 490, a national staff member in my organization, United Students Against Sweatshops, shared with me their positive impression and respect for Y-WE. Another reason I decided to choose this internship was because of the dynamic I had with my future site supervisor, Anna McCracken, at the Capstone Meet and Greet! Knowing that capstone students spend a lot of time with their site supervisors during ENVIR 491, it was important to me to find someone I knew I would have a good relationship with.
UW Environmental Studies major, Corina Yballa.
What environmental challenges are you addressing? Why is it important?
My capstone project centers around environmental injustice in King and Pierce counties and the inability of affected groups to combat injustice collectively. Marginalized communities in our region are disproportionately subject to air, soil, and water pollution and have limited access to transit and public green space, among other environment-related issues. Often, different cultural and/or ethnic-based communities face similar environmental issues, but lack the institutional power, come up against differences of culture or language, and face systemic barriers to improving their conditions. As part of my capstone research, I wanted to get closer to understanding how we can overcome these challenges to build power in communities, foster deep understanding and solidarity, and work to collectively steward our land and the abundant gifts it offers us.
What are the goals of this internship and what are your expected deliverables?
The goal of my internship was to make a positive contribution to the communities that I identify with. To help Y-WE Nature Connections further their goal of fostering a connection between youth and their environment, especially among queer people and POC who often face greater barriers to it, I helped my site supervisor plan Y-WE’s first backpacking trip. Another one of my deliverables (aside from those delivered to my capstone and faculty advisers) was a report on the backpacking trip. The 17-page report I prepared documented details of the trip, consolidated the feedback we received from youth and mentors, and assessed the successes and opportunities for improvement.
What does a day in the life of your internship look like?
My day to day activities at Y-WE included creating emergency contact spreadsheets, writing environmental curriculum for youth ages 12 to 19, packing up our meals for the trip (including packing Sriracha into travel squeeze bottles), making a powerpoint for our backpacking prep night, picking up gear from the Washington Trails Association, and much more. Once we got to Olympic National Park, I was responsible for leading our 12-person group alongside another adult, checking in with our youth to ensure they had enough to eat, keeping us engaged with curriculum and activities, and making sure we set up camp before nightfall.
Corina on a Y-WE backpacking trip from Cape Alava to Sand Point on the Ozette Triangle.
What skills have you learned throughout this internship?
Some of the most important skills I learned or enhanced at my internship were time management, the logistics of organizing an outdoor event like our backpacking trip, and some of the operations for running a growing non-profit organization. My site supervisor, Anna, was really great about bringing me to meetings concerning Y-WE and their grant funding. I had the chance to learn about the grant process and how complicated it can be to juggle all the requirements of various grants. Another important skill I learned throughout the internship was the ability to work with young people in a way that empowers them, affirms their knowledge and experiences, and breaks down the hierarchical youth-adult dynamic that is common in many organizations for young people.
What’s been the most memorable moment of this internship so far?
Our 4-day backpacking trip to the Ozette Triangle in Olympic National Park was definitely the most memorable part of my internship. We saw black bears and eagles, got to hang out at the amazing beaches there, had the honor of speaking with a member of the Makah and visited the Makah Cultural and Research Center, had fun meals like campfire cinnamon rolls, and met many intertidal critters. The best part, however, was getting to know the people in the Y-WE community. The youth and mentors that make up Nature Connections are wonderful people and made me feel so included, despite being the new intern.
What are your career aspirations once you graduate?
After graduation this quarter, my hope is to pursue a career that combines my passions for environmental justice, social justice and labor, and community organizing. This internship helped me realize that I enjoy educational work, and would love to integrate it into my work. My hope is to work for an organization like Got Green, who provide environmental education (especially around environmental justice issues), develop community leadership, and engage in direct action to make tangible changes in their focus areas of climate justice, youth leadership, and food access. I would also love the chance to work for a labor organization to address the often unrecognized environmental harm and injustice that happens in the workplace and as a result of the cycle of poverty.
Environmental Studies majors take part in a unique 3-quarter Capstone experience combining professional development, a built-in internship (locally or abroad) and a public presentation tying in their academic research with their practical on-the-job work. Students gain valuable hands-on experience exploring potential career paths and they build communications, research and analytic skills that serve them well beyond their time at college.
Read more about what the student experience is within our Capstone, in this fourth post in our Student Capstone Q&A Series.
Rachel Fricke
Capstone Study Focus: Using fishing technology to trace angler movement as a vector for invasive species Capstone Organization: Olden Freshwater Ecology and Conservation Lab UW Faculty Mentor: Dr. Julian Olden
Why did you choose this internship?
My academic interests encompass anthropogenic interactions with freshwater resources, and I knew going into my capstone that I wanted to work somewhere within this realm. While a student in Dr. Olden’s Aquatic Invasion Ecology (FISH 423) course last Fall I met with him to discuss potential projects, and at the time he was looking for a student to tackle a collaborative study with ReelSonar, the makers of iBobber – a sonar-enabled bobber with over 3 million records of fishing activity around the globe. I was excited by the dataset and its applications within aquatic ecology, and ultimately chose to pursue this internship because I knew the work would be both personally challenging and rewarding.
What environmental challenges are you addressing? Why is it important?
Recreational fishing and boating serve as pathways for the movement of aquatic invasive species into new waterbodies, and curbing the spread of noxious invaders through these vectors is an ongoing management challenge. Using data generated by iBobbers, I am characterizing fished ecosystems and integrating invasive species’ distributions with angler (fishing with a line and hook) movement patterns across the continental U.S. My study carries important implications for predicting and preventing future transmission of aquatic invasive species via recreational angling.
What are the goals of this internship and what are your expected deliverables?
Through my study I am developing my competency in quantitative analysis and science communication. To do so, I’ve synthesized research method and writing skills acquired in my Environmental Studies and Fisheries classes. My final expected deliverable is a publication-quality manuscript which I plan to submit to a peer-reviewed journal.
Photo courtesy Thiago Couto
Rachel Fricke preparing zooplankton samples on the shores of Lake Kulla Kulla in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
What does a day in the life of your internship look like?
I typically arrive at our lab office in UW’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences around 7 or 8 am, make a pot of coffee, and then pull up my to-do list. My work differs from day-to-day, but I usually spend time using ArcGIS and/or R to analyze data, searching and reading relevant literature, and drafting our manuscript.
I’ve also been working as a field technician in the lab over the summer, collecting samples for stable isotope analysis at high alpine lakes in the Cascades. On field days we’d leave from base camp at 6 am and backpack (sometimes bushwhack) a few miles to our lake for the day, where we sampled phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, invertebrates, and plants using ultralight pack rafts.
What skills have you learned throughout this internship?
My proficiency in ArcGIS, R, and Python has increased by leaps and bounds through this study. I had some experience with these programs prior to starting my work, but using them to analyze my own data rather than simply completing a class assignment has substantially increased my understanding of their capabilities. I’ve also learned that a large part of conducting scientific research is simply deciding how to interpret findings and their broader relevance, both in narrative and visual form.
There is rarely one “right” way to execute a study.
I’ve often wrestled with decision-making, but while carrying out my work I’ve had to justify the choices I make to my mentors, which has in turn bolstered my confidence as a researcher.
What’s the most memorable moment of this internship so far?
This past May I had the opportunity to share some my initial findings as a talk at the Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting in Detroit, MI. While there, I received constructive feedback from professionals in the field, met a number of ecologists whose work I have long admired, and learned about ongoing projects in a range of freshwater-related disciplines. The most memorable moment was responding to audience questions after I gave my presentation – their interest reaffirmed my investment of time and energy into my work.
What are your career aspirations once you graduate?
My immediate plans are to pursue graduate studies in aquatic ecology, though I’m also exploring research fellowship opportunities overseas. In the long-term, I hope to continue advancing freshwater conservation as a university professor and allocate my time toward both teaching and research. Working in the Olden Lab has been one of the most meaningful learning experiences in my time as an undergraduate, and I would love to start my own lab one day and pay forward the support I’ve benefitted from as a young scientist.
Environmental Studies majors take part in a unique 3-quarter Capstone experience combining professional development, a built-in internship (locally or abroad) and a public presentation tying in their academic research with their practical on-the-job work. Students gain valuable hands-on experience exploring potential career paths and they build communications, research and analytic skills that serve them well beyond their time at college.
Read more about what the student experience is within our Capstone, in this third post in our Student Capstone Q&A Series.
I chose to do my capstone internship with Waste Management’s Recycle Corps internship program because this was an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. Before this internship I did not know much about the waste industry besides me putting my recycling and garbage at the curb and someone picking it up every week. I also chose this internship because I wanted to get experience working for a private company in my field and learn how to educate the public on a broad scale.
What environmental challenges are you addressing? Why is it important?
One challenge that I addressed through my internship was lack of access and knowledge to recycling and composting. It is important to provide correct access and knowledge to communities about recycling and composting so that we are able to decrease the amount of materials that end up in landfills and then strive to decrease our consumption entirely.
Brooke Stroosma fielding questions about recycling at a Waste Management outreach event.
What are the goals of this internship and what are your expected deliverables?
A goal that I had going into my internship was to make connections and contacts with everyone I met during the summer. I was able to do this and find direction in what I want to do after I graduate. My deliverable for my host organization was to draft an outreach report for one of the communities I worked with this summer.
What does a day in the life of your internship look like?
Every day is different at my internship. There are always new projects that are happening. I worked events and did outreach at multifamily properties and businesses. My favorite day during my internship was getting to do door-to-door outreach at multifamily properties and individually have conversations with the residents about how they can decrease their waste and improve their recycling and composting behaviors.
What skills have you learned throughout this internship?
A few skills that I learned through my internship include; professional outreach and education tools, data analysis, and writing a comprehensive report.
What is the most memorable moment of this internship so far?
The most memorable part of my internship has been able to see a spark in someone’s eye when they want to do what is best for our environment and they want to take the knowledge and information that I provided for them and use it to be more environmentally friendly.
What are your career aspirations once you graduate?
After I graduate I want to continue with education and outreach on environmental topics. It might be in the waste industry or it might not! I am very open for what comes next!
Environmental Studies majors take part in a unique 3-quarter Capstone experience combining professional development, a built-in internship (locally or abroad) and a public presentation tying in their academic research with their practical on-the-job work. Students gain valuable hands-on experience exploring potential career paths and they build communications, research and analytic skills that serve them well beyond their time at college.
Read more about what the student experience is within our Capstone, in this second post in our Student Capstone Q&A Series.
Joy Shang
Capstone Internship focus: Analyzing visitation in WA state parks and potential barriers to disenfranchised populations Capstone organization: Washington State Parks Foundation (WSPF) UW faculty mentor: Dr. Clare Ryan
UW student Joy Shang in Olympia where she met with public officials, including an advisor to Governor Jay Inslee, as part of her internship with WA State Parks Foundation.
Why did you choose this internship?
I chose to intern with WSPF because they offered an opportunity to work on policy issues, an area I wanted to gain more experience in. I think a lot of the environmental challenges we are facing today – such as climate change, plastic pollution, and air quality – are affecting people on a broad scale and thus need broadly impactful solutions. Environmental policy is a way to integrate better behaviors into our corporations and institutions, but that won’t happen without passionate and knowledgeable people pushing for change.
I was also immensely impressed by the passion and insight that my mentors at WSPF displayed. Even though I knew very little about state parks, their dedication reminded me of how important parks were for the development of my own love for nature and that the more people can visit them, the better.
What environmental challenges are you addressing? Why is it important?
After the 2008 recession, Washington state parks began requiring an entrance fee for the first time in its almost 100-year history. This pass was implemented out of necessity, but unfortunately, parks did not have the luxury to consider the ramifications of putting a price on nature. While the “Discover Pass” is not a huge financial burden to most – $30 for an annual pass and $10 for a day pass – it still erects a barrier to visiting parks. Furthermore, the people most likely to be hindered by this fee are also those who are already visiting parks in lower numbers, namely those of racial and ethnic minorities, young adults, low-income, and low education level.
As such, for my internship I wanted to look into possible disparities between Washington’s increasingly diverse population and park visitors. After all, our parks were created to be enjoyed by all.
What are the goals of this internship and what are your expected deliverables?
For my internship I am developing four infographics that highlight little-known facts about the Washington state parks, such as how 80% of their funding comes from user fees. The purpose of these infographics is to not only educate the general public, but may also be shown to public officials to lobby for increased funding or new parks.
I also helped complete a survey to state parks agencies and nonprofits across all fifty states, then analyzed the results in conjunction with a national survey of state parks. I utilized this data for my infographics, and also created interactive graphs on Tableau, a data visualization software.
What does a day in the life of your internship look like?
I typically arrive at the office around 8:45am and mentally prepare myself for the day with a cup of cold brew. WSPF’s office is a really cute space in Ballard with little succulents, a whiteboard wall, and convertible standing desk. What I’m working on varies by the day. I could be interviewing the Assistant Director at North Carolina State Parks, sorting through thousands of data entries on land acquisition, or meticulously crafting an image of a kid with a backpack for an infographic.
To liven up my days of working at a computer, my supervisors invite me to sit in at meetings that have allowed me to meet key players in the parks and recreation field, like an advisor to Gov. Jay Inslee, as well as learn what goes into managing a nonprofit.
What skills have you learned throughout this internship?
In order to effectively display the immense amounts of data I have been collecting, I’ve been learning Tableau, a powerful data visualization software that can create beautiful interactive graphs. Tableau has so many options that I feel I have barely scratched the surface, but I’m really proud of some of the visualizations I’ve made so far.
I’ve also had the opportunity to learn about political processes by meeting with public officials and picking it up from my supervisors. For instance, I now know the difference between a capital budget and operating budget, as well as the legislative mechanisms leading to the passing of said budgets.
Draft versions of an infographic Joy developed to highlight park funding sources.
What is the most memorable moment of this internship so far?
I fondly remember the day I finally received the last response to my survey to all 50 state parks agencies. The last state I was waiting on was New York and I had been talking to them for over a month. The guy who answered their main line knew me by name. They were supposedly working on my survey, but it had been weeks and there was nothing I could do but keep emailing and calling them at intervals that I hoped wasn’t too annoying. I was tempted to give up, but the satisfaction of achieving a full set of 50 states fueled me. Eventually, I decided to pursue an alternate route: I contacted a nonprofit in New York and the director reached out to their contact in the agency. I came into the office the next morning to find that beautiful survey pop up in my inbox. I jumped in my seat and pumped my fists in the air. Later that day, we celebrated with artisanal ice cream.
What are your career aspirations once you graduate?
As an incoming senior, this is an answer that I’m supposed to know by now. The “correct” answer is that I want to have a career in environmental policy, creating policies that will support communities to be more sustainable and approach the pressing environmental issues that we are facing from an interdisciplinary perspective. That being said, my ultimate goal is do something impactful with my life. The environment is shared by every person on every corner of the Earth, and taking care of it means that we are also caring for each other.
