Internships at SERC are available for research in the categories listed below. Many projects are offered only during specific seasons while others may be offered year round. You may select from the specific projects listed within these areas and note the season availability of each project, or you may see a listing of internships available by season.

	Global Change		Landscape Ecology
	Ecology of Coastal Ecosystems		Population and Community Ecology
	Environmental Education

(Printable version of this page for a complete list of all our internships this season)

What We Study
We study element cycling as a means of understanding the responses of ecosystems to forces such as elevated CO₂, sea level rise, flooding and climate change. We take a holistic approach to these issues by considering the responses of both microorganisms and plants, the two life forms that control the capture and release of energy in organic compounds. Current focus areas include the effects of elevated CO₂ on microbial respiration and microbial community ecology. Most of our projects concern wetland ecosystems. Interns will learn the basics of plant and microbial ecology, with an emphasis on belowground processes.

What Interns Study
Wetland Hotpots are areas of rapid element cycling created by the juxtaposition of O₂-rich and O₂-poor environments. Bacteria living the in O₂-poor areas produce reduced forms of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (e.g. CH₄, N₂ and H₂S). Nearby bacteria living in O₂-rich areas make a living by combining these reduced compounds with O₂. Plants figure into the picture for several reasons: they allow O₂ to pass from the atmosphere to the soil; they allow CH4 -- a powerful greenhouse gas -- to pass from the soil to the atmosphere; they supply organic carbon (i.e. energy!) to heterotrophic microbes. A Wetland Hotspot intern may address applied research questions such as: Does elevated CO₂ in the atmosphere increase the amount of CH₄ emitted from wetlands. Alternatively, the intern can address basic questions such as: What determines which microbes win in the ever-present competition for organic carbon?

Plant-Microbe Relationships in a Future Climate is a second topic available to interns. Rising atmospheric CO₂ will continue to enhance photosynthetic activity on the planet during the 21st century, effectively increasing the supply of organic carbon available to support food webs. This has important implications for soil microorganisms that depend upon plants for energy. An increase in microbial activity will change the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrient elements. In wetlands it will increase the production of methane (CH₄), a potent greenhouse gas that accounts for 20% of global warming. Future Climate interns investigate changes in microbial activity triggered by exposing plants to elevated CO₂.

The Toys We Play With
Interns are exposed to a variety of methods and instruments used by ecosystem ecologists and biogeochemists. These include gas chromatography, infrared gas analysis, ion chromatography, and stable isotope techniques. Training is also available in molecular techniques as applied to microbial ecology.

See our web site at http://www.serc.si.edu/labs/biogeochem/index.jsp

Desirable: Interest and knowledge in one or more of the following subject areas: climate change issues, soil ecology, nutrient cycling, environmental chemistry, microbial ecology, wetland ecology, hydrology, plant physiology.

What we study: We study the cycling of mercury in the environment, with a focus on the production of methylmercury by bacteria in sediments and wetland soils. Bioaccumulation of methylmercury is the leading cause of fish consumption advisories in the US. Mercury (Hg) contamination impacts the health and reproduction of predators in wetland and aquatic food webs. The main source of Hg contamination to aquatic ecosystems is the atmosphere, with a number of industries, particularly power plants, contributing to this global problem. We study mercury cycling in many ecosystems, including estuaries, freshwater lakes and watersheds, and wetlands. Our main study areas in 2009 will be the Chesapeake and small lake in northwest Ontario where we have been manipulating mercury loading rates for many years. We also study the mechanisms of mercury methylation by bacteria, and the distribution of mercury-methylating bacteria in nature.

Potential intern projects: Students generally work with a postdoctoral fellow of graduate student on ongoing research projects. Interns can participate in projects that range from field studies to bench chemistry and microbiology. Many recent interns have participated in a long-term research program to track Hg deposition and transport in watersheds and wetlands on the SERC property. In 2009, intern projects will be available in the molecular microbial ecology of Hg methylation; and in the biogeochemistry of mercury interactions with organic matter in nature. Most intern projects have a field component, an analytical chemistry, and some data analysis and statistics. Some projects could involve significant travel within the US or to Canada.

What we are looking for in interns: Students with majors in chemistry, microbiology or molecular biology/biochemistry, and an interest in how these fields can be applied to solve environmental problems are most suited to our research.  Previous lab and/or field experience is desirable, as is familiarity with data analysis in Excel, and a basic understanding of statistics. For field projects, students should be willing and able to do physical labor and to work under adverse conditions. Students need to have a driver’s license and passport.

(note spring and summer projects available at Maryland site, spring, summer and fall available at Florida site.)

The rapid increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentration since the middle of the last century has had a significant effect on the climate system and plant growth. Ecologists are trying to determine how this will alter ecosystem functions such as carbon cycling, nutrient balance and the availability of water. Only a handful of field projects in the world are attempting to assess the effect of rising CO₂ in wild plant species and native ecosystems. Two of these are located on a brackish wetland on Chesapeake Bay , Maryland , and in an oak scrubland at Kennedy Space Center , Florida . These projects have been running since 1987 and 1996, respectively. Elevated CO2 is administered in open-top chambers. Studies monitor CO₂ and water vapor exchange between the plant communities and the atmosphere. In addition, various components of the plant communities are sampled periodically to address key issues of the impact of global climate change on terrestrial ecosystems. Processes measured in our study include photosynthesis and respiration in leaves, canopies, and whole ecosystem; above and belowground biomass production; ecosystem water loss; decomposition; nitrogen cycling; plant/insect interactions; and long-term carbon storage. Interactions between environmental factors, such as drought and salinity in soil water, and the effects of elevated CO₂ on photosynthesis, respiration and water and nitrogen use are being studied using an ecosystem model.

See our Global Change web site at www.serc.si.edu/labs/co2/index.jsp
Desirable: Interest and knowledge in one or more of the following subject areas: plant physiology, photosynthesis, plant ecology, plant and soil water relations, micro-meteorology, atmospheric physics, statistics, and computers (PC's).

The Photobiology and Solar Radiation laboratory at SERC focuses on solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and its effects on aquatic photochemistry, phytoplankton activity, carbon cycling, microbial growth, and ecosystem productivity. Concern over the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer has prompted efforts to both monitor the possible associated increase in solar ultraviolet radiation (specifically the short wavelength UV-B component) and to understand the effects such an increase may have on organisms in natural ecosystems. Both monitoring and research activities are ongoing at SERC. One of our projects studies the response to UV of marine microalgae (phytoplankton) found in shallow regions of the Chesapeake Bay and cultures of Antarctic phytoplankton. The intern involved in this project will learn methods for culture and sampling of phytoplankton, measurement of solar UV, and estimates of photosynthetic rates as a function of the exposure to UV radiation. In another project, we focus on the sources and cycling of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), a major reservoir of organic carbon in the ocean and one of the key water constituents determining the underwater UV-visible light field. Exposure to UV-visible sunlight alters CDOM composition and optical properties, and affects its degradability in coastal margin ecosystems. Among our key objectives in this project are determining the quality, dynamics and fate of dissolved organic compounds exported from freshwater and brackish tidal marshes of the Chesapeake Bay, and improve understanding of the effects of marsh tidal exchanges on photochemical and biogeochemical processes in the bay. The intern involved in this project will learn about the impact of marshes and tidal exchanges on carbon cycling and estuarine water optics, and the processes affecting CDOM utilization, transformation and fate in the Chesapeake Bay. Interns will be actively engaged in our research activities, develop their own independent projects, and receive interdisciplinary training in the fields of biogeochemistry, photobiology, estuarine ecology and bio-optics. They will get involved in all phases of the project, including study design, sample collection, laboratory measurements, mathematical modeling and data analysis, and will present a summary of their research results at the end of their project.

Desirable: Interest and knowledge in aquatic science, plant biology, carbon cycling, water optics and physics.

Excessive inputs of the plant nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus threaten freshwater and saltwater ecosystems worldwide. Over-enrichment with nutrients has led to increases in turbidity, demise of submerged vegetation, depletion of oxygen, and the formation of extensive dead zones in estuarine and coastal waters.

Generally, the supply of phosphorus limits primary production in freshwater while the supply of nitrogen limits primary production in saltwater. In estuaries, where fresh and saltwater mix, either nitrogen or phosphorus may be limiting, depending on position along the seasonally shifting salinity gradient. A number of explanations have been offered for the salinity related change in the relative availability of nitrogen and phosphorus. We are comparing the chemistry of phosphorus in fresh and saltwater sediments to see if sulfur from sea salts induces a conversion of particulate inorganic phosphorus to biologically-available dissolved phosphate, thereby causing the shift in limiting nutrient with increase in salinity.

In recent decades, human activities have roughly doubled the input of biologically available nitrogen to the biosphere. This has had enormous impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The fate of anthropogenic (human-derived) nitrogen on land or in estuaries is poorly understood.  By comparing watersheds with differing land use composition we are investigating the sources of nitrogen discharges in watersheds.  We are also assessing the potential of riparian buffers and wetlands to block nitrogen transport to downstream ecosystems.  Much of our research focuses on denitrification, a microbial process that converts nitrate to gaseous forms of nitrogen that are released to the atmosphere.

Interns will assist in these research projects, conduct their own related independent projects, and present a seminar on their findings to SERC staff.

Desirable: Completed junior or senior year of undergraduate coursework.

Trace elements are present in all aquatic ecosystems. Many (e.g. Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, Zn) are required at low concentrations as micronutrients by all plants and animals, but are toxic at higher concentrations, while others (e.g. As, Cd, Hg and Pb) have no known biological functions, but are often accumulated in organisms to toxic levels. Trace metals are important pollutants, having been added to the environment by a wide variety of human activities, from energy production to land use changes, and concentrations of important metals in waters, sediments and tissues are often several times pre-industrial levels.

Interns will participate in sampling waters, sediments and organisms in a number of ecosystems as part of our overall research objective: What factors control the movements and effects of trace metals in aquatic ecosystems? Our research interests are the factors that impact the movements of trace elements in a variety of aquatic systems, and hence their availability for uptake by aquatic organisms. Current project locations include the Potomac River, the Florida mangrove systems at Indian River, Maryland rivers and streams, Chesapeake Bay, and the open ocean. Our experimental approach is a detailed study of sources, fluxes and transformations of trace metals in waters, sediments and organism tissues. Interns may gain experience in the chemical analysis of trace metals, in the clean handling and preparation techniques in the analysis of trace metal samples in waters, sediments and organisms. Interns will participate in lab work, field work, and data analysis.

The intern will be expected to summarize his/her accomplishments in a seminar and short written report at the end of the project period. Interns may begin at any time, although summer is our busiest season.

Desirable: Some previous experience in laboratory or field chemistry, oceanography or marine biology. Willingness to travel and to spent time in the field. Interest in biogeochemistry and/or analytical chemistry.

We use the quantitative tools of spatial analysis, statistics, and mathematical modeling to explore ecological questions, like the factors controlling nutrient discharges from watersheds, the role of wetlands in moderating nutrient transport, and the relationships between watershed geography and stream condition.

We are developing computer simulation models of nutrient cycling and transport in terrestrial systems, and then analyzing the models to test current understanding and suggest directions for further research. One effort examines nutrient transport through a mosaic of land use patches. We want to know how nutrient retention in individual patches interacts with the spatial arrangement of patch types to give the nutrient loss from the entire landscape. We use simple models of hypothetical landscapes to deduce general principles, and more complex models of real landscapes mapped with computer-based geographic information system (GIS). We are also modeling nutrient cycling in riparian forests. We combine hydrological and nitrogen cycling submodels to help quantify the ecological mechanisms that retain nutrients in riparian forests, and to examine the effects of the retained nutrients on forest vegetation and nutrient cycling. Other projects are using GIS and statistical analyses to relate watershed geography to biological responses in streams and estuaries.  Interns will assist in ongoing model development, programming, analysis, and verification, and complete an independent project in one of these areas. Work may also include library research, GIS analysis, or fieldwork to develop data for running or testing the models.

We also sometimes offer opportunities in GIS analysis. Interns will help to acquire, organize, and analyze spatial information describing landscapes and landscape processes. The data may come from paper maps, aerial photographs, satellite remote sensing, and data that are already in a digital form. Image analysis software and geographic information system (GIS) software are used to enter information into digital databases and then to analyze and display the information. Interns will complete an independent project combining development, analysis, and visual presentation of a spatial data set.

Desirable: Basic knowledge of ecology, geography, statistics, and computer systems. Courses or experience with GIS software (particularly ArcGIS), remote sensing software (particularly ERDAS Imagine), statistical packages (especially SAS), and/or mathematical or computer modeling.

This project determines the factors responsible for the seasonal and interannual variation in the frequency and magnitude of phytoplankton blooms in the Rhode River estuary, and their effects on the ecosystem, particularly in relation to light penetration. Factors investigated include tidal mixing, flushing, temperature, and nutrient concentrations. We employ a variety of experimental and observational approaches including benthic nutrient chambers, in situ enclosures, and bottle incubations. The intern will have the opportunity to operate state-of-the-art optical measurement equipment, and to assist in field collections, laboratory processing of samples, and computer analysis of data. The intern will be expected to summarize accomplishments in an informal seminar at the end of the project.

Desirable: Experience in chemical analyses of water quality.

This project measures patterns of marine and estuarine nonindigenous species transfer, invasion, and impact; tests specific and general mechanisms that underlie these patterns; and assesses the efficacy of management strategies to limit the spread and impact of nonindigenous species. Although our research is focused on marine invertebrate nonindigenous species invasions, we are also interested in the unique opportunities that invasions offer to understand fundamental processes in population, community, and evolutionary ecology (e.g., patterns of dispersal, dynamics and genetics of small populations, ecological and evolutionary responses of invading and resident populations to species interactions, effects of species insertions on community structure). A large component of our research on transfer examines the volume, content, dynamics, and management of ballast water. As a result of this research, we now know more about ballast water delivery patterns, associated biota, and management for ships entering Chesapeake Bay than anywhere else in the U.S., and perhaps the world. The intern will participate in all aspects of field and laboratory work, and will conduct an independent research project. A summary of the intern's accomplishments will be presented both as an informal seminar and a short written report.

Desirable: Previous experience in invertebrate zoology and/or parasitology

The goal of this project is to analyze factors regulating the abundance, distribution, and species composition of fish and benthic invertebrates in Chesapeake Bay , especially using the Rhode River subestuary as a model system for long-term tracking seasonal and annual change and conducting experiments on mechanisms regulating populations and communities. Key species and functional groups are examined for correlations with fluctuations in predators, competitors and physical/chemical factors of the estuary. Fieldwork involves benthic core samples, trawling of fish and crabs, conduct of nearshore seining and trapping surveys, and experiments on predation and recruitment. Laboratory work involves feeding experiments with predatory crabs and fish, larval settlement experiments, sorting and processing benthic and fish samples, and data management. Much of the recent work focuses on blue crabs as dominant predators in benthic communities, and as a key fishery species. Field and laboratory experiments analyze the feasibility of stock enhancement of the blue crab population, as well as oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay . The intern will have the opportunity to assist in all phases of field and laboratory work. The intern will also conduct an independent project on some aspect of population biology and community ecology in support of on-going research priorities and grant-funded work. The intern will be expected to summarize his/her accomplishments in a seminar and short written report at the end of the project period. Projects begin in late spring to early summer.

Protozoa play a pivotal role in the planktonic food web of marine and freshwater systems. These unicellular organisms mediate the transfer of energy and matter from primary producers to higher trophic levels and act as a major source of nutrient regeneration. This project examines trophic interactions that occur among protozoa with particular emphasis on predator-prey and parasitic relationships that occur in harmful algal blooms (HABs). HABs, more commonly known as red tides, are caused by the rapid growth and accumulation of certain microalgae, leading to serious impacts on public health, aquatic organisms, and the quality of entire ecosystems.  Economic losses due to HABs have been measured in the millions of dollars annually, in industries such as tourism, aquaculture, and fisheries (both finfish and shellfish).  In recent years, HABs have seen a dramatic increase in frequency, distribution, and magnitude in the United States, prompting considerable interest in processes that regulate their formation, persistence, and decline. The intern will gain experience in (1) collection and experimental manipulation of planktonic organisms, (2) handling and processing of protozoa using a variety of microscopic techniques, and (3) identification and enumeration of microzooplankton. The intern will help perform laboratory experiments to characterize protistan trophic relationships under various environmental conditions.  The experimental approach encompasses (1) detailed light and electron microscope examination of morphology, development, and life history, (2) analysis of protistan population dynamics using natural assemblages, and (3) observations of the spatial and temporal occurrence of protozoan populations in Chesapeake Bay. The intern will be trained in identifying, culturing, and enumerating the host and parasite.  The intern will also conduct an independent project on some aspect of protistan ecology and present results in written or oral format. Project begins late spring into summer.

Desirable: Previous experience in the use of stereo and compound microscopes.

Research in the Terrestrial Ecology lab focuses on the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate biological diversity and their consequences for ecosystem function.  Why are invasive species so dominant?  How have human impacts on food webs influenced the stability and trajectory of natural communities?  To what extent does evolutionary history influence current ecological processes? 

We seek interns with interests in plant-herbivore dynamics, invasive species ecology, chemical ecology, and behavioral biology.  Current research themes include: (1) impacts of herbivores on plant diversity and invasions, (2) impacts of herbivores on the phenotypic expression and evolution of plant resistance traits, and (3) effects of plant diversity on resistance to herbivores and ecosystem function.  Student projects will be jointly developed and based on ongoing projects in my laboratory, but students will be responsible for daily project activities, including an oral and written summary of results at the end of the internship.   

Desirable: Willingness to spend time in the field and laboratory.  Interest or knowledge in one or more of the following topics: invasive species ecology, ecology and evolution of plant-herbivore dynamics, mammalian or insect herbivores, and chemical ecology. 

Summer plankton blooms are characteristic of many parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and may include chlorophyll-bearing species that accumulate to reach levels referred to as 'mahogany tides'. SERC sits on the Rhode River, one environment where these summer blooms occur, resulting in water discoloration throughout the warmest months. Other regional systems experience blooms of some unique taxa and the causes and impacts of these species remain to be determined. Some factors leading to these elevated densities might include aperiodic runoff events, nutrient pulses and recycling, depressed herbivory, and unique growth requirements of the bloom former. Of interest is not only the production but the fate of the accumulated biomass, used by primary consumers or bacteria. There is also considerable interest in mitigating bloom events through use of readily available materials such as barley straw and clays. Students interested in examining aspects of algal blooms or species are encouraged to apply. The intern will learn plankton sampling techniques, and depending on the intern's specific project, become familiar with an array of capabilities including measurement of chlorophyll, oxygen, organics, nutrients, and heterotroph (rotifers, ciliates, copepods) densities. Field and laboratory projects are possible. Following data collection, analysis, and interpretation, the intern will provide an oral summary at the end of the summer project period.

Desirable:  Willingness to spend time in the field and laboratory, and using microscopy routinely.

The Marine Ecology Lab will conduct lab and field experiments related to the proposed introduction of a non-native oyster to Chesapeake Bay, and will continue research on the ecology of jellyfish and ctenophores. Oysters historically were important both to the ecology and fisheries of Chesapeake Bay, but have declined as a result of a century of overfishing and more recent mortality due to disease. The states of Maryland and Virginia have proposed to introduce a non-native oyster that is more resistant to the diseases that have attacked native oysters. We have several projects that include lab and field experiments to examine potential risks and benefits of the proposed introduction.

Gelatinous zooplankton are dominant predators in the Chesapeake Bay food web. They can control survival of fish eggs and larvae, as well as the abundance of smaller crustacean zooplankton. A wide range of factors influence the abundance, distribution, and importance of gelatinous zooplankton as predators. During 2006, we will continue to study the abundance and distribution of gelatinous zooplankton in the Rhode River near SERC.

In addition to participating in the large-scale ongoing studies, interns will have the opportunity to conduct small-scale investigations in oyster ecology and restoration or gelatinous zooplankton behavior, reproduction, and ecology. Interns interested in ecology, behavior and estuarine restoration are encouraged to apply. A willingness to get wet, dirty and hot are important because of extensive fieldwork. Intern(s) will learn field sampling techniques and experimental design, and depending on the specific project, will become familiar with an array of techniques including measurements of oyster disease prevalence and intensity, culturing fish eggs and larvae, and conducting experiments on ctenophore reproduction. Field and laboratory projects are possible, but participation in field sampling is required. Following data collection, analysis, and interpretation, the intern will provide an oral summary at the end of the summer project period.

Willingness to spend time in the field and laboratory, and use microscopy routinely. Interest in ecology and behavior.

Coastal marine communities can be impacted by a variety of natural and man-made environmental stresses at the same time. At present, it is unclear how the abundance, distribution, and diversity of these communities respond to these simultaneous stresses. Using field experiments, long-term monitoring data, and modeling we are examining how climate change, the invasion of new species, and habitat changes resulting from land-use patterns are altering coastal invertebrate communities in Long Island Sound. We are focusing on the sessile invertebrate or fouling community that is commonly found attached to rocks in relatively pristine areas and to man- made structures such as docks and pilings in harbors often impacted by various contaminants. This community has been invaded by at least six new species from around the world, one or more of which may flourish because of the increasing water temperatures in the Sound.

Most bottom-dwelling or benthic species have limited mobility as adults and often occur in discrete patches. Because of this the production, distribution, and recruitment back to the bottom of free-living larval stages is a critical process in the establishment and maintenance of benthic populations. We are investigating various aspects of this process in rocky subtidal fouling communities, infaunal invertebrate communities in marshes, and invertebrate communities in seagrass meadows.

In both of these programs interns would have the opportunity to assist in field sampling, laboratory processing of samples, design and analysis of field experiments, and data analysis. Interns would also conduct an independent project on some aspect of these studies and summarize his/her accomplishments in a short written report at the end of the project period. Much of this research is conducted from facilities in Groton, CT and we are presently looking for several interns to participate in large-scale mesocosm studies at this site.

The SERC forest ecology project aims to understand the life and conditions of forest trees. This effort is conducted in plots of the locally dominant type, a deciduous hardwood forest with high stature, production, and species diversity. Many years of concentrated effort on these forests have yielded information and field resources of various time and spatial scales. These include: 1.) long-term studies of stem and litter dynamics on the focal forest, 2.) a network of study plots in a developmental sequence in which tree and canopy communities, production, and other attributes are monitored, and, 3.) stem-mapped plots of forest trees (of various sizes and diameter limits), including one very large (>46 hectares) map of canopy trees. Our work has recently focussed on several questions: 1.) What is the role of forest structural variation (a treefall gap is one example) in stand dynamics through the promotion of both new recruits and advance regeneration, 2.) How do stand demographic patterns (e.g., recruitment, competition, growth, morbidity, death, and decay), stand abiotic factors (e.g., soil characteristics, light environment), and their relationship change during forest development in the 5-300 yr range, and, 3.) How do forest trees fare in patches of an extensively human-modified landscape, especially along boundaries between types and at edges.

The student will be responsible for: 1) assisting with ongoing studies into forest ecology (including field sampling and the treatment of samples and data), and 2) undertaking an independent study within the scope of the forest ecology project, including hypothesis development, experimental design, sampling, data analysis, and the presentation of the results at a seminar.

Desirable: Familiarity with terrestrial ecology, computers and data processing.

Mangrove forests dominate the world's tropical coastlines and are generally oligotrophic ecosystems. Human-caused enrichment is one of the major global threats to these and other coastal environments. Our experiments show that nutrients are not uniformly distributed among or even within mangrove forests and that soil fertility can switch from conditions of nitrogen to phosphorus limitation across narrow gradients. Likewise, not all ecological processes respond similarly to the same nutrient. Enrichment affects plant growth, metabolism, and tissue quality, which in turn affect primary consumption. The intern's responsibilities include assisting in field and laboratory work, conducting an independent project, and presenting the results in a seminar.

The Education Department is challenged with interpreting and disseminating Smithsonian environmental research findings to a wide range of audiences including K-12 students and teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, professionals, and the general public. Interns play an integral role in helping staff develop and implement activities, programs, guide books, workbooks, web pages, and interactive video conferences. Applicants interested in education internships should feel comfortable talking to small and large groups of people. Interns are given opportunities to learn content material pertaining to ecosystems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and basin and are trained in teaching methods. Desire to be an informal environmental science instructor using canoes and boats, and/or trails and docks is a must.

The intern will participate in the Center's ongoing education activities for school groups and the general public. These projects include:

• Assisting teachers with teacher-led school field trips. These activities, Creeks Creatures and Canopies, Estuary Chesapeake, and Marsh Explorations, teach students basic ecological concepts relating to both terrestrial and estuarine communities.
• Leading canoe tours on Muddy Creek and the surrounding wetlands. The intern will utilize 17' canoes and guide groups to selected stations. At these locations he/she will explain wetland ecology, wetland environmental impacts, and current research being conducted by SERC.
• Participating in the Center's distance learning initiatives including electronic field trips and videoconferences. Participation in regional videoconferences with teachers and students is expected. Interns will help produce curriculum materials for participating schools, prepare pre- and post-conference materials, and play an active role in live broadcasts to schools in NY, PA, MD, VA, and Washington, D.C.

Every intern will design and complete a project of their own while working closely with the Education staff. The intern will be required to summarize his/her accomplishments in a seminar at the end of the project period. For further information at SERC's education programs go to www.serc.si.edu/education.

Desirable: Applicants majoring in environmental education or environmental science.