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Internships

CMBC scholars participate in internships at another academic institution, governmental or non-governmental organization or in industry. Funding is a current consideration. Students in internships are expected to develop their skills in science, science policy, economics, and law. The program is flexible concerning the timing, duration and location of these internships in recognition of the differing needs career goals of each student.

The motivation behind these internships is several-fold. First, time spent at a different institution can provide students with a unique opportunity to experience a new intellectual environment. Even when students are working on a continuation of the same project, they will have the chance to interact with people who will offer new perspectives. Second, many of these internships will be available at institutions that offer expertise complementary to that available at SIO. Thus, students will have the opportunity for training in a broader array of areas relevant to Marine Biodiversity and Conservationthan would be possible at any single institution. Third, these internships will provide perspectives on career opportunities and may help establish valuable professional contacts. Research internships in industry will provide professional training, experience with diverse and exposure to non-academic career options.

In most cases, these research internships will develop naturally from existing collaborations between SIO and UCSD faculty and those at host institutions. For domestic internships, we will take advantage of the University of California's system-wide internship program in federal agencies and non-governmental organizations in Washington D.C. (UC-Washington D.C.). Students will also have the option of designing their own domestic internship through our partners in NOAA, the Environmental Law Institute, The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Washington offices, the National Museum of Natural History, or other organizations of their choice. Students may instead favor an international internship with our partners at WWF, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), University of Dar es Salaam, or other organizations. In our current IGERT project, fellows have served internships at the White House Council of Economic Advisors, the Beijer International Institute of Ecological Economics, the Nature Conservancy Science program, the Environmental Defense Oceans Program, WWF Belize/  Normally, students will participate in internships in the summer of their second or third year.