The next generation of environmental researchers must be able to work collaboratively with a wide range of groups outside the academic sector. Internships are effective in giving trainees skills in communicating and collaborating with such groups, and in understanding how policymakers, regulators, legislators, and stakeholders use scientific information to develop management policies. All Biological Invasions IGERT trainees will be required to participate in an internship program for at least one quarter between their second and fourth year in the program.

Details

      Plan on laying the groundwork for your internship at least a quarter before you want it to start. In developing plans for an internship, think about what you want to gain from the experience and what you have to offer the agency or organization with whom you work. Your mentor, other trainers, the IGERT academic coordinator, and graduate students who've completed internships may be able to offer ideas for potential internship topics or organizations. When you have a sense of what you want to do, you can either contact the agency or organization yourself, or ask for assistance from the IGERT Academic Coordinator or staff of the UC Davis Internship and Career Center (ICC) -- ask for Janice Morand or Marge Lee. In particular, the ICC staff can help with how to structure a resumé and prepare for telephone interviews.

      You have several options for your internship.

• full or part-time -- most organizations require a commitment of at least 12 hours per week.
• paid or volunteer -- most graduate internships are paid. Discuss this when you are setting up your internship.
• academic credit via a 292 or 299 -- find a faculty member who is willing to sponsor your internship. The faculty member decides the criteria for P/NP grading.
• transcript notation -- this option is open to you if you spend more than 40 hours within a quarter on your internship. A transcript notation puts the title and location of your internship on your transcript. To apply for this, you must fill out an application form available at the ICC.

• the name of the organization or agency sponsoring your internship;
• the name of the person who will supervise your internship;
• a description of your internship responsibilities and duties;
• a description of your learning objectives (relate these to your academic and career goals);
• administrative details -- whether the internship is paid, will be taken for academic credit, and whether you will receive a transcript notation.
• a letter of support from your internship sponsor.

Past internship sponsors

Trainees from the Biological Invasions IGERT have completed internships at organizations that include...

California Department of Food and Agriculture	California Department of Fish and Game
San Francisco Bay National Estaurine Research Reserve	Gulf of Farallones National Marine Reserve
The Ecological Society of America	Hawaii Department of Conservation
Huntington Botanical Garden	US Fish and Game Service
Global Invasive Species Programme	International Livestock Research Institute (Kenya)
"The Davis Enterprise"	The Nature Conservancy
California Invasive Plant Council	CH2M Hill