The Work Begins
It was been a full three weeks since my arrival in Southeast Arizona. Given the pandemic, my arrival from Texas was kicked off with a two-week quarantine. Luckily, Coronado National Memorial (CORO) has two employee Read more…
Am I a Botanist Yet?
One of my goals for my summer as an NPS intern was to increase my plant knowledge. I realize that common plants in South Dakota will likely not show up too frequently back home in Read more…
Connecting Science to Experience
If I were to go back to before the pandemic and look at what my internship is now, I would be surprised, to say the least. That does not mean that it’s awful and my Read more…
A Tale of Two Worlds
In the southwestern corner of South Dakota lies Wind Cave National Park, the first cave to be selected as a national park anywhere in the world. At 150 miles in length, Wind Cave is one Read more…
The History of Mount Rushmore
Though all national parks have complicated histories, Mount Rushmore National Monument is much more controversial and political than other sites. The monument was completed in 1941 by Gutzon Borglum. A member of the Ku Klux Read more…
A Summer Exploring Wind Cave
This summer, my focus will lie on creating a geology training manual for the Interpretation and Education division of Wind Cave National park. This geologic resource manual will help future park interpreters and staff effectively Read more…
Trapping Voles and Documenting Loons
There are several parks in the Central Alaska Network, and I have spent the last week visiting one of them- Denali National Park. Last week, from Monday to Sunday, I was camping in Denali working Read more…
Self-isolation on San Juan Island: Two Fun Weeks
Two weeks ago, in the middle of a pandemic and global crisis, I packed up my most important belongings and flew from one airport near the Mississippi River to another by the Pacific Ocean. Being Read more…
Exploring the Badlands
When I flew out to South Dakota, I did not expect to be sliding down Badlands, holding onto my hiking pole for dear life, soon after my arrival. The Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Read more…
My Project
So, my project is turning out to be interesting and engaging, yet somewhat complicated. Because of the delayed start time for the internship, a lot of my duties here had to be reduced or cut Read more…
Out on the Slopes
This summer my primary objective will be to continue the implementation of the Unstable Slope Management Program (USMP) at Chiricahua National Monument. The USMP is a geotechnical asset-management-based program designed to reduce the risk and Read more…
A Summer of Shocking
For my project this summer, I am working with the fisheries division with the goal of monitoring populations and productivity of the many fish species found in streams throughout Great Smoky Mountains. Within the park Read more…
Welcome to the Southeast Arizona Group (SEAZ) of the National Park System
While I won’t be on site until June 15th, I wanted to describe the sites that I will have the benefit of spending time in this summer. The SEAZ is composed of Coronado National Memorial, Read more…
Get to Know Me
Hello everyone! My name is Saida Burns-Moore, and I am a Mosaics in Science intern who will be working as an Education Assistant at Wind Cave National Park this summer. Hailing from Bronx, New York, Read more…
A Water-loving Boricua
Hola mi gente! My name is Alexandra Verdeja-Perez and this August I will be interning with Mosaics in Science and doing research in Biscayne National Park. In the park, I will be working with several Read more…
To Fairbanks and Beyond
Currently I am teleworking from my home in Fairbanks, though later I hope to spend more time at the National Park Service Fairbanks Administrative Center. My supervisor is currently working toward myself and the other Read more…
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is located at the center of the Colorado Plateau in the most southern part of Utah and northern part of Arizona. The Colorado River has had a significant influence in Read more…
Welcome to Mount Rushmore and The Northern Great Plains Network
This summer I will be working in multiple NPS offices; Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN). At Mount Rushmore I will be mapping social trails with GIS to determine how Read more…
A Little About Me
Hello there! My name is Tania, I am a Mosaics in Science Intern working with Environment for the Americas at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This will be my second year at Glen Canyon where Read more…
About My Park
I will be working at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. GSMNP is located within the parent range of the southern Appalachian Mountains and encompasses land in both eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. GSMNP is Read more…
¡Hola! Welcome to our Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship program ! I am Sheylda Díaz-Méndez, the MIS coordinator for Environment for the Americas, a partner based in Colorado. Last year, I was invited to collaborate with MIS to do site Read more…
Welcome to MIS!
Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program is special in many ways. I am Susan Bonfield, the Director of Environment for the Americas. As a biologist and educator, I love the opportunities MIS provides you to Read more…
Intro: Yair Torres
I conducted my undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Geoscience and a minor in Geographic Information Science & Technology (GIST). I am currently a graduate Read more…
Hello!
My name is Sydney. I graduated a year ago from the University of Michigan (located on land belonging to the Anishnaabe peoples) with a BA in Environmental Sustainability and Art. While in school, I spent Read more…
Summer in Fairbanks
My name is Lynneva Carroll and this summer I will be a Biology Assistant intern at the Central Alaska Network. I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, have lived in Alaska for my entire life and Read more…
About Me
My name is Matt and I’m in love with all things aquatic! I grew up in middle Georgia, in the heart of the peach belt, and developed a love for wildlife at an early age. Read more…
Cory Zaller-Edmonds
I am about to graduate from Hiram college with a BA in environmental studies. After four years of college I realize that being outside or working outside is what I want to do for the Read more…
Alex Verdeja Perez
My name is Alexandra Verdeja Perez and I am a graduating senior at Purdue University in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, with a minor in Wildlife Sciences. I am from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, and I am Read more…
Tania C. Parra
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. I am currently working on my Master of Science in environmental science and technology at California Read more…
Sydney Fuller
I am passionate about environmental justice, helping people and the planet. For me, environmental issues are inextricably tied with social issues and working at a National Park seems like a perfect opportunity to learn about Read more…
Yair Torres
I am currently a graduate student at Texas A&M University (TAMU), pursuing a Master of Science degree in Geography. I also conducted my undergraduate studies at TAMU and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Read more…
Welcome to Mosaics in Science!
Welcome to the National Park Service and the Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program! I am happy that you are joining us as an intern this summer. Your role is critical in fulfilling the National Read more…
Saida Burns-Moore
When I was nine years old, I went on a school trip to a place called Camp Herrlich and here I had my first encounter with geology. On the second day of the trip, we Read more…
Caleb Bolin
I am currently a junior attending Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. I am majoring in Agricultural Science (with an emphasis in Agricultural Business) and minoring in Photography. Through the Mosaics In Science program, I Read more…
Matt Butzin
My name is Matthew Butzin. I am currently a senior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, Georgia, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management with a degree concentration in wildlife. Only requiring Read more…
Lynneva Carrol
I am currently in my second semester of college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, getting a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science. During high school I took several AP classes, which were able to transfer Read more…
Legacy Part Two
As Lin-Manuel Miranda famously sang in Hamilton, “What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you’ll never get to see.” Well, here’s the garden I helped plant, but won’t ever see. Using the Read more…
Every Breath You Take
How visitation is affecting the air quality in Carlsbad Cavern Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas in Earth’s atmosphere, but in high concentrations, the gas can act as an asphyxiant. OSHA and other government Read more…
Great day in the morning
Something I haven’t talked about yet this summer is my schedule. My particular internship is an office job, which means I have some flexibility with my schedule and some freedom to work from home. If Read more…
On the Northeast Invasive Task Force
If there’s one thing that I’ve picked up on while working at Minute Man it’s how to spot an invasive plant around the park. After going to Grape Island in the Boston Harbor and picking Read more…
Jeff Corwin on Conservation
The Great Walden BioBlitz just happened to be on the hottest day of the year in Massachusetts with a high of 95. For more info on what is this BioBlitz? Check out my previous blog! Read more…
Hello, Karly!
Meet Saguaro’s Geoscientists in the Parks intern, Karly Chin! She hails from Redding, California, and was already an environmentalist and biologist before working in the park. She previously researched environmental change and infectious diseases at Read more…
Peregrines in the Pines
We walk into an aspen grove, and I start grinning. Aspen trees are everywhere near my home in Minnesota, and I fell in love with how their leaves flutter in the wind. Aspen trees are Read more…
Desert Frogs
We met at 5 A.M., and have been hiking since 6, scrabbling up Madrona Canyon’s rocky drainages. Madrona Canyon is in the park’s Rincon Mountain District, which has a higher elevation (Mica Mountain, at 8,664 Read more…
What Kind of Summer Has It Been?
Eleven weeks later and here I am, smarter and tougher with more skills and a larger network. This internship certainly lived up to my expectations and even surpassed them in some areas. Back when I Read more…
World Jamboree
When we first got to the entrance of the Jamboree, all I could think was: “I would never in my life want to be the person in charge of organizing all this.” Picture about 45,000 Read more…
Building My Dream Job – To be Continued
My project this summer was not only fulfilling and meaningful, it was fun. Good, real, wake up excited fun. I really enjoyed the thought puzzles of putting together a field trip that was connected enough Read more…
This Ain’t Your Daddy’s Field Trip
After many hours spent dreaming up ideas, writing and re-writing more than 20 pages of educational materials, and several practice runs, the program I have spent my summer on is ready to be used by Read more…
Something Special- Girls in science
A few weeks ago I was able to be one of the instructors/ supervisors at a Girl Scout Ranger Weekend on the island of Brookside in the New River Gorge. Four different troops gathered to Read more…
Final Thanks
My summer has been a long summer of new experiences. I started the program with never setting foot within the park that bordered my home. I hardly left the homeland of my people and I Read more…
The Massive Move of the Monitoring Network
I am currently hiding away in an office while movers are outside. The vegetation crew and everyone else left for the week, but I am still holding it down here. I have been told that Read more…
Importance of Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is defined as “Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous plants”. Most cases when you come across documents containing knowledge about ethnobotany it is Read more…
Scaling a Super Sea of Sweet clover
I received an invitation to help some rangers with a wilderness hike. The plan was to meet at a campground and take visitors on a longer hike through the Badlands Wilderness Area. Those who are Read more…
Wild Wildlife Walk
During my experience this summer I got an invitation to go out with the wildlife crew at Badlands. Immediately I got excited. With pure confidence I thought that I was going to see a black-footed Read more…
Holding Off the Hantavirus
Hi everyone, from the post-workshop end of time and space! This is the first of my pre-workshop event posts that I’m writing post-workshop. A major component of our work at Dinosaur National Monument was organizing Read more…
DC Super Friends, Sans Capes
Hi everyone! At the time of writing this, I have returned from the end-of-internship workshop in Washington, DC. Because it’s the freshest thing on my mind, I’ve decided to write this first and will have Read more…
Endemic Plants of Hawai‘i
The Hawaiian islands are home to many special plants and animals, many of which are endemic. Being endemic means restricted or peculiar to a locality or region. Through my time at the park, I’ve witnessed many plants Read more…
Halema‘uma‘u – My Favorite Hiking Trail in Hawai‘i Volcanoes!
Being a Science Communication Assistant in Hawai‘i Volcanoes usually means that I’m sitting inside an office, researching and developing programs on a computer. Although it’s rewarding and fascinating material to learn, I often find myself Read more…
Poi Pounding with Ranger Keoni
If you’ve ever been to Hawai‘i, you’ve probably heard about poi. Poi is a thick paste of pounded taro root, a traditional staple of Hawaiian cuisine. Traditional poi is produced by mashing the cooked corm (baked or steamed) Read more…
Ti Leaf Leis, Lauhala Bracelet Weaving, and more!
An exploration into Hawaiian culture. You’ve probably read words that seem unfamiliar from my blogs by now. They aren’t advanced scientific terms or even typical volcanic terms, but rather are from Hawaiian language. Here at Read more…
Curriculum Building at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Exploring and teaching the impacts of the 2018 Kīlauea Volcanic Eruption This summer, as the Science Communication Assistant at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO), my main task is to create and develop a curriculum for Read more…
Are You Sad It’s Over?
In just a few short days, my internship will be over, and I will fly to Washington, D.C. Last night, I went to the local park for an evening program and bat mask painting for Read more…
再见 Carlsbad Caverns
My Mosaics in Science internship concludes this week, and as I say 再见(zàijiàn)—goodbye to Carlsbad Caverns, I wanted to reflect on my experiences here over the past three months. This summer, I collected data on Read more…
The Reason Why I’ll Never Eat Another Mainland Banana
I’m Bananas for Hawaiian Bananas Today, I am here to discuss an important topic: apple bananas. Apple bananas are a type of banana that’s grown in Hawai‘i, a variety of which I have fallen completely Read more…
Experiencing Aloha at the Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau Cultural Festival
The spirit of aloha embodies kindness, welcoming, and generosity. Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau is a Natural Historic Park on the Big Island, located a couple hours from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO NP). It was a Read more…
My Project Results
My Project Results After learning about how Guam’s coral reefs have been undergoing stressful events, there was no surprise as to what the results of my experiment would be. There was an overall decline in Read more…
Friends of Reefs Guam Community Monitoring Event
Last week I received an email from a former internship supervisors, who are the Friends of Reefs (FOR) Guam program coordinators. It was about helping out with the FOR Guam community monitoring event. This event Read more…
4th of July Celebration – Hawai‘i Style
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park participates in the local town’s 4th of July Parade, which entails the Park Rangers dressing up as the endemic plants and animals. It’s a hoot and the town absolutely loves it, Read more…
How’s Living on a Volcano?
Volcanic life is exciting. It’s grandiose and spectacular. Every morning, I feel grateful to walk outside and witness a true phenomenon, seeing how these islands that I am walking on have been born of fire, Read more…
A Farewell to Point Reyes
Greetings to my final blog from Point Reyes! As I am writing this, I only have three more days here. My summer sure did fly by, and I am eagerly looking forward to spending the Read more…
Keying In #9: Project Results!
01 August 2019 I just gave my summer project presentation in the Biscayne National Park headquarters’ conference room! It was a great way to practice for my next presentation in DC. In a nutshell, I Read more…
? Keying In #8: Something Special ?
? Lobster mini season is a very popular 2-day event in Florida every last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July. At this time, the public is allowed to (recreationally) lobster hunt before the 8-month regular Read more…
Summer Reflections
For many, the end is approaching since many internships are in their last week of work. For some others like me, after the career event in Washington, D.C., we will return to our parks to Read more…
For Andrews
Yesterday, I hiked to Rocky’s only remaining glacier, Andrews. We began our day by meandering around a few neighboring lakes: Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Haiyaha. Then, we headed south towards the Loch, and started the Read more…
Legacy Part One
I know that I’ve talked about the volcano before, but I don’t believe I adequately described what it’s like, physically. It’s basically a mound of cinders and loose rocks. It’s not nearly as solid as, Read more…
Ranger to Camera Man?
This week was very different than most. Since starting my waysides, we’ve had to do a lot of work to provide scientific information, but to also provide an interesting experience to the visitor. To catch Read more…
My 12th week in Washington
This will be my last week of my internship, and I have loved every single second of it. Coming in I was kind of scared, because I took an internship on the other side of Read more…
Goodbye Yellowstone!
Thanks to the Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program, I have a greater sense of respect and admiration for the National Park Service. Working with scientists in both the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network Read more…
Project Results
What is an Orthoptera? Orthoptera is an order of insects that include grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. For our Orthoptera survey, we were looking for the presence and abundance of Mormon crickets (which are actually katydids) Read more…
Insects Don’t Bug Me: A Summary of the Past Few Weeks
Yellowstone Phenology Citizen Science Project My supervisor Erik Oberg developed the Yellowstone Phenology Project, a citizen science initiative that has been made possible by Yellowstone scientists, Yellowstone Forever, and dedicated volunteers. Now in its second Read more…
Food, Fun, and Adventure: My New Experiences in Montana and Wyoming
Listening to live folk music and eating cheese curds on a wooden bench underneath the glow of the stars is how I spent my Friday night a couple of weeks ago. I had never listened Read more…
Putting Things into Perspective: A Description of my Project
For my project, I will 1) learn how to take up-close photographs of grasshoppers, 2) identify the developmental stages of the grasshoppers that we found during our Orthoptera density surveys, and 3) summarize climate data Read more…
Exploring In and Around Yellowstone National Park
An All-Day Tour of Yellowstone I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take a day long tour of Yellowstone. We started off in Mammoth then made our way to Norris to see the Read more…
Keying In #7: Christine In!
Christine Louis-Jacques, a Project Manager with the Greening Youth Foundation, was able to come for a site visit last Friday (12 July). Along with three other biologists, we started the cloudy day off with sea Read more…
A Trip to Mammoth, Wyoming: An Introduction to the Yellowstone Center for Resources
I am so excited to start the second part of my Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship! Although I will still be going on occasional hitches with scientists from the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network, Read more…
Huckleberries, The Devil’s Slide, And A Much Welcomed Surprise!
After traveling about 1,300 miles North from Southern California up through parts of Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, I was overjoyed to see the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park. My passenger and Read more…
Creating Something from Nothing
My job this summer was to make an education program seem straightforward. However, consider for a moment that you have been tasked with this objective. Obviously the fact that you are employed by a national Read more…
A Mapmaker’s Toolbox
I’m done with Phase 1, now I’m on Phase 2. My internship focused on dreaming up the BioBlitz which just wrapped up, so now I’m running environmental impact assessments for the park. There’s a park Read more…
Nature holds the key
Last week I mentioned some of the perks of federal employment generally. This week, I’ll show you one of the perks specific to this office. The South Florida/Caribbean Monitoring and Inventory Network offices are located Read more…
Goodbye CUVA, Hello CVNP
It’s my final week at Cuyahoga Valley National Park and this will be my very last blog post. I have been trying unsuccessfully to step back and reflect on the entirety of my summer. What Read more…
Pace and Intentionality
Last Friday I shadowed the Fire Effects crew to write an article about their work. The focus of their work is monitoring the effects of prescribed burns on vegetation, yet, they also respond to fires, Read more…
Results of USMP for Federal Land Management Agencies
On my blog #3 named Rock the Rhyolite I explained what is Unstable Slope Management Program (USMP) and the purpose and goal of the project. We rated 16 precarious slopes, 15 rockfalls, and only 1 Read more…
Big Time Festival
The past week here at Point Reyes has been very busy with the Big Time Festival. Just to recap from past blogs, the Big Time Festival is a celebration of the traditions and heritage of Read more…
Aloha and E Komo Mai to Hawai’i!
My first days on the island!
Vishva and the Rocky Mountain Glaciers
Hi, everyone! I’m Kassidy, EFTA’s writing intern here in Boulder, Colorado. I have been doing some rounds of site visits for our blogs and recently visited Vishva, the Mosaics in Science communication intern at Rocky Read more…
First Hiking Adventure in Mineral King
Mineral King is a special place and on my off days I am working to take advantage of the beautiful scenery the trails offer. This Summer, I am working alongside Ashton Hall, a volunteer in Read more…
Project for the Summer in Mineral King: Night Skies and Natural Sounds
It has been a couple of weeks since I arrived here at beautiful Mineral King, inside of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. This summer I will be responsible for two major projects. The first Read more…
Rufous Hummers
Today I spent a good deal of time catching hummingbirds. Unfortunately, our bander isn’t coming back until the end of the month. However, we can still capture them and take various measurements because it Read more…
Results for a Summer’s Work
Lab work at OSU
Contentment
Last Tuesday, I hiked up Eagle Cliff to photograph the U-shaped valley and lateral moraines that are Moraine Park. As glaciers moved through Moraine Park, they produced the distinctive U-shaped valley by eroding rock. As Read more…