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The Mosaics in Science Internship Program is coordinated by the National Park Service and Environment for the Americas. Together, we work to provide unique experiences for diverse youth to work side-by-side with scientists, researchers, and educators.
Studies of bats, caves, turtles, butterflies and more filled the 12 week internships. Meet some of the interns and learn about this rigorous internship program in our 2020 report. Read the report by selecting the image above.
I have found many animals from being outside at Saguaro National Park. My job is to find butterflies and photograph them so we can identify the species, however, I like all the creatures. Even today Read more…
There is no place quite like Saguaro National Park, with cacti forests, riparian areas, and mountains. It can be sometimes overlooked as a dry desert with a lot of sharp plants; however, they are known Read more…
Oh, how the tables have turned, a lot has changed for me within the last week. In my previous blog post, I spoke about how it’s been an interesting experience working from home. But, that Read more…
Working at Glen Canyon National Park I’ve had the opportunity to meet dedicated scientists from all parts of the country. During our long days out in the field, I enjoy listening to their past adventures Read more…
It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. In the case of the endangered Island Marble butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus), the butterfly is the child, its habitat is the village, Read more…
So far, working on this project has been very interesting, as I am confined to exploring Wind Cave virtually. Despite not physically being at my site, my supervisor has worked hard to make me feel Read more…
As I mentioned in previous posts, I have spent most of this summer teleworking from my home in Fairbanks. My main project has been to develop a video about the conservation of Yellow-billed Loons, specifically, Read more…
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always heard of tales of love at first sight in movies and music, but in my own experience, I have mostly found that I come to love things Read more…
Most of my summer here at Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been spent doing fish population surveys using the 3-point depletion sampling method. As I have said previously, this sampling method works wonderfully on Read more…
Butterflies and moths are often seen as polar opposites: butterflies are graceful and need to be saved; moths are gross and will eat your clothes. Butterflies are eternalized in tattoos on peoples’ bodies; moths are Read more…
My coworkers and I don’t often get to meet face-to-face, but when we do we have a good time. The other day I was in the office, getting my work computer set up so I Read more…
As previously mentioned, the Southeast Arizona Group (SEAZ) is composed of three parks: Coronado National Memorial (CORO), Chiricahua National Monument (CHIR), and Fort Bowie National Historic Site (FOBO). My favorite aspect of this internship is Read more…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
? 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…