Ameen is a junior at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, studying the Program in the Environment with a major specialization in conservation biology. After college, Ameen plans to pursue a Masters of Science in either vertebrate or restoration ecology with the goal of helping to reform our relationship with the land in the United States. |
Meet The Interns
2023 Mosaics In Science Interns
Ameen Asbahi
Mount rainier national park, north coast and cascades network
Saani is a California native with a degree in Evolutionary and Ecological Biology from Barnard College Columbia University. What started with beekeeping in high school evolved into a passion for wildlife and biodiversity. After the internship program, she aims to continue working in resource management in either the private or public sector. |
Saani borge
San juan island national historical park
Julio is an undergraduate biology student at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Julio is excited to be a part of the Mosaics in Science program because it offers him the opportunity to work with biologists while also representing Latino scientists motivated by environmental sciences. One of his professional goals is to become an ecologist for the National Park Service. |
Julio campis diaz
YOSEMITE natioanal park
Elise attends Middlebury College in Vermont pursuing a major in geology and a minor in geography. She is interested in geomorphology and the interconnection between both the human and geologic processes shaping the Earth’s surface. Her future plans is to pursue a state or federal land management agency. |
elise Chan
glen canyon national recreation area
Michael is a third year student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Throughout the internship he hopes to develop a better understanding of the impacts that animals, specifically beavers, have on forest regeneration. He’s interested in learning more about the ecology of the Mississippi and using his knowledge for the betterment of the area. |
Michael del Castillo
Mississippi National River and recreation areas
Savannah is a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, a double major in Environmental Studies and Geography. She is interested in the intersection of GIS with hydrology to better understand water resources. She looks forward to being both in the field and office, with a government agency. Her professional goal is to support crop and livestock farmers and industries in pursuit of more water friendly and conscious actions. |
Savannah Domenech
prince William forest park
Avani graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Media Production. She aspires to design resources which can serve as accessible entry points for communities underrepresented in STEM to develop a greater sense of belonging in nature and science. |
Avani Fachon
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, JOhn Muir National Historic Site, Miur Woords National monument, Pinnacles National park, point reyes national seashore
Veronica is an undergraduate student at the University of Miami majoring in Ecosystem Science and Policy, and minoring in Sociology, Geography, and Marine Science. She would like to apply to a MPS program next fall at the Rosenstiel School Master of Professional Science at the University of Miami concentrated in Fisheries Management and Conservation. |
Veronica Guevara
Biscayne National Park
Caitlyn is a graduate from UC Merced with a BA in English. She intends to continue her education in the future and pursue a degree in biology or ecology as prior internships with the Park Service have not only influenced but also rekindled her love for conservation work both in science communication and field work. She firmly believes in the interconnectedness of conservation. |
Caitlyn Klemm
Death valley national park
Elsy is a graduate from Lamar University where she majored in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She’s worked with bivalve mollusks, echinoderms, and benthic organisms during her college years and took an interest in the Mosaics in Science program because it would bring diversity within the parks and inspiration to young women who choose the STEM field. |
Elsy Martinez
Oregon caves national monument
Olivia is indigenous to Southern Colorado (Ute) and Northern New Mexico (Taos Pueblo). She currently attends Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, CO., studying Geological Sciences with a concentration in hydrology, and minoring in Geospatial Information Science (GIS) and Geography. Her ultimate goal is to become a Nat'l Park (Hydro)Geologist or Ranger, or be an educator and mentor after her internship. |
Olivia Montoya
Great Sand Dunes national park and reserve
James is a graduate from Ohio State University, Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Evolution and Ecology. He applied to the Mosaics in Science Internship because he liked the emphasis on diversity in STEM and chose the Education Assistant Internship at Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park because he wants to go into the field of education after this internship. |
James Nagaoka
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Maya is a junior at Indiana University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a minor in Law and Public Policy. Her professional interests and goals include working as a research scientist for the National Park Services, working towards solutions to improve food security globally, and generally making and leaving a positive impact on the world. |
Maya Nivarthi
Agate FOSSIL bEDS nATIONAL Monument
Briana is in her last semester as a Masters Environmental Science student at the University of Texas at El Paso and is prepared to embark on the next stage of her career. Her goal is to help create a world where people and nature can thrive together. She is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to making a meaningful impact in the field of earth sciences. |
Briana Salcido
Waco mammoth NATIONAL MOBUMENT
Maya attends the University of California, Berkeley studying Natural Resources with an emphasis in watershed and waterways with a minor in Geospatial Information Systems and Technology. Through this internship she hopes to gain knowledge of fish behavior, physiology, and interactions with other species. She wants to gain experience in different biomes and various fields in order to maintain diverse ecosystems. |
Maya scanlon
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National seashore
Isabel is a graduate from Northland College, majoring in Biology where she works as a teaching assistant for an evolution course and as a research assistant for the Plant & Ecology Research Lab (PERL). With the help of this internship she hopes to gain experience in the field of paleontology which will help her reach her educational goal to attend graduate school, with a focus on paleontology. |
Isabel Sonora
Mammoth Cave NATIONAL Park
Larissa attends Nova Southeastern University in South Florida, pursuing a degree in Psychology. After her internship she wishes to pursue a career in bird research. She is excited to continue research through the Mosaics in Science program and learn more about the environments |
Larissa Sweeney
Buck iSLAND reef national monument, christianshed national historic site
Sylvia attends Kennesaw State University with a major in Geography, a minor in Environmental Studies, and a certification in Geospatial Science. Her ultimate career goal is to leverage her background and skills to contribute to environmental protection. |
Sylvia touchstone
Cuyahoga valley national park
Rick Usami studied History and Environmental Studies at Williams College. After his internship he would like to work in wildlife conservation and/or communication for the promotion of renewable tech and sustainable lifestyle. |
rICk Usami
Olympic national park
Whitney is a graduate from Franklin & Marshall College with a degree in environmental science. After her internship she has a short-term goal of preparing for graduate school by gaining experience working outdoors on a research project. |
whitney Wyche
Glacier national park
Isabella is a graduate from Indiana University with a bachelors degree in public affairs and environmental science. After her internship she wants to work alongside indigenous organizations to integrate emerging climate science with an indigenous land ethic to create climate change mitigation/adaptation frameworks that draw upon the unique power of community and culture. |
Isabella Yallapragada
Klondike GOLD RUSH NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
2022 MOSAICS IN SCIENCE INTERNS
Ivan attends Truman State University where he's double majoring in biology and Spanish. He's excited to experience the day-to-day operations of a national park while getting connecting with conservation professionals. Ivan hopes to pursue graduate school in the future and become a role model in the field for others like him. |
Ivan Bossert
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Amy is a graduate of Fordham University with a bachelor's degree in environmental studies. She's highly interested in using GIS and developing maps to help improve park communication with the public. After her internship, she intends to continue her education and earn a master's degree in GIS. |
Amy Carrillo
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Jenna is an environmental studies and renewable natural resources major at Texas A&M University. Her academic focus is on regulation and compliance, and she's interested in learning more about the impacts of human interaction with the night sky. In the future, she hopes to practice law for the National Park Service. |
Jenna Crabtree
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Julia graduated from Washington State University with a major in wildlife ecology and conservation with minors in GIS, sustainable development, and forestry. She possesses experience identifying native flora and fauna in the Pacific Northwest and is eager to expand her understandings of unique ecosystems in Washington, her home state. She looks forward to gaining valuable tools and skills related to restoration, adaptability, and sustainability. |
Julia Dahlquist
North Cascades National Park
Nicholas graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands with a major in marine biology. He has over five years of experience in coral restoration which include scuba diving to treat corrals infected with disease and maintaining coral nurseries. He has amassed well over one hundred dives and is dedicated to restoring and protecting corals both locally and overseas. |
NICHOLAS C. DURGADEEN
Buck Island Reef
Angela majored in geology and minored in integrative biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She currently attends Texas Tech University to earn a master's in geosciences. She considers field experience as one of her strengths and is eager to start a career in geographic information systems and technology. |
Angela Fiorito
Denali National Park
Ben attends California State Polytechnic University of Humboldt where he studies fisheries biology with a consternation in freshwater. He considers his internship to be a dream come true, as his specific, personal interest in the field of fisheries aligns with the species of salmon that his position is focused on. He's thrilled to help with the management and the recovery of salmon populations along the West Coast. |
Ben Fujita
Point Reyes National Seashore
Liza is a graduate from Stanford University with a major in earth systems and a minor in translation studies. She earned her first junior ranger badge at five-years-old and has visited over 30 national parks and monuments since then. Her interests and skills include natural resource management, environmental policy, outdoor education, and climate journalism. |
Liza hafner
Olympic National Park
Jailyn is a returning Mosaics intern and is majoring in biology at the University of New Orleans. With interests including conservation, environmental education, research, and photography, Jailyn is excited to help make the sciences more accessible to underserved communities while gaining valuable field experience. |
Jailyn Hoskins
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Taro earned his bachelor's in environmental science at Colby College and is now pursuing his master's in environmental management at Duke University. He is an aspiring scientist interested in building climate change resilience. Taro hopes to protect and conserve the natural environment through a career in the government and is excited to utilize his data science skills to conduct meaningful research. |
Taro Katayama
Cabrillo National Monument
Erika is a biology and English major at the University of Washington Seattle. Her love for biology motivated her to apply for a Mosaics internship. She intends to combine her skills in English and biology to effectively educate the public on current, scientific research. She looks forward to networking and pursuing a career in the parks service. |
Erika Khosrovian
Olympic National Park
Jackson attends Benedictine College and studies biology and psychology. He worked on native wildflower and pollinator research projects during school and is passionate about these important relationships. He's interested in restorative ecology, marine biology, herpetology, and entomology. He hopes to earn a master's in wildlife biology and work in a national park. |
jackson maldonado
Yosemite National Park
Andrés is a first-generation Latinx master's student in integrative biology at San Francisco State University. They received their bachelor's degree in natural resource conservation from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Their interest in Mosaics stems from wanting to improve racial equity and diversity within conservation agencies. They also hope to become a wildlife ecologist working in an urban-rural gradient environment. |
Andrés Patino
Fort Point National Historic site
Kelly is a renewable natural resources major at Texas A&M University. She believes it is important to diversify the environmental field and is excited to be a Mosaics intern. After her internship, Kelly hopes to help enact new environmental protocols to protect natural spaces in Mexico. |
Keily Pineda
Rocky Mountain National Park
James is double majoring in marine biology and education at Nova Southeastern University. He possesses experience in conducting laboratory research with fish and avian species. His career aspirations focus on marine conservation biology, and he aspires to become both an educator and researcher of marine environments. |
James Puentes
Biscayne National Park
Xavier is a third-year undergraduate student at Johnson & Wales University studying data analytics with a minor in psychology. As an indigenous Chamorro, Xavier highly values sustainability and respecting the environment. He considers serving his native island and protecting its natural resources as one of his top priorities in life. Xavier plans on pursuing a master's degree in data science and work for the government on either a local or federal level. |
Xavier Quinata
War in the Pacific National Historical Park
Emmanuel is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley and has a master's in earth & planetary science. As a Mexican-American from South Los Angeles, Emmanuel takes great pride in representing his roots in the conservation field and hopes to become a geoscientist. He looks forward to aiding the professionals at his internship site by implementing his knowledge in GIS and remote sensing. |
EMMANUEL QUINTERO
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Hannah is majoring in environmental biology at Washington University. She hopes to continue her education after her internship and is considering working towards earning a PhD in wildlife or marine biology. As someone pursuing a career in conservation and environmental research, she aspires to be a role model for young women of color who are also passionate about the environment. |
Sejal Rajamani
arches national park
Mahika studies economics and environmental science at the University of Washington. Her work in outdoor recreation has sparked her love for field research and science communication, and she looks forward to learning about the connected ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest mountains. Mahika hopes to work in education or environmental policy in the future. |
Mahika Rao
North coast and cascades inventory & monitoring network
Anjali attends the University of Colorado Boulder and is majoring in environmental engineering and applied mathematics with a minor in art practices. She plans to purse a master's in environmental engineering and then either pursue law school or a PhD program in soil engineering. In her work, she makes sure to not only use her engineering problem solving skills, but also her creativity and care for aesthetics. |
ANJALI VELAMALA
MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK
Kai recently graduated from Cornell University with a major in environment & sustainability with a concentration in environmental biology and applied ecology. He's fascinated with wildlife conservation and is passionate about protecting natural areas and species. He plans to pursue a career in reintroduction biology and translocation ecology. |
KAI VICTOR
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
Jeremiah is an undergraduate student studying wildlife & fisheries sciences with a minor in environmental soil science at Texas A&M University. He's excited to learn more about pollinators while gaining new skills related to conservation. Community outreach has always been one of Jeremiah's passion, specifically with low-socioeconomic communities that need exposure to natural resources and wildlife fields. |
Jeremiah wright
isle royale national park
Kaitlin is in her third year at the University of Florida and is majoring in environmental sciences and minoring in sustainability studies. She enjoys plant identification and is excited to be introduced to new forest ecosystems during her internship. She is considering working towards a master's degree with a focus on forestry and hopes to secure a job in conservation that allows her to work outdoors. |
kaitlin yap
great smoky mountains national park
2021 Mosaics In Science Interns
Ana is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan where she obtained a degree in Wildlife Biology. Through the Mosaics In Science internship program Ana hopes to gain guidance and mentorship from experienced professionals, that will have a life-long impact on her life and that will help her navigate the wildlife biology career path. |
Ana Arce
Isle Royale National Park
Ashleyann recently obtained her B.S. in Physiology and B.A. in Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is now a first year master's student enrolled in California State University, Chico's Wildland Management program. She is excited to be a part of helping increase diversity within NPS through her Fire Ecology Assistant position at Lava Beds National Monument this summer. Her future career goals involve working in a natural resources management position that will allow her to be a role model to younger women of color who aspire to work in the environmental sector |
Ashleyann Bacay
Lava Beds National Monument
After pursuing an undergraduate degree in chemistry with minors in German, and Environmental Studies at The College of Wooster, Ohio, Jenelle turned away from laboratory research and decided to pursue field research instead. As a woman of color, the internship opportunities that Environment for the Americas offers through its’ Mosaics in Science internship program seemed like the perfect entry point into the world environmental education and field work. Jenelle intends to complete a Master's degree in natural resource management in Berlin after her time in the Mojave Desert. |
Jenelle Booker
Mojave Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network
Lynneva is a 2-time MIS intern! She is currently earning her B.S. in Biological Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Lynneva thoroughly enjoys field work and looking forward to Peregrine Falcon surveys she will be doing this summer on the Yukon River. In the future she aims to do work related to studying the impacts of climate change on the arctic. |
Lynneva Carroll
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve
Sahil is currently a second-year student at Brandeis University working towards in Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. Conservation has always been his biggest passion. Sahil is excited to participate in the MIS internship programs! He feels certain that this internship opportunity will allow him to gain valuable skills that will help propel him in his pursuit for a career with the NPS. |
Sahil Duvadie
Boston Harbor Islands
Sasha recently graduated from California State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Ecology. Her long-term goal is to become a restoration ecologist with the National Park Service. She also hopes to attend graduate school in the future. She is excited about the DHA status associated with the completion of this internship, since she recognizes the huge advantage it gives applicants when applying for permanent positions. |
Sasha Escamilla
Grand Canyon National Park
Cristal was born and raised in sunny Miami, Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Florida International University in 2019. Currently, she is a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master’s of Science in Environmental Science at Florida Atlantic University. |
Cristal Espinosa
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Sebastian Espinosa is currently in graduate school, working towards obtaining a master’s degree in Climate Science and Solutions. As a child of two immigrants from South America, who instilled a passion for the outdoors in him, Sebastian grew to have a longing to protect and conserve the natural world. |
Sebastian Espinosa
North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network
Charles Hambley is currently an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at the University of Guam. His interests lie in Marine Biology. Specifically he is interested in the study and research of corals and algae. Growing up surrounded by these ecosystems motivates him to help protect the natural resources of his home island. In the future he aspires to work with organizations that play a role in protecting coral reefs. |
Charles Hambley
War in the Pacific National Historical Park
Jenna Heckle obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology with a minor in Environmental Science and Sustainability. In the Central Valley she fell in love with the mountains and started working for the National Park Service delivering educational programs that help connect the local community to the parks! Jenna is now in graduate school earning a M.S. in Environmental Science. |
Aubrie Jenna Heckel
Monocacy National Battlefield
Jailyn Hoskins is a 3rd year student at The University of New Orleans pursuing a B.S. in Biology. Jailyn is excited about the internship position they have been offered as a Marine Biological Conservation Assistant because it combines their interests for conservation, research, photography/videography, and sharing knowledge with others. |
Jailyn Hoskins
Padre Island National Seashore
Devante Jones is currently a 3rd year at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. He hopes to gain as much experience as possible this summer working out in the field as a Botanical Resources Assistant. He is also excited to make connections with NPS professional. In the future Devante aims to work for the EPA or another government agency where he can help make major positive impact in environmental issues. |
Devante Jones
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
Marwa graduated in 2020 from the University of Washington with a degree in environmental studies and a minor in environmental science. Her professional interests lie in natural resources. Marwa is drawn to a variety of topics within natural resources. These include landscape scale climate change, wildlife interactions with a changing snowpack, climate education, and management and policy implications in a time of a changing climate. Her long-term career goals revolve around working in climate science and policy. |
Marwa Mahmoud
Mount Rainier National Park
Veronica is a senior at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She is studying geology, and has a minoring in environmental science. Throughout her studies her focus has been on paleontology, mineralogy, and sedimentation. Her interests lie in the intersection of conservation, biology, chemistry, and geology. Working for the National Parks Service or USGS has also been a dream of hers. |
Veronica C. Mantha
Colonial National Historical Park
Quenten is currently attending the University of Arizona where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Science degree in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Fisheries Management. His professional goal is to become a Fisheries/Wildlife manager for either a federal or private institution. In his profession he hopes to use his experiences to spread awareness about the importance of protecting the outdoors. As well as help bring more diversity to the field of resource management. |
Quenten Masters
Congaree National Park
Matthew is a recent graduate from the University of Notre Dame where he obtained a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and a minor in Sustainability. As a Mosaics in Science intern, Matthew is looking forward to gaining first-hand experience in natural resource management in the Great Lakes region, meeting other National Park Service employees, and getting to know the natural environment of Pictured Rocks by living and working in it. He is passionate about finding a long-term career that actively contributes to the conservation of natural spaces for all. |
Matthew Millado
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Deja is pursuing her Bachelor's in Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences with a minor in Horticulture at Texas A&M University. Deja just completed her sophomore year, and is excited to be a part of the Mosaics in Science program! Her professional goal is to eventually lead her own field research in animal behavior. |
Deja Olumba
Point Reyes National Seashore
Viridiana is currently a second-year master’s student in the Environmental Science program at The University of Texas at El Paso. Viridiana believes that the skills gained from this internship will help her become a better scientist and she is proud to represent women and the Hispanic community within STEM fields. |
VIRIDIANA ORONA
Saguaro National Park
Andrés has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Wildlife Management with a minor in education from the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus. Currently, he is in his first year of the master's degree in planning with an environmental and social emphasis at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. |
Andrés L. Pérez
Biscayne National Park
Brooke is a recent graduate of Cornell University, where she studied Environmental Science. This internship opportunity aligns closely with her interests in studying mammals and builds upon her experience working with camera traps and GIS. Eventually, after gaining more field work experience, she plans to pursue a PhD in wildlife conservation and eventually work for a conservation NGO or government agency. |
Brooke Su
Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore, Jewel Cave, and Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network
Edwin is a recent graduate from Central Washington University where he earned his Bachelor’s in Science degree in Geography. With this internship Edwin hopes to gain a better understanding of the complexities of natural resource management as well as develop the skills that will allow him to be successful in this field. He is also excited about further developing his community outreach skills and helping contribute to making his site as accessible as possible to wide range of people. |
Edwin Torres
North Cascades National Park
Will, a Junior at Drake University, is working towards a Bachelor's of Science degree in Environmental Science- in the Aquatic & Earth Sciences Track- and a Bachelor's of Art in Political Science. Following graduation, Will hopes to utilize his degrees to work at a Federal Agency. |
William Tsai
Rocky Mountain National Park
Jorge is a recent graduate with a B.S. degree in environmental engineering. His professional interests are somewhat wide-ranging, but at the moment he is especially interested in water treatment and ecology. |
Jorge Vargas-Barriga
Homestead National Monument of America
Samantha is a recent graduate from Colorado State University where she earned degrees in Journalism, Economics, & Ethnic Studies. Samantha is excited about her role this summer because it will allow her to engage with communities and help create interest in critical topics like climate change. |
Samantha Ye
Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance
Ty just finished up her freshman year at Wake Forest University. Next semester, she plans to declare as an Environmental Science major with minors in Spanish & Arabic. Since a young age, Ty always dreamed of being a park ranger or field biologist. |
Ty Zanders
NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY
2020 MOSAICS IN SCIENCE INTERNS
Alexandra Isabel Verdeja Pérez |
Alexandra Isabel Verdeja Pérez
Biscayne National Park
2019 MOSAICS IN SCIENCE INTERNS
Alyssa Canova |
Alyssa Canova
Greater Yellowstone Network Inventory & Monitoring Network and Yellowstone National Park
Christian Knutson |
Christian Knutson
Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network and Badlands National Park
Donna Molfetta |
