SERC Public Engagement Spring Intern

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is seeking an intern to join our Public Engagement team this spring and support the high school internship component of the Science and Faith initiative. This project engages faith communities, particularly in West Baltimore, to advance their environmental and conservation goals through environmental education and scientific research. 

The intern will be an important member of the team that facilitates the Smithsonian Baltimore Forest Science Internship Program (SBFSI). This internship program takes place with Baltimore churches and collaborating organization Temple X to provide hands-on internships for local high school students that allow them to engage with SERC participatory science. High school interns learn about urban heat, biodiversity, pollinators, light, and soil quality. They also design their own research questions to address a topic that they are interested in exploring over the course of the internship. You can learn more about past cohorts of the SBFSI here.

This internship is an opportunity to gain familiarity with programming for high school students and build experience in environmental education, community engagement and science communication. The intern will assist in preparing materials, developing educational content and teaching high school interns. They will also have the opportunity to be involved in environmental science data collection and the development of communication materials related to the Science and Faith initiative. The intern will be expected to be on SERC campus in Edgewater, Maryland on certain days and on-site at partner locations in Baltimore on Saturdays in April and May.

This is a paid full-time internship (40 hrs/wk) that will take place March 3 - May 30. The intern will receive a stipend of $650 per week and dorm housing in Edgewater, MD is available. The intern must be able to work in-person on a Tuesday through Saturday schedule. This internship is available to currently enrolled undergraduate and Master's students, or students who have recently graduated from undergraduate or Master's programs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Science and research experience 
• Experience or interest in environmental education 
• Strong organization and communication skills 
• Must have a valid US driver’s license 

To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to Rylee Wernoch (wernochr@si.edu). In your letter of interest, please include a statement about why you’re interested in joining us, what talents you would bring to the program, and what you hope to learn through this internship and how it relates to your academic and career goals.

Application deadline: January 15, 2025