[Coral-List] 'Internships'

Thu Mar 16 16:42:41 EDT 2017

Very well put!

I have frequently asked myself if these "internships" and other
opportunities are even filled, given the high cost involved and amount of
time required (zero chances for someone with even a part-time job, for
example...).

I understand that many institutions that work with tropical environments
are nowhere near the tropics, which makes fieldwork so expensive.
This raises an interesting point of maybe offering these internship
opportunities for students at the local universities where fieldwork takes
place. I can imagine there are many administrative/logistic issues involved
in this, but I'm sure it would be viable in many situations... Food for
thought!

kind regards to all,

Carla Elliff

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2017-03-15 16:03 GMT-03:00 steven.carrion <steven.carrion at knights.ucf.edu>:

> Hello Coral-list,
>
> I have long wanted to provide some input on this, especially since I don't
> think many students comment on these listservs. As a graduate student who
> is working to become a fully fledged scientist one day in academia it has
> been disheartening to see many organizations seemingly working to exploit
> the labor of starry-eyed students. If I were to estimate, I would say 75%
> of the opportunities I see advertised require a student to pay several
> thousands to participate in a rather short 'internship' of usually two to
> four weeks [and I don't think the benefits out-weight these costs].
>
> As an undergraduate student I led a research society at my university and
> I remember hearing from many students wanting to become involved in
> research say things like "I cannot afford to have an unpaid internship" or
> "I don't have money, I can't do that stuff". Research and scientific
> progress should be guided by merit, not if your parents have enough money
> to fund such pricey 'internships'- and especially not to compensate for a
> student's lack of merit. What does it mean for science when only students
> from well-off families can afford to participate in these internships?
>
> It is understandable that some institutions cannot afford to financially
> assist students so by providing unpaid internships it can open up
> opportunities that would otherwise not be available. This isn't necessarily
> bad. These can be potentially funded through grants or scholarship money.
> However, its unfair to an exploitative point to expect students to not only
> pay for travel and living costs, but also an absurdly high fee to even
> partake in the opportunity. Some internships with  organizations I have
> seen require a student to work full-time, no benefits, and no pay. I have
> also seen an organization which actually charges students several thousands
> of USD so that students are able to complete their dissertation projects
> with them. The pay for play 'internship' opportunities are just plain sad
> and absurd.
>
> Best Regards,
> Steven Carrion
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov <coral-list-bounces at coral.
> aoml..noaa.gov
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/19ff4ea790879c9a96f8963521fe493463fca20c?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnoaa.gov&userId=464711&signature=67861016e42d58cf>>
> on behalf of Lescinsky, Halard <hlescinsky at otterbein.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 10:36 AM
> To: Damien Beri
> Cc: Coral -List
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Summer Coral Reef Internship in Roatan
>
> As a Professor at a primarily undergraduate institution where we are
> continuously helping students find summer internships, I'd like to respond
> to Damien's email.  In the US the general definition of an internship is
> that it should be free to the student or perhaps paid.  From a student
> point of view, paid internships are of course better, but they are much
> rarer and more difficult to get.  Free (volunteer) internships are pretty
> typical, and those internships often don't include travel or housing
> stipends, making them a significant out of pocket expense.  But even if
> they are totally free to the student they still exert an economic filter
> since most of my students need to make money over the summer to help
> contribute to their fall tuition.  They simply can't afford to spend a
> summer without racking up cash.  The reality (at least in the US) is that
> the educational system is far from economically fair and students have to
> constantly weigh how much to spend now (on tuition, doing "unpaid
> internships", accruing student loans) in order to invest in their futures..
> The playing field is no where near even.
>        I don't begrudge any institution from offering any opportunity to
> students who are looking for experience, but I do agree with Damien, that
> if students are paying what is essentially a tuition fee (including
> classroom fees!), calling it an internship is problematic- since it
> violates the general definition of the term.  On the other hand, it may not
> be an organized course in the traditional sense either, and I have little
> doubt that part of the driving force is that students prefer the term
> "internship" on their resume because it seems to imply a higher level of
> selection and seriousness.
>       My guess is that the Roatan opportunity is much like what many
> non-profits do.  They offer "volunteer" positions for which participants
> pay more than their costs, and the participants feel good about helping,
> and the NGOs explicitly view it as a fund raising activity.   These are
> win-win opportunities for the participants and programs so I see no problem
> with them, but they are certainly not internships in the traditional sense.
>
> Hal Lescinsky
> Otterbein University
>
> On Tue, Mar 14, 2017 at 10:41 PM, Damien Beri <beridl at g.cofc.edu> wrote:
>
> > Dear Coral List,
> >
> > I opt to negotiate the terms in which we decide something is eligible to
> > be called an internship on this list.  An internship should not cost
> anyone
> > money.  3000$ for eligibility for an internship is elitist.  It doesn’t
> > matter if its for room & board, travel, or what not.  The internship
> should
> > be offered to students of the prospective area of study, if room & board
> +
> > travel are included in the internship offerers budget.  While I
> understand
> > coral reef research requires various types of external forms of funding
> to
> > function, due to lack of said funding.  It is simply wrong to offer such
> > opportunities to those with the merits afforded by monitory exchanges,
> and
> > the situation in which you were raised that offered you the ability to
> > receive such scholarly merits or funding to attend such an internship.  I
> > am sure many will agree with this point, and I am sure even more will
> > disagree.  I however feel that this email chain should be open to this
> > discussion.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Warm regards,
> > D
> >
> >
> > On Mar 13, 2017, at 4:57 PM, RIMS Internship <internship at roatanims.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > There are just a few weeks left until the March 31st application
> > deadline.
> > > Please share this information with students and other educators who may
> > be
> > > interested!
> > >
> > >
> > > *CORAL REEF RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN ROATAN (July 22 –August 19, 2017)*
> > >
> > >
> > > *PROGRAM LOCATION:  *The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS),
> > > Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras.
> > >
> > >
> > > The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) is excited to offer a
> > > 4-week long Coral Reef Research Internship this summer.  If you are
> > > interested in coral reef ecology and conservation, this internship will
> > > provide a unique opportunity to live on a small Caribbean island and
> gain
> > > valuable field research experience on one of the most biologically
> > diverse
> > > and well-developed reefs in the Caribbean.
> > >
> > > RIMS was founded in 1989 with the primary objective of protecting
> > Roatan’s
> > > natural resources through education and research.  In almost three
> > decades
> > > our facility has established itself as a dedicated teaching institution
> > and
> > > we are visited throughout the year by colleges and universities from
> > abroad
> > > to study tropical marine ecosystems.  Our facility is ideally located
> on
> > > the northwest coast of Roatan with easy access to miles of fringing and
> > > barrier reef, seagrass beds, and mangrove communities.
> > >
> > >
> > > *INTERNSHIP DATES:* The 4-week internship will run from July 22 through
> > > August 19, 2017.
> > >
> > >
> > > *ELIGIBILITY:  *The program will be limited to 12 interns and is open
> to
> > > upper level undergraduate students or recent graduates with a genuine
> > > interest in coral reef ecosystems. Students must be 18 years old at the
> > > start of the internship and SCUBA certified.  We do not offer course
> > credit
> > > for the program, but due to the intensive structure of the course, we
> > > encourage successful applicants to arrange for independent studies or
> > > undergraduate research credit through their home institution.
> > >
> > >
> > > *INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION:*  During the 4 weeks spent on Roatan, students
> > > will interact with staff experts and visiting faculty as they
> investigate
> > > and explore a variety of coral reef environments.  Through lectures,
> site
> > > visits and practical field exercises, students will learn the flora and
> > > fauna of the region and understand the roles of different ecological
> > > processes on a coral reef.
> > >
> > >
> > > Through collaborative research activities, mentorship and independent
> > > research projects, students will receive direct exposure to reef
> > monitoring
> > > methods, as they develop, implement and communicate their own research.
> > In
> > > addition to the academic and research opportunities our program
> provides,
> > > interns will also gain important cultural and social development. This
> > > internship is a chance of a lifetime and the transformative experiences
> > > students will be exposed to can contribute to personal growth and
> career
> > > advancement.
> > >
> > > Under the direction of professional mentors and marine biologists and
> > RIMS
> > > staff, students will engage in a wide variety of activities and gain
> > > experience in the:
> > >
> > >   - Field experience in the Identification of Caribbean coral, fish,
> > >   invertebrates and algal species
> > >   - Application of field research methods to assess coral cover,
> > >   abundance, and reef health
> > >   - Development and implementation of an independent research project..
> > >   - Participation in reef restoration projects and maintenance and
> > >   monitoring of our coral nurseries.
> > >   - Management of invasive lionfish populations through collaboration
> > with
> > >   the Roatan Marine Park.
> > >   - Participation in field trips on and around Roatan.
> > >   - Interaction with local conservation professionals.
> > >
> > > *COURSE FEE:*  The fee for the course is *$2975.00 USD*.  The fee
> > includes
> > > full room & board, diving, tanks and weights, lab and classroom fees,
> > > airport transfers, off site field excursions and all applicable taxes..
> > >
> > > *APPLICATION DEADLINE*:  Applications are due by March 31st, 2017.
> > > Applications will not be accepted if all the required forms have not
> been
> > > received.
> > >
> > > For more information about the Coral Reef Research Internship at RIMS
> and
> > > to access the *Application Form* please visit our webpage at:
> > > www.roatanims.org
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/2d1c5fefee7d032c955b74133c4049eee38d2337?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org&userId=464711&signature=2f43eaf83d8e76ab>
> <http://www.roatanims.org
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/79f48bc2827420183bf5a8d5e8fd6535ec0d64e4?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org&userId=464711&signature=4f88f1ba455569c2>
> >
> Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences | Roatan | Honduras<
> http://www.roatanims.org/
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/01a04e8a3d8d3fb35f777d75bb0ee90264f7f960?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org%2F&userId=464711&signature=6f63556644671383>
> >
> www.roatanims.org
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/ab52513d65ff20e487c4e4161860664ae6285f48?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org&userId=464711&signature=ddb907a6c5d2b19a>
> A Caribbean Marine Laboratory dedicated to the preservation of Roatan's
> natural resources through education and research.
>
>
>
> > >
> > > *CONTACT INFORMATION:*  For more information or questions about the
> > > internship please contact:
> > > Jennifer Keck
> > > Education & Research Coordinator
> > > Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences
> > > internship at roatanims.org
> > > 011-504 9556-0212 <+504%209556-0212>
> > > www.roatanims.org
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/31a3a17aab4efd93219402622f3af4cd81439f5b?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org&userId=464711&signature=d1316c8139234131>
> <http://www.roatanims.org
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> >
> Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences | Roatan | Honduras<
> http://www.roatanims.org/
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/50ed78c6293a7c5be70cd418a4d02ca417be4a4e?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org%2F&userId=464711&signature=9407d1ab7b09f6d3>
> >
> www.roatanims.org
> <https://mailtrack.io/trace/link/fb918ce8d9bcf27b0c515ae0b73034be9f475674?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roatanims.org&userId=464711&signature=964e853425dcc79e>
> A Caribbean Marine Laboratory dedicated to the preservation of Roatan's
> natural resources through education and research.
>
>
>
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-- 
Carla