Available CONSERVE Internships

University of Maryland (College Park, MD)
Project Focus: Water quality analysis, communication and outreach

Position Description (In-person preferred) : As climate change continues to stress freshwater and cause more unpredictable precipitation, it is critical to identify sustainable irrigation approaches for agriculture to adapt the changing climate. Rainwater harvesting can provide farmers and gardeners with additional water and reduce their reliance on costly municipal water. However, farmer concerns about water quality and system design and maintenance need to be addressed. The intern will have the opportunity to combine two approaches to increasing rainwater harvesting in local agriculture into one unique summer: 1) evaluating the microbial quality of harvested rainwater and 2) developing communication and outreach materials. Duties will include: collecting water samples from gardeners and farmers; filtering water samples and extracting DNA; entering data (water parameters, DNA concentrations, etc.); conducting preliminary data analysis; creating interview questions for promotional videos; and editing video footage. This unique position will allow the intern the opportunity to learn advanced microbiological techniques and develop skills in translating complex scientific information to a variety of audiences.

About the Lab: The WOW (Water Quality, Outreach and Wellness) lab at the University of Maryland School of Public Health in College Park conducts interdisciplinary research around water - analyzing microbial water quality, the most effective ways to communicate about water quality, and the perceptions and behaviors related to water use. In addition, the WOW lab is exploring the beneficial impacts of urban agriculture and gardening on health and wellness. The WOW lab has multiple ongoing collaborations with the University of Maryland Extension.