2021 Community Engaged Internship (CEI) For Undergraduate Students

Sea Grant’s Community Engaged Internship (CEI) aims to broaden participation in coastal, ocean and marine sciences by offering paid internships to students from under-resourced, underrepresented and/or indigenous and tribal populations. The CEI is a national program partnering with Sea Grant at colleges and universities in all coastal states.

Puerto Rico Sea Grant is offering an 8-week paid internship opportunity. Interns are expected to be available full time from June 7th, 2021 to July 30th, 2021 and not have any other work commitments with the University of Puerto Rico during this period. The intern will work on the project described below performing the tasks described.

PROJECT TITLE: Effects of Global Warming and Economic Resilience in the commercial fishing sectors: fishermen, restaurants owners, and fisheries on the coastal communities of the western area of Puerto Rico.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It aspires to a research opportunity that allows a scientific contribution to the educational process about the unprecedented climate emergency that planet earth is experiencing. The research focuses on the areas of vulnerability, biophysical resilience, social and individual resilience, public policy issues that address global warming and the effects it causes on residents of coastal communities in western area of Puerto Rico. The purpose of the study is that the communities can understand the main environmental challenges, give them answers and face the effects of both global warming and atmospheric events in Puerto Rico. Likewise, the research aims to raise awareness in the communities under study about the responsible use of our coastal resources.

INTERN TASKS AND RESPONSABILITIES:

• Identify coastal communities.
• Conduct surveys of the research participants (restaurants owners and fisheries) in the coastal municipalities of the western area of Puerto Rico.
• Conduct interviews with the research participants (fishermen) in the coastal communities of the western area of Puerto Rico.
• Design maps of coastal zones.
• Prepare databases with statistical analysis.
• Prepare a content analysis.
• Develop an article with the results obtained.

ELIGIBILITY: Interns must be undergraduate students enrolled in any campus of the University of Puerto Rico and meet the following criteria:

• Undergraduate student in the second year of study or more (enrolled in at least 12 credits during the semester).

• Must be from an area of study related to Social Sciences, Economics or Business Administration.
• Interns must have a vehicle and valid driver’s license.
• Experience in scientific research in quantitative and qualitative methodology.
• Ability to develop survey processes.
• Ability to develop statistical analysis and content analysis.
• CEI encourages applicants from groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences, including African American, American Indian, or Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Latino, female, first-generation college students, veterans, LGBTQ+, and students with disabilities. The program is also open to students who have experienced and worked to overcome educational or economic disadvantages, and/or who have personal or family circumstances that may complicate their career paths.

PAYMENTS

A maximum of 300 hours will be dedicated during the 8-week period for a maximum payment of $3,000 during the internship period. Interns will be expected to dedicate 37.5 hours per week (UPR full time) at a rate of $10.00 per hour. They must submit an attendance sheet certified by their supervisor to Puerto Rico Sea Grant by the stipulated closing date of each payroll period to receive payment. Payroll deductions may apply.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested students must submit a personal education and career goal statement emphasizing applicant’s abilities, focusing on their ability to fulfill the tasks and eligibility criteria stated above, and applicant’s expectations of the internship experience in terms of their career development (1,000 words or less). The document should be sent by email to yulissa.garcia1@upr.edu no later than the due date below.

DUE DATE

Applicant personal education and career goal statements must be received by email no later than April 15, 2021. Documents received after this date will not be considered.

SELECTION

A selection committee will evaluate applicants’ personal education and career goal statements based on the requirements stated above. Applicants will be informed of their selection results on or near May 6, 2021.