Environmental Communications Internship

Advisor: Megan Fieser, USC Dornsife Department of Chemistry

Location: Virtual/Los Angeles

The Fieser group is looking for a communications intern to help make graphics that allow us to communicate our sustainability plastics research to different audiences. Graphics to be developed include: table of content graphics for our publications, cover art for particularly exciting manuscripts, graphics for our outreach website, graphics for our scientific presentations, and graphics for our educational aims, as well as a t-shirt design for the year’s beach cleanups. Specific projects will include polls in the L.A. and USC area that target knowledge about the problems in plastic pollution, which will be added to our educational website. Each year, we also come up with new project options, depending on the intern’s interests.

Advisor: Kathryn Royster, USC Wrigley Institute

Location: Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island

**Note: This position begins in mid-May and runs 14 weeks instead of the standard 10 weeks; it includes a stipend of $7,000, plus room and board on the island

Based at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Catalina Island, this internship focuses on producing professional-quality photos, and possibly videos, of research and educational activities taking place in and around Catalina Island throughout the summer. The intern will function as part of the Wrigley Institute’s in-house communications team, and work products will be used in Wrigley Institute marketing and communications activities. This intern may also provide occasional support to WMSC summer programs, such as Maymester and Storymakers. Applicants should have a meaningful photo portfolio to share. As this position involves capturing field activities, applicants must be willing and able to accompany subjects on hikes, boat rides, and other excursions in rugged areas as appropriate.

Advisors: Amalia Almada and Maria Madrigal, USC Sea Grant

Location: Los Angeles for the first 5 weeks, with an option for virtual work for the second 5 weeks

The South Central Los Angeles Sustainable Seafood Hub was established in 2020 to bolster consumer education about and improve access to local, sustainable seafood in South Central Los Angeles (SCLA). This summer, an intern will help to develop a series of public education videos that showcase the safe handling and preparation of different types of seafood. The student may also help support other ongoing communications needs, including the expansion of our StoryMap website and social media campaigns about the effort.

Advisors: Karla Heidelberg and Amalia Almada, USC Sea Grant

Location: Los Angeles/Virtual

DDT, a legacy pesticide, is known to have devastating and long-lasting impacts on wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. DDT was banned in 1972, but contamination persists, and the coast of Southern California is home to one of the largest known areas of DDT contamination. This summer, an intern will help to communicate the latest findings from four state-funded DDT research projects through the development of StoryMap content and outreach materials (e.g., one-pagers and social media posts). The student may also help with outreach strategy preparation for a Fall 2024 public community meeting on DDT research findings.