Although this is an unpaid internship, by signing on for an academic internship you will join a group of adventurous university students who accepted the challenge of fieldwork at Hornsby Bend. The first university interns began work here in 1996 and helped create the trail network along the river. Since then university students have worked on everything from restoration ecology to environmental economics.
Below is a description of the internship and of our expectations for interns. Please read them and make sure that you are ready to commit to the work ahead during this semester.
The Hornsby Bend Ecological Mentorship Program was create to introduce university undergraduates to careers in natural resource management, environmental science, environmental education and community-based environmental work and to give them an opportunity to create and conduct their own ecological research project at Hornsby Bend.
The internship has two parts:
1. A research project under the mentorship of an environmental professional. Past project topics have ranged from riparian restoration ecology to sustainable agriculture to urban waste management. Projects are designed with the help of the CER Coordinator. The internship is designed to be self-directed learning under the mentorship of the CER Coordinator or another environmental professional at Hornsby Bend. “Self-directed learning” means: First, you are in charge of your learning and your schedule and your project progress. Second, the internship is about LEARNING and not grades or testing [proving that you know something]. There is a difference between focusing on learning rather than knowing. All university undergraduates are skilled at reporting what they know [memorizing for tests], but most have forgotten how to learn [the process of acquiring knowledge]. The internship is about LEARNING i.e. is a field experience – you will practice the basic skill of science – OBSERVATION. You will report what you learn [not what you “know”] and the questions that arise from this process in an electronic journal.
2. Mentoring younger students is a required part of your internship. This part of the internship is designed to do two things: First, by working with younger students, you will be forced to recognize that you are an adult in a broader community. Second, you will learn more about that community through your interaction with younger Austin area students.
Individual research project and plan
Over this semester you will work on a field research project here at Hornsby Bend. This kind of study depends on your observation skills and sense of wonder – the basis for all science. You do not have to have a background in the subject that you wish to study. It is an opportunity to learn something new and to explore something that you have always wanted to learn – birds, bugs, biosolids – whatever you want as long as it relates to Hornsby Bend, urban ecology, and sustainability. Remember ecology is the study of interconnections of life and geography is the study of inhabiting this planet – so both studies are concerned with sustainability.
A project plan and work schedule is due the second week of the semester.
PDF Journal
You will present your learning through the medium of a pdf journal that can be put online. The journal should contain information ranging from first-hand accounts and pictures about your experience to research data on your subject. This journal will be posted on the CER website and be a permanent public record of your work. If you apply for a job and they ask me what you did as a CER intern – I give them the URL – since the journal represents your ability to learn, it is a good way for an employer to judge your capabilities.
Beginning of internship – The internship begins on the FIRST CLASS DAY of the semester. Completion of internship – All work must be completed by the LAST CLASS DAY of the semester.
Mentoring with the Austin Youth River Watch Program www.ayrw.org
You will also have an opportunity to be a mentor with the Austin Youth River Watch Program secondary school students. i.e. someone who shares their experience and knowledge with someone younger.
The Austin Youth River Watch is an after-school program for Austin high school students who monitor water quality in Austin waterways. You will work with the AYRW staff to learn about their environmental non-profit jobs, spend time with the high school students learning about their lives, and learn water quality monitoring techniques.
During the summer, you are expected to give one morning a week [approx. 9am to noon]. Through this experience, you will learn how to do water quality monitoring in exchange for helping the students with homework. There will also be opportunities to go camping and other fieldtrips with the River Watch students.
Academic internship requirements:
- Approval and registration with academic department
- Consent of CER Coordinator
- Timely completion of departmental requirements
- Commitment of at least 8 hours work per week including one meeting a week
with the CER Coordinator
- Research project plan due at end of second week of semester
- Completion of research project and journal by LAST CLASS DAY of semester
- COMMUNICATION – if you cannot make a meeting or fieldwork session you
must call or email
- SAFETY – all fieldwork should be done with notification of being onsite and
appropriate clothing and boots should be worn
- RESPONSIBILITY – you will have access to the lab and student office at the CER
as well as expensive equipment – please take care of them.
- LEARN FROM MISTAKES – many things will go wrong this semester – you will not
be penalized for mistakes but you will be penalized for not learning from mistakes. The goal of the internship is to learn – it is not to succeed [much less get a good grade!].
If you are interested in doing this internship, first contact you department undergraduate advisor to learn the department requirements for eligibility to do an internship, then contact –
Kevin M. Anderson Ph.D.
EMAIL ADDRESS – Kevin.Anderson@austintexas.gov Austin Water – Center for Environmental Research [CER] 2210 South FM 973, Austin, Texas 78725
at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant Phone 512.972.1960 Cell 512.689.6412More information about Hornsby Bend and the Center for Environmental Research
CER website – http://www.austinwater.gov/cer
Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory Program website – http://www.hornsbybend.org Austin Water Center for Enivronmental Research www.facebook.com/austinwatercer Hornsby Bend www.facebook.com/hornsbybend
Texas Riparian Association website – http://www.texasriparian.org