Intro to Climate Solutions Internship

Applications for Summer 2023 are now closed. Feel free to look at the information below to help plan for future years, but know that this is a grant funded program and our grant is up for renewal this year, so there is a chance this program will not be returning.

About The Program

Interested in science? Concerned about the impact humans are having on wildlife and the earth? Join us this summer as a conservation intern! Over the course of 7 weeks, we will be meeting virtually over zoom as well as taking in-person field trips to explore a variety of conservation related topics. This internship is designed to be fast-paced and engaging and is a great opportunity for those who are interested in a career in ecology, conservation, environmental science or any related field.

Applications must be submitted by the April 15th at 5pm in order to be considered. Applicants who submit their application early will be prioritized.

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Info meetings to learn more about this program will be held on both April 7th & 8that 4:15pm over zoom:

Topic: Teen Programs Info Meeting

Time: Apr 7 & 8, 2023 04:15 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2641518807

Meeting ID: 264 151 8807

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Who Is Eligible?

This internship is designed for teens from demographics that are underrepresented in STEAM fields. These groups include, but are not limited to: people of color, low-income families and those who identify as LGBTQ+. We do ask applicants to self-identify as a member of an underrepresented group and ask for a reference that can confirm this.

Internship Structure and Time Commitment

The internship is held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and is broken into weekly themes which correspond with Project Drawdown's 9 sectors that they have identified as areas that we as humanity can have some of the greatest impact on when it comes to halting and potentially even reversing some of the effects of climate change.

• Tuesdays (2pm-5pm) we will all get together on zoom to watch videos and get an introduction to the week's theme. Interns will then be asked to complete a brief reflection assignment to delve further into the sector we are focusing on for the week.
• Wednesdays (2pm-5pm) we will have an expert related to the weekly theme meet with our group over zoom to talk a bit about their specific work in that field and discuss the topic in more depth.
• Thursdays (variable times between 8am-6pm) we will take a field trip to an organization that relates to the weekly theme. This is a day of experiential learning about the topic and local organizations doing the work. Lunch is also provided for participants.

Interns will be asked to complete a capstone project throughout the 2nd half of the internship that puts into practice some of the concepts/solutions we will be discussing. This process will be guided by Oakland Zoo staff and interns will be expected to submit portions of their project at various points in time to show progress before giving a brief presentation and submitting their final report at the end of the internship. We anticipate the total time commitment for these projects will be around 20 hours in addition to the normal internship meetings.

A maximum stipend of $1,000 will be provided to participants given they adhere to the expectations laid out in the application. The end value of the stipend is dependent on attendance and completion of all assignments.

Transportation Requirements

• You must have a reliable internet connection that can be used for our virtual meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. If this would be the only thing preventing you from applying for the internship, reach out to us and we can try to help you work something out.
• You must be able to reach either the Oakland Zoo or the Lake Merritt BART station every Thursday to be picked up for our field trips. Again. if this would be the only think preventing you from applying, reach out to us and we can try to work something out.

Application Process

• Teens interested in becoming a teen conservation intern need to submit a completed 2023 Conservation Internship Application. Applications must be submitted by the April 15th deadline in order to be considered. Applicants who submit their applications early will be prioritized.

• After we receive your completed application, participants that pass the initial round of processing will be contacted via the email they provided on the application to schedule an interview.

Questions?

Please contact Nathaniel Landers at nlanders@oaklandzoo.org or by phone at (510) 632-9525 ext. 201.

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