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Home / Academics / Academic Majors / Marine and Environmental Sciences / Marine and Environmental Sciences Internships

Internships

Marine and Environmental Sciences

As students progress in the Marine and Environmental Sciences major, they discover an exceptional interest in a particular field of science and desire to extend their learning through an internship or capstone research with an experienced faculty member. MES interns spend six weeks during their 1/c (senior) summer working with practicing professionals applying the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired during their course of study.

Impact today – several opportunities exist to work directly with operational Coast Guard units.

Future impact – what you study today will inform how the Coast Guard and maritime entities operate in the future!

Internship Opportunities

Description: International program centers on scientific exploration of the seafloor launched from aboard Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, a 64-meter research vessel. In addition to conducting scientific research, the Nautilus Exploration Program offers its expeditions to explorers on shore via live video, audio, and data feeds from the ship. It trains students studying ocean science, engineering and video/film at-sea working aboard E/V Nautilus as Data Loggers, ROV Pilots, or Video Engineers. The intern will gain underway experience standing two 4-hour watches per day. The intern will work with a Nautilus Science liaison and Navigator aboard Nautilus prior to departure for internship.

Location: Variable

Description: The intern will have the opportunity to gain in-depth exposure to selected mission of the National Strike Force. After selecting an area of concentration, such as oil spill, hazardous materials, or radiological/weapons of mass destruction response, the intern will focus on the equipment, protocols, and skills necessary to achieve mission success in that area. The intern will be given the opportunity to lead team briefs, conduct research to support response scenarios, and participate in physically demanding exercises.

Location: Fort Dix, New Jersey

Description: The intern will work with program coordinators at NGA on a variety of projects. NGA is “a unique combination of intelligence agency and combat-support agency, delivering world-class geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) that provides a decisive advantage to policy-makers, war fighters, intelligence professionals and first responders (www.nga.mil).”

Location: Springfield, VA, or St. Louis, MO, depending on pre-arranged project focus

Description: Intern will participate in a leadership program that focuses on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction with an emphasis on Coast Guard missions. In addition, intern will help run the Marine Science Camp for middle and high school students in Gugeegue, Marshall Islands. The aim is to introduce cadets, along with other students from University of Hawaii and cadets from other service academies to the impacts of climate change in the Pacific Islands.

Location: Honolulu, HI & Ebeye, Marshall Island

Description: Intern will gain experience in a marine research environment to include shipboard and submersible operations. Interns will be working with students and faculty with areas of study in: aquaculture, biomedical marine research, marine biology, marine mammal research, marine natural product chemistry, marine microbiology, ocean engineering, ocean technology, and oceanography. One additional week possible during spring break for required orientation.

Location: Harbor Branch, FL

Description: The intern would serve as a member of the scientific research team aboard the sailing school vessel Robert C. Seamans on one of two research legs in the central Pacific.  Duties would include deploying oceanographic equipment, analyzing data, and assisting undergraduate students with research shipboard skills.  The cadet has the opportunity to receive deck watch officer mentorship from a licensed merchant mariner as well, if time and interest allow.

Website: https://www.sea.edu/

Location: Aboard the vessel Robert C. Seamans sailing either in the Main Hawaiian Islands or on a cruise from Honolulu to Pago Pago American Samoa.

Description: The intern will gain experience at the Office of Emergency Management & Disaster Response by learning about how the Coast Guard responds to disasters, exploring case studies, participating in a hurricane exercise, and exploring the relationship between CG Command Center and Emergency Management. 

Recent Internships

Other affiliated organizations that provide internship opportunities include:

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Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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