1. How to Find a Summer Opportunity in the Environmental Sciences
Organized by Becky Ostertag-UHH Biology,
PIPES/PACRC, EPSCoR, LSAMP, Keaholoa, and UHH MOP
Funded by an NSF Ecosystem Studies Grant (Grant # )

2. Overview Types of opportunities for undergraduates
Why should I get experience outside of school?
Where to look for opportunities
Application process
Search and identify
Building a resume
Additional documents
The interview
Questions

3. Job Outlook Understand natural world and impact
Determine environmental impacts
Develop management plans for restoration and avoidance
Educate and train general public
Develop/manage sustainable communities
Job opportunities are growing!
Private companies
Non-government organizations
State and Federal agencies
Universities

4. Why Get Experience?? Environmental Sciences  wide field
Narrow interests
Hands on experience!
Reinforce classroom learning
Techniques, research design, etc.
Learn specific skills
What professionals do
Establish contacts for future: job offers, letters of recommendation, Networking!!!
Graduate school
Future jobs – experience stands out

5. How To Gain Experience During school: Summer:
Work for a professor (lab/research assistant, directed research, etc.)
Summer:
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Field Stations
Part-time/seasonal work
Internships
Volunteer programs
Work-study ~ Federal natural resource agencies

6. Finding Careers in Environmental Sciences
Internet searches
General search engines
State specific
Agency specific
Project specific
Ask a professional
College professors, career center
Join a professional society
Meetings, publications, discussions, job availability

7. The Application Process
Search and Identify
Build your Resume
Additional Documents
Interview Process

8. Step One: Search and Identify
Internet / career center search
Narrow down fields of interest
Location
Volunteer, internship, credit
Research of interest
Be aware of deadlines!!
Read details
Housing? Airfare? Stipend? Accessibility?

9. Step Two: Your Resume Determine objective
State desired job
Skills and necessary experience
Structure content around objective modify central resume accordingly
Cover letter / personal statement
State the facts: brief and to-the-point
Purpose: meet or exceed job requirements and demonstrate interest
Written communication skills
Sell yourself and impress!

10. Step Two: Your Resume Marketing tool  obtain interview
Put yourself in the readers’ shoes:
What would you look for?
Clear and concise!
Bullet points – key phrases
Short sentences
Details during interview
Format
10-12pt. Font
1-2 pages
Spell check
Revise, revise, revise
3rd party critique

11. Step Two: Your Resume Tips:
Action words (prepared, managed, developed, etc.)
Use %’s, $’s and #’s
Highlight your strengths!
Match needs of hiring company – keywords
Outside opinion (friend, professor/advisor, critique service)
Be positive!

12. Step Three: Additional Documents
References
Professor, advisor, employer
Letters of recommendation
Start early!
College transcripts / supporting documents
Be complete

13. Step Four: The Interview
Preparation
Personal
Industry – ask questions
First Impression
Enthusiasm
Be prompt
The Interview
Positive attitude, excitement, confidence
Be specific
What interests you, what you want to do
More specific  find what’s right for YOU
Personal: “tell me about yourself.” goals, skills/qualifications relative to job
Industry: find out about company, position, etc.

14. Summer is Approaching…
Interested? Get started!
Deadlines: February-April
Letters of recommendation
Handout, career center, professors
Work on resume
Submit several applications

15. Questions?

16. PIPES: Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science
REU: Research Experience for Undergraduates
UH-HIP: University of Hawaii Hawaiian Internship Program
MASSIP: Micronesian and America Samoan Student Internship Program

17. Previous Interns Tina Fillmed Noelani Puniwai Francis Quitazol
2001 MASSIP Internship, Yap EPA
Now Director of Yap EPA
Noelani Puniwai
Na Pua Noeau in middle and high school and UH-HIP in 1997
Student researcher on coral reef and stream projects
Currently working for Hawaii Biodiversity Mapping Program and starting Ph.D. at UHM
Francis Quitazol
UH-HIP in 1997 – USDA FS – invasive weeds
1998 – Forest Technician, USDA FS California and Utah
2000 – Haleakala National Park – various positions
2004 – The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii – Natural Resource Assistant
2006 – TNC of Hawaii Natural Resources Manager, Maui