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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Gis Analyst, Tyler Balthrop
Gis Analyst, Tyler Balthrop
College of the Environment Internship Reports
Actalent allowed me to work as a paid internship for Wiser Imagery Services as a GIS Analyst. As a GIS analyst day to day my job can be completely different every single day or it could be the exact same thing day after day. It just depends on the deadlines, the client we are working for and the task at hand. Often the contracts that Wiser receives are with the federal government. Many of the positions do require security clearances but not all. However, that is not to say that the information does not hold value to potential harmful actors.
Orange County Coastkeeper Environmental Communications Intern, Sofia Neros
Orange County Coastkeeper Environmental Communications Intern, Sofia Neros
College of the Environment Internship Reports
Throughout Winter and Spring quarters of 2023, I worked remotely as a communications intern for Orange County Coastkeeper. Orange County Coastkeeper is a nonprofit based out of Costa Mesa, California that centers around the Southern California ecosystem and educates the community about local conservation efforts via lessons and beach cleanups. I worked with a small team on a series of videos meant to educate the public on the Santa Ana River watershed. The main questions that went into the production of these videos are, what are the most important topics the public should know, and what is the best voice …
Low Income Housing Institute Researcher, Alexis Light
Low Income Housing Institute Researcher, Alexis Light
College of the Environment Internship Reports
For my internship this quarter, I decided to work with my current employer, LIHI, outside of my scheduled hours to research how to get solar panels installed at Gardenview Village. The idea of installing solar panels on the individual units was not originally mine, it was one that was floated around by some of the people living at the village. I thought it was a great idea, though, and was curious about what the process would be like to implement this idea.The main objective of this project was to research whether or not it is possible or practical to have …
Environmental Studies Peer Mentor, Mia Lumbley
Environmental Studies Peer Mentor, Mia Lumbley
College of the Environment Internship Reports
The activities that I did during my internship were done in three steps. The initial step was to collaborate with students, faculty and staff to identify the needs of students. Through research and outreach, we discovered that students want to develop their academic, social, and professional identities. The second step was finding mentees, which was done by creating posters, speaking in classes, and getting the word out to students. The third and final step was developing, planning, and attending events with assigned mentees. The activities done within the internship helped to achieve the mission of making students feel seen and …
Wwu Spring Block Assistant, Zoe Harper
Wwu Spring Block Assistant, Zoe Harper
College of the Environment Internship Reports
The best way that I can describe Spring Block is as a knowledge exchange, even that term barely does it justice. I’ve spent the past two quarters preparing for, and helping my peers prepare for a field school on John’s Island, W̱ ȾÁEMEṈ, in cooperation with both the Lummi and W̱ SÁNEĆ nations. In preparation students and faculty created a curriculum that included not only lessons, but risk management protocol, housing accommodations, schedules and food plans for each of the trips. The final product of these months of preparation was a four day experience that is almost beyond words,
Marine Science Education At The Community Boating Center, Sandy Rost
Marine Science Education At The Community Boating Center, Sandy Rost
College of the Environment Internship Reports
Though this has been incredible hands-on experience with education, I found myself starting to ask questions about the inner workings of our programming. I began to wonder how a tiny non-profit is able to reach so many people in our community and effectively at that. In the past two seasons, CBC
management has been making connections with local schools and began developing field trip programs. I found myself particularly interested in these relationships with schools.
College Of The Environment Strategic Visioning Committee, Brynn Vogel
College Of The Environment Strategic Visioning Committee, Brynn Vogel
College of the Environment Internship Reports
I hope to learn more about the inner workings of the university and contribute meaningful conversation and input regarding the future of the College of the Environment. I also hope to gain more professional experience by attending meetings with other faculty members and building professional connections for my future in the environmental field. I am passionate about this department and university and would love to be able to contribute as much as I can by communicating regularly with other faculty members.
Chuckanut Health Foundation Intern, Eukia Lemaster
Chuckanut Health Foundation Intern, Eukia Lemaster
College of the Environment Internship Reports
The Whatcom Racial Equity Commission (WREC) is a project started by Shu-Ling Zhao and Kristina Michele Martens in the wake of the George Floyd murder and police brutality. Their goal was to create a community-led commission that would address racial equity in Whatcom County. These two wonderful women were supported by the Chuckanut Health Foundation (CHF) and began work on this project in 2020. In 2021, Shu, Kristina, and Heather Flaherty (the Executive Director of CHF) gave a presentation in an Environmental Political Science class I was taking. They shared their vision for WREC and asked for anyone who was …
Whatcom Council Of Governments Planning Intern, Jay Zimmerman
Whatcom Council Of Governments Planning Intern, Jay Zimmerman
College of the Environment Internship Reports
Scenic byways are roadways that because of their intrinsic qualities (scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archeological, natural) are destinations in and of themselves. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has published guidelines outlining the requirements for comprehensive CMPs, and state agencies or local governments may use these in the application process for a roadway’s recognition as a National Scenic Byway. Original CMPs for both corridors were completed in 1997 (Mt. Baker Hwy.) and 2003 (Chuckanut Dr.) respectively. While earlier community outreach has indicated local opposition for application to national recognition, the previously mentioned local agencies sought an update to these regional plans …
Whatcom Million Trees Project Intern, Ainsley Shearer
Whatcom Million Trees Project Intern, Ainsley Shearer
College of the Environment Internship Reports
One of my learning objectives before I started theinternship was to learn how to work with a map makingteam to create visually stunning and comprehensive mapsof Bellingham's invasive species. Over the course of thequarter that is exactly what I did. I have made a staticmap of different work party sites that Whatcom MillionTrees Project have and will host within the City ofBellingham Parks. Along with a Story Map that presentsand displays that map in a more interactive way.
Confronting Consumption - Undergraduate Thesis, Tera Ziemer
Confronting Consumption - Undergraduate Thesis, Tera Ziemer
College of the Environment Internship Reports
This undergraduate thesis examines the factors driving personal consumption among students at Western Washington University and how their positioning within a larger community context influences thoughts, behaviors and feelings surrounding consumption. The research employs qualitative methods to tap into the subtleties and nuances of consumption as a personal act informed by one’s social context. Fifteen interviews were conducted with students at WWU in Spring 2023 to explore the relationship between values, action, and consumption patterns within the community. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: the Values Actions Gap, Conspicuous Sustainability, and Consuming Green to Consume Less.
Wwu Spring Block Ta, Anna Friederich
Wwu Spring Block Ta, Anna Friederich
College of the Environment Internship Reports
I think that I learned so much from being in this group, both at the western washington university level where I was with the faculty and the students and my fellow TA where I learned so much about natural history on different specific species as well as just generally wanting to come away with the knowledge around ways of being that students brought. As always, our indigenous partners are also a huge influence on me and the way that I exist in a space where they are hosting on the land but we are running the behind the scenes of …
Washington Conservation Corps Intern, Maczenzie Kelm
Washington Conservation Corps Intern, Maczenzie Kelm
College of the Environment Internship Reports
My work with the Washington Conservation Corp (WCC) was with a restoration crew sponsored by the Skagit River Systems Co-op. The organization does work in the Skagit river basin to restore salmon habitat. The focus of this work is on riparian areas, in the summer season which I had worked we primarily maintained sites where plantings had been done previously. This was done through brush cutting survival rings around young plants, as well as removing invasive species such as Himalayan blackberry and morning glory either through herbicide use or brush cutting. Hours worked with WCC were ten hours four days …
Undergraduate Thesis - From Plato To Policy: The Religious History Of Environmental Thought And Its Role In The Deepwater Horizon Disaster, Isaac Peterson
Undergraduate Thesis - From Plato To Policy: The Religious History Of Environmental Thought And Its Role In The Deepwater Horizon Disaster, Isaac Peterson
College of the Environment Internship Reports
I will begin by setting the scene of Deepwater Horizon and the events leading up to and following the blowout, providing critical context to understanding why this disaster happened. I will then give a brief summary of the history of deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in order to provide some of the historical context not apparent in the actual event itself. Next I will dive into the rich history of Greek and Roman environmental philosophy, describing crucial theories from Plato’s Republic as well as thoughts from his student Aristotle, Pythagoras, and the Stoics.
Fund For The Public Interest Intern, Isabella Alvarez
Fund For The Public Interest Intern, Isabella Alvarez
College of the Environment Internship Reports
When I accepted an internship with Fund For The Public Interest, my learning goals were simple: learn how a national nonprofit organization of such great size is managed, gain insight into how the organization’s funds are utilized, and learn more about each state’s environmental research and advocacy process. While I do feel I accomplished all of my learning goals in my position, I also learned various other priceless lessons through my experience with the Denver office, skills that I am confident would benefit any college student regardless of their desired field or career path after graduation.
Lead Native Plant Restoration Intern, Tegan Keyes
Lead Native Plant Restoration Intern, Tegan Keyes
College of the Environment Internship Reports
This Earth Day work party was the culmination of seven months of preparation, primarily b Wee LEAD (Learning, Environment, Action, Discovery) program but also involving other local restoration groups. As an intern at LEAD, I had been involved in most of the work, from hours at the worksite removing nonnative plants and some truly baffling trash (including several car parts, an old coffee maker, and a kayak paddle) to early morning meetings debating how many cubic yards of compost we needed to adequately amend the soil. I joined the LEAD team as one of four undergraduate interns hired in September, …
Washington Conservation Corps Crew Member, Peri Croan
Washington Conservation Corps Crew Member, Peri Croan
College of the Environment Internship Reports
No abstract provided.
Lead Web Development And Outreach Intern, Mate Pasztor
Lead Web Development And Outreach Intern, Mate Pasztor
College of the Environment Internship Reports
This year was a major transforma on for L.E.A.D. Prior to this year, according to co-director of L.E.A.D., Ava Stone, interns had few responsibili es. Interns would go to work par es every week but had almost nothing to do outside of that. This was likely a result of L.E.A.D.’s old format of going from site to site, and not inves ng in a space to improve and develop it. With shi ing to a project-based program, Ava Stone and Brandon McWilliams wanted specialized interns who would s ll par cipate in the work par es, but also fulfill specific …