Aquatic and Marine Research Opportunity

TLDR: Aquatic & Marine Research Opportunity
Interested in aquatic or marine systems and want hands-on research experience? Dr. Mike Henson’s Aquatic Microbiology Lab is seeking ENVS students for Spring and Summer positions. Projects focus on microbial responses to environmental change in systems like Florida Bay, the Caribbean, and the Mississippi River. Approximately 4 to 6 hours per week. Options for academic credit or paid work (depending on available funding). To learn more or express interest, email Dr. Henson with your year, availability, and a brief note about why you would like to join the lab.

 

Full message:

If you are interested in aquatic or marine environments and want hands-on research experience, there is a great opportunity to work with Dr. Mike Henson in his Aquatic Microbiology Lab. His work was recently featured in NIU Today for NSF-funded coral reef research, and he is currently welcoming ENVS students for Spring and Summer positions.

The Aquatic Microbiology Lab studies how microscopic organisms respond to environmental change in both freshwater and marine systems. Current projects include topics such as:

• How microbial communities in Florida Bay respond to heatwaves and implications for water quality and carbon cycling
• The pathogen driving sea urchin die-offs in the Caribbean and how the pathogen survives and spreads
• How microbial communities change along the Mississippi River from its headwaters to the Gulf and what that reveals about nutrient and carbon movement

Dr. Henson is most interested in students who:

• Are genuinely curious about aquatic or marine systems and environmental change
• Want to learn and build skills through regular, hands-on lab work
• May be ENVS majors or minors who are not pursuing a BIOS major but still want strong research experience

There are no strict course prerequisites. Having some lab experience and courses like BIOS 208+210, BIOS 209+211, or BIOS 313 is helpful, but motivated early-career students (first or second year) are also encouraged to reach out.

You will have the opportunity to learn:

• Core skills in environmental microbiology and microbial ecology
• Lab skills such as aseptic technique, microbial physiology, and molecular methods
• Use of instruments such as PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, and flow cytometry
• Data handling and basic analysis related to water quality and ecosystem health

Time and compensation

• Time commitment: approximately 4 to 6 hours per week, typically over 2 to 3 days
• Options for either academic credit or paid hourly work, depending on available funding

To be considered, email Dr. Henson (mhenson@niu.edu) with:

• A short introduction, including your year and major
• Your general availability for the upcoming semester or summer
• A brief statement on why you are interested in working in the Aquatic Microbiology Lab
• Email subject line “Interest in Aquatic Microbiology Lab Research”

If you have questions about how this experience could fit into your ENVS degree plan or potential credit options, feel free to reach out to Melissa at mburlingame@niu.edu. 

USVI_UVIcampusMarine —> View from the University of the Virgin Islands Marine Center (https://www.uvi.edu/research/center-for-marine-environmental-studies/index.html)

UVI_fieldteam —> The UVI field team (pictured Co-Pi Dr. Marilyn Brandt and Field Researcher Moriah Sevier) placing tags on coral in Brewers Bay (St. Thomas, USVI)

DiademaA_USVI —> photo of Diadema antillarum in Brewers Bay (St. Thomas, USVI)

CoelomicFluid_sampling2—> photo of me (Co-Pi Henson) sampling coelomic fluid from sea urchins

September_USVI_fieldteam —> photo of the collective field in during the September Field Campaign.

Georgetown’s EMAP M.S. opportunity with your graduating seniors

 

UEILC ListServ: JHU REU Program in Energy: Opportunity for your Undergraduates

 

HSCI 217 - Introduction to Health Careers; Hybrid Tues 11-12:15

 

REU At Smithsonian

 

Summer research position

Interested candidates should send a brief e-mail to Pete Guiden (pguiden@hamilton.edu)

VEG Meeting Announcement

 

Udall Scholarship

 The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is a scholarship up to $7,000 awarded to up to 50 undergraduate sophomores and juniors pursuing careers related to the environment, Tribal Public Policy, or Native Health Care. Udall Scholars attend the Udall Scholar Orientation in August in Tucson, AZ to meet alumni and community leaders for exceptional networking opportunities and gain lifetime membership in a growing and active alumni network.

 

To be considered as an applicant from NIU, please apply here: https://niu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6zAjXxT05tVPars by 12/1/25.

 

Summer 2026 Internship Opportunities at Argonne National Laboratory

Quinn Matula here, from Argonne. I am excited to share that our Environment, Safety, and Health (ESH) Directorate is offering internship opportunities for Summer 2026. We are looking for applicants for the following groups: (see attached flyers)

 

• Deployed Safety Services
• Environmental Protection Program
• Industrial Hygiene
• Occupational Safety
• Radiological Protection Program (Health Physics and Radiochemistry)
• Safety Information Systems Training

 

Applications will open in the coming months. In the meantime, interested students may email their resume to: eshinternship@anl.gov. If you have any questions or would like any members of Argonne’s ESH directorate to speak to your students about these internship opportunities, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Campus sustainability is hiring 2 student interns for Spring 2026

 Campus Sustainability Atlas Zero Waste Student Internship

Employer: NIU Campus Sustainability

Location: Hybrid (remote work with occasional on-campus meetings)

Hours: 5-10 hours/week

Rate: $15/hour

Term: Spring 2026 semester (option to continue through Summer and Fall 2026)

About the Program:

Through a partnership with the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN), NIU is participating in Atlas 

Stage 3: Action Planning—a program that helps campuses develop comprehensive Zero Waste 

Action Plans (ZWAPs). Interns employed by NIU Campus Sustainability will collaborate with 

PLAN staff to advance waste-reduction initiatives across campus. Learn more about the 

program at postlandfill.org/atlas-stage-3.

Position Overview:

As an Atlas Stage 3 Intern, you will work with NIU Campus Sustainability and PLAN staff to:

• Facilitate meetings with campus stakeholders (e.g. facilities, dining, student 

organizations) to identify and advance zero-waste opportunities.

• Conduct research on waste-reduction best practices and benchmark NIU’s progress 

against peer institutions.

• Help develop project proposals and ROI analyses for infrastructure, operations, and 

engagement initiatives.

• Contribute to drafting NIU’s Zero Waste Action Plan and preparing presentations for 

campus leadership.

Qualifications:

• Current NIU undergraduate or graduate student (Spring 2026).

• Strong research, writing, and organizational skills.

• Interest in sustainability, waste management, or campus operations.

• Ability to work independently and manage a flexible 5–10 hours/week schedule.

• Experience with data analysis, campus projects, or student leadership preferred.

How to Apply:

Submit a resume and brief cover letter to Dr. Courtney Gallaher at cgallaher@niu.edu by

12/1/25.

Open to all majors: SEAS 225 - Crossroads of Southeast Asia

 

Free Online Sustainability Conference

 CUSPERS (Community of University Students for Policy advocacy, Education and Research on Sustainability), known as cuspers.org, is an organization that helps post-secondary student leaders launch sustainability campaigns, connect with others across schools, and build networks. 

On Saturday, Nov 29, cuspers.org is holding the Cuspers Conference: a free online student-focused sustainability conference to connect like-minded students and spread sustainable practices. Our goal is to facilitate networking – bringing together students involved in similar projects and fostering cross-school collaborations. There will be presentations by current and former students involved in sustainability campaigns, and many opportunities for discussion. 

You don’t need to have worked on a project to attend! Registration is open to all students with a passion for sustainability. You can register for the conference here: https://form.typeform.com/to/ccoPTf7L.

If you're unable to attend but would like to learn more about cuspers.org and how you can get involved, we invite you to become a member by filling out this short survey: https://form.typeform.com/to/K3CfMQBL. You can also follow us on Instagram @cuspers_ for more updates! 

Feel free to contact Alexandra at alexandra@cuspers.org for more information. We hope to see you there!

Earth Fest discussion with DeCarbon DeKalb

 Tuesday, Nov 11 @ 6:30 PM; DeKalb Public Library, Yusunas Room

Free snacks + free admission

Climate Hope: Power of Local Communities brings together members of the Earth Fest Executive Planning Team (a.k.a. your neighbors working in sustainability every day) for a hopeful, practical conversation about what we can actually do here in Northern Illinois.

We’ll talk about:
- The mental health benefits of taking climate action
- Why local communities can move faster than national politics
- How to weed through the noise and find what’s next

Because even when climate policy wobbles, our communities can still build a hopeful future — together.

RSVP here!

— The DeCarbon DeKalb Team
Real Talk. Real Neighbors. Real Change.

WoSTEM Lecture Nov. 12: Dr. Yamuna Krishnan

 The Women in STEM Lecture Series is excited to host Dr. Yamuna Krishnan for our next event on Wednesday, November 12, from 12:30-1:30 PM in the Founders Memorial Library Staff Lounge which is on the ground floor next to Einstein's Bagels.    

Professor Krishnan is currently the Louis Block Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago.  Her research intersects Chemistry, Biophysics, and Chemical Biology; and her talk is titled “Next-gen targeting has organelle-level specificity”. 

As always, Women in STEM events are open to everyone and are intended as a forum to provide inspiration and connection for all people working in fields where women are often underrepresented. 

RSVP here is optional but is encouraged.   

Students attending can get Honors Engaged credit for this event.   

As always, lunch will be served.   

Still accepting applications for our winter-break field course in the Caribbean!!!🌍🌴🐠

 

WINTER-BREAK, 3-CREDIT, FIELD COURSE ALONG THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF MEXICO! with Ecosystem Field Studies   www.ecofs.org Caribbean Ecosystem Field Studies   December 28, 2025 - January 17, 2026 ·  Earn 3 undergraduate college transfer credits in this exciting 3-week, hands-on, marine field study course. ·  Learn practical scientific skills & field research methods through snorkeling, SCUBA diving & investigating the coral reef, beaches & spectacular coastal ecosystems of the Caribbean. ·  Engage & connect with a dynamic & diverse group of student peers from throughout the US and beyond. Get out in nature by the ocean, breath fresh air, earn credit, and enjoy a safe and inspiring field science course in the Caribbean Coral Reef Open to students from all universities & majors | Accredited by the University of Montana at Missoula, Environmental Studies Program: ENST 391- for 3 undergraduate semester transfer credits Direct questions to Professor Steve Johnson, EcoFS Director at steve@ecofs.org Visit www.ecofs.org for all info! Click on link below for a pdf format announcement or the image below for a jpg format announcement.  Thank-you!   Caribbean Ecosystem Field Studies Announcement (pdf)

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