Last modified: Monday, February 13, 2012
Applications for Summer Internship Program in Sustainability due Friday, Feb. 17
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 13, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Continuing a tradition of student engagement in sustainability-related program development and research, the Indiana University Office of Sustainability is now accepting applications for its sixth Summer Internship Program in Sustainability.
The IU Office of Sustainability addresses issues of environmental, economic and social sustainability in campus operations, academic programs and university-community relations. The student interns, selected from both undergraduate and graduate student applicants, will work on a broad array of issues related to sustainability, under the mentorship of IU faculty and staff.
"Sustainability interns, in collaboration with their faculty and staff mentors, have demonstrated repeatedly that a good idea well implemented can significantly improve campus sustainability while also reducing waste and costs," said Bill Brown, director of the Office of Sustainability. "The Energy Challenge, for example, has saved the university over a million dollars in avoided energy and water costs since 2007, while also providing important learning opportunities for students, faculty and staff. "
A volunteer weighs trash during a recent campus waste audit, a sustainability internship project at IU Bloomington.
Since its inception in 2007, the Internship Program in Sustainability has strived to promote experiential learning as an integral part of the campus sustainability initiative. Some student interns will continue work on current projects, such as the Green Teams program and greening athletics, while others will explore topics that have not been undertaken for several years, such as sustainable procurement and LEED documentation.
In addition to focusing 20 hours per week on these projects, the interns will be enrolled in a one-credit course designed to provide them a comprehensive background in sustainability, make connections between their internships and increase opportunities to collaborate.
"During the summer program, the 20-hour work week and more intensive seminar course help create a very unique sense of community among the interns, one which fosters communication and collaboration," said Emilie Rex, assistant director of the Office of Sustainability. "It's a rich environment for tackling complex, sustainability-related issues that know few boundaries. The students get very energized when they realize internship focus areas like waste management, water and energy conservation, and local food procurement are interconnected and are best approached through creative partnerships."
IUOS is now accepting applications for 14 new internships for the 2012 Summer Internship Program in Sustainability. Six of these interns will work IUOS-based projects. The other eight will work collaboratively with IUOS and the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board on projects designed to meet the strategic goals of the office's seven working groups.
Internships mentored through the Office of Sustainability:
- Athletics
- Green Events
- Green Purchasing
- Green Teams
- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Tracking and Documentation
- Sustainability and the First Year Experience
Internships mentored through the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board Working Groups:
- Academic Initiatives: Sustainability Academic Programs and Research Clearinghouse
- Energy and Built Environment: Utilities Conservation
- Energy and Built Environment: Qualified Energy Savings Project
- Environmental Quality and Land Use: Dunn's Woods Restoration Project
- Food: Big Red Eats Green
- Sustainable Computing: Document and Paper Management
- Sustainable Computing: Measurement Analysis
- Transportation: Bicycle Friendly Campus Initiatives
More information about the program and how to apply is available online. A PDF file containing descriptions for each internship position is available for download. IUOS will accept applications and recommendations until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17. Applications may be submitted online. Questions regarding internships or the application process may also be directed to Emilie Rex at ekrex@indiana.edu.
The Sustainability Internship Program is sponsored by the IU Office of Sustainability. General information about the IU Bloomington Sustainability Program can be found at www.indiana.edu/~sustain. Information on past internship projects is also available on the Web.
