WHAT WILL YOU DISCOVER?
Nature Coast Biological Station is partnering with federal and state agencies with UF students to work on research in the Nature Coast region this summer. The list below includes the intern and their partnered host affiliate, as well as the project title. To see more information on our previous Interns and their experiences, look at our blog.

NCBS INTERNSHIPS




Past Interns
Name | Supervisor | Host Department | Project Title | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Walker Marechal | Mike Allen and Caleb Purtlebaugh | NCBS & FWC | Fisheries-Independent Monitoring and Assessment Using Stratified-Random Sampling | |
Aliyah Formont | Timothy Jones, Trisha Green, and Kate Suchanee | BBSAP | Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve – Coastal Monitoring Internship | |
Grace Hejmanowski | Dr. Mark Clark and Travis Thomas | UF IFAS SWS & UF IFAS NCBS | Sturgeon and Terrapin Ecology in the Suwannee River | |
Megan Sanford | Marc C. Minno and Stephanie Armstrong | SRWMD | Water Quality Monitoring and Data Collection in the Suwannee River Water Management District | |
Kyle Williams | Dr. Charlie Martin |
| Estuarine Ecology | |
Jessie Moses | Savanna Barry |
| Marine and Coastal Science Communication | |
Aadil Rahman | Joyce Kleen and Monica Scroggin | FWS & CRNWR | Managing public use/communications and outreach for the Three Sisters Springs Unit of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge | |
Chloe Schwab | Dr. Mark Clark |
| Operation Spatfall: Investigating strategies for the restoration of oyster habitat along Florida’s Nature Coast | |
Kaitlyn Tucker | Dr. Laura Reynolds |
| Seagrass Ecology |
Name | Supervisor | Host Department | Project Title |
---|---|---|---|
Kassidy King | Dr. Carrie Adams | UF IFAS Hort | Loss of Cabbage Palms in Coastal Forests |
Chloe Spengler | Dr. Laura Reynolds | UF IFAS SWS | Seagrass Ecology |
Grace Hejmanowski | Dr. Mark Clark | UF IFAS SWS | Oyster Substrate to Improve Water Quality |
Emilee Stump | Dr. Julie Meyer | UF IFAS SWS | Bacteria associated with seagrass roosts/lucinid clams |
Chloe Arbogast | Dr. Marcus Lashley | UF IFAS WEC | Communicating Conservation |
Meredith Anderson | Dr. Jill Bourque | USGS | Mangrove Restoration |
Katie Everett | Dr. Charlie Martin | UF IFAS NCBS | Snook Expansion |
Samantha Mormile | Joyce Kleen and Monica Scroggin | FWS & CRNWR | Managing public use/communications and outreach at Three Sisters Springs |
Nicolle Montero | Andrew Gude | LSNWR | LSNWR Summer Forestry Assistant |
Ashlyn Posey | Dr. Meg Lamont | USGS | Sturgeon and Terrapin Ecology |
Erik Van Dyke | Caleb Purtlebaugh | FWC | FWC Fisheries Independent Monitoring – Marine Research |
Lisa DeFilips | Tim Jones | DEP | Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve - Coastal Monitoring Internship |
Annabel Schreiber | Dr. AJ Reisinger | UF IFAS SWS | Biogeochemical dynamics of stormwater ponds |
Alexender Janelle | Darlene Velez | SRWMD | Water Quality in Suwannee River Basin |
Name | Supervisor | Host Department | Project Title |
---|---|---|---|
Anthony Messina | Dr. Charlie Martin | UF IFAS NCBS | Estuarine Ecology |
William Ware | Tim Jones and Jamie Letendre | DEP | Seagrass Monitoring & Assessment - Big Bend Seagrass Aquatic Preserve |
Juliana Navarro | Darlene Velez | SRWMD | Water Quality and Springs Monitoring |
Eric Bovee | Dr. Mike Allen and Samara Nehemiah | UF IFAS NCBS | Spotted Seatrout Age and Growth |
Camila Leon | Robert McCleery | UF IFAS WEC | Finding the Cedar Key Salt March Vole |
Sarah Tevlin | Stephanie Verhulst and Carrie Adams | UF IFAS Horticulture | Sea-level rise mediated Phragmites australis invasion in Juncus roemerianus dominated saltmarsh of the Gulf of Mexico, FL |
Shea Husband | Caleb Purtlebaugh and Taj Knapp | FWC | Fisheries Independent Monitoring - Marine Research |
Samantha Hoskins | Peter Frederick | UF IFAS WEC | Oyster Research |
Jasmine Schwadron | Dr. Charlie Martin | UF IFAS NCBS | Estuarine Ecology |
Caroline Barnett | Peter Frederick and Leslie Sturmer | UF IFAS Shellfish | Shellfish Restoration and Extension |
Alexandra Reyes-Ramos | Joyce Kleen | USFWS | Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring |
Connor Milton | Joyce Kleen | USFWS | Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Manatee Monitoring |
Name | Supervisor | Host Department | Project Title |
---|---|---|---|
Samara Nehemiah | Dr. Mike Allen and Steve Geiger | UF IFAS NCBS | Bay Scallop Population and Recreational Fishery Monitoring |
Emma Jablonski | Dr. Mike Allen | UF IFAS NCBS | Nature Coast Biological Station Intern |
Rebecca Rash | Joyce Kleen | USFWS | CRNWR Manatee Monitoring |
Margaret Long | Joyce Kleen | USFWS | CRNWR Manatee Monitoring |
Vita Repina | Dr. Mark Clark | UF IFAS SWS | Investigating Strategies, Benefits and Stakeholder Preference of “Living Shorelines” to Stabilize and Ecologically Enhance the Coastline around Daughtry Bayou |
Cher Nicolson | Josh Patterson and Dr. Savanna Barry | UF IFAS NCBS | Centipede Bay Oyster and Marsh Habitat Enhancement Project |
Sawyer Downey | Dr. Charlie Martin | UF IFAS NCBS | Estuarine Ecology |
Brian Whalen | Dr. Mike Allen and Andrew Gude | UF IFAS NCBS | Improving Recreational Fishing Catch and Release Methods |
Tyler Fogt | Caleb Purtlebaugh, Johnny Polasik, & Taj Knapp | FWC | Fisheries Independent Monitoring - Marine Research |
Amy Oxton | Steve Geiger & Jennifer Granneman | FWC | Bay Scallop Population and Recreational Fishery Monitoring |
Victoria Steinnecker | Mark Hinz & Tom Mirti | SRWMD | Water Quality and Springs Monitoring |
Anna Swigris | Tim Jones and Jamie Lentendre | DEP | Seagrass Monitoring and Assessment-Big Bend Seagrass Aquatic Preserve |
JOIN THE UF/IFAS NCBS SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Application Details
The UF/IFAS NCBS summer internship program is intended to give undergraduate students at UF an opportunity for real-world, paid experience in research and/or extension activities. Selected students will work alongside practicing researchers and natural resource managers. These internships are for a 10-week duration during the summer (May to mid-August); however, schedules may vary depending on host/project need. Selected interns will be paid $15.00 per hour for up to 40 hours per week (i.e., 400 hours total). The hosts include UF/IFAS researchers as well as our state and federal agency partners. Interns will participate in an orientation meeting with NCBS staff and hosts, as well as a summer wrap-up event where interns will summarize their experiences with a short presentation. This is a great opportunity for students to enhance their skills and explore career options in natural resource fields. Application materials and host information for the program are found below. These internships are open to current UF undergraduates only. Applications are due: January 19th, 2024. Details and application instructions are found below. To see information on previous internship projects, including experiences from some of our previous interns, see our blog.
Application Resources
These internship application resources can help you with writing CV’s, cover letters, personal statements, and more!
Diversity & Inclusion
The UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station will be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive institution for the benefit of UF members, our partners, and the communities we serve. We strive to (1) develop and maintain faculty, staff, and students that value and include people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences, (2) promote equitable opportunities through the work we conduct, and (3) make continuous efforts to review, self-critique, adapt, and improve.
The success of the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station’s academic and research programs are sustained through genuine dialogue among faculty, staff, and students with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. We strive to create an open, inclusive, and equitable environment for all employees, partners, and volunteers.
IMPORTANT DATES
2024 Internships will be posted: December 7th, 2023
Applications Due: by midnight January 19th, 2024
Candidates will be notified: February 31, 2024
*Intern Orientation for Selected Candidates: April 26th, 2024
*Intern Wrap-Up Workshop: August 16th, 2024
*(In-Person, attendance required)
2023 Internships
*The 2024 internship positions will be posted below on December 7th, 2023*
Host: Department of Environmental Protection, Big Bend Aquatic Seagrass Preserve
Start Date: May 6th-Middle May
End Date: August 17th
Supervisors: Timothy Jones (BBSAP)
Responsibilities:Assist DEP staff with field work including but not limited to monthly water quality monitoring, annual seagrass monitoring and hardbottom monitoring.
Qualifications:
- Ability to swim (snorkel) comfortably in water up to 10 feet deep sometimes with limited visibility (snorkel gear NOT provided)
- Ability to work in extreme weather conditions (heat, rain, etc)
- Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
- Flexible work schedule
Other Information: Position is based in Crystal River, Florida with work range from Keaton Beach south to Homosassa, Florida.
Required equipment: mask, fins and snorkel
Suggested equipment: rain gear, hat, polarized sunglasses, UV protective clothing, field bag.
Host: FWC Fisheries Independent Monitoring
Start Date: May 6th
End Date: August 17th
Supervisor: Caleb Purtlebaugh – Research Administrator and Stephanie Winn – Intern Coordinator
Responsibilities: The intern will assist biologist in all aspects of FIM program with emphasis on conducting statistically valid research experiments and surveys in estuarine habitats to evaluate relative fish stock abundance, age composition, movement, growth, and condition of fish populations. This will primarily include field work deploying and retrieving gear, fish species identification, and data collection. The FIM program uses a multi-gear approach to collect data on various life history stages of fishes and selected invertebrates. Gears used to collect estuarine fishes include: 21.3-m center bag seine; 6.1-m otter trawl; and a 183-m haul seine. Data collection may require long field days and strenuous physical activities. Field work may be done under arduous conditions (e.g. inclement weather, rough seas, and shoreline wading). This position will require that large fish and sting rays be safely handled. Office work includes fish identification using microscopes and dichotomous keys, specimen work-up (otoliths, life history, diet, mercury samples) and data processing. Field and office work will be during weekdays.
Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license as well as an interest in marine fisheries and the ability to work in a team setting. Must be able lift up to 50lbs and work under adverse and strenuous conditions (e.g. inclement weather, rough seas, high temperatures, biting insects and shoreline wading). This position will require that large fish and sting rays be safely handled. The ability to work full time with long field days are required.
Other Information: Personal transportation to the Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab in Cedar Key will be required, but not for travel related to field work. We do provide field and safety gear. Housing is not provided.
Host: Joyce Palmer (USFWS/Crystal River NWR Complex)
Start Date: May 15th
End Date: August 14th
Supervisor: Joyce Palmer
Responsibilities: We seek an intern to work at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Primary duties will focus on a native habitat restoration project on Egmont Key NWR, including vegetation monitoring, bird surveys, and invasive plant control. Additional day-to-day tasks may include monthly bird surveys throughout the refuge complex, water quality monitoring, blue bird nest box monitoring, assisting with environmental education and interpretation, data entry, and assisting staff as needed. Intern will be required to participate in field-based activities in the outdoors in potentially arduous conditions such as extreme summer heat and humidity, biting insects, poisonous plants, venomous snakes, and inclement weather.
Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license as well as an interest in habitat restoration and native vegetation. Job responsibilities may include: overnight travel, weekend work, and some moderate-heavily lifting. Basic computer skills and ability to work full time with long field days are required. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work independently and as part of a team are necessary.
Other Information: Relevant coursework in ecology/ biology and previous experience with small watercraft or paddle craft is preferred, but not required. Housing is available and the use of a government vehicle while performing official duties.
Host: SRWMD
Start Date: May 6th
End Date: August 17th
Supervisor: Stephanie Armstrong, Environmental Scientist IV and Katie McBride, Environmental Scientist II
Responsibilities: This is a scientific research internship involving the collection and review of water quality and quantity data, and assistance with water resources projects. The selected candidate will work alongside District staff and receive hands-on experience calibrating and maintaining water quality equipment, collecting water quality and flow measurements, post-processing data, reviewing and quality control of data, and using ArcGIS to inventory physical features and visually display data in a meaningful way. Work entails using water quality instruments and flow meters to assess water resources within the District’s monitoring network.
Upon arrival, staff will work with the intern to assess professional interests and choose from several potential projects to find a best fit for intern’s deliverables.
Qualifications: Candidates must have a strong interest in environmental science. Basic computer skills are required. Knowledge of GIS and analytical and statistical methods are preferred. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are necessary.
Other Information: This position is located at the SRWMD office in Live Oak, Florida. Field appropriate clothing that can get wet and dirty is required, and rubber boots are very beneficial. No specific equipment is needed.
Host: UF/IFAS NCBS
Start Date: May 6th
End Date: August 14th
Supervisor: Dr. Mike Allen – Professor/Director
Responsibilities: We seek an intern to assist on various projects regarding coastal ecology and nearshore ecosystems at the Nature Coast Biological Station. Potential projects and responsibilities will vary but include: field sampling of fishes, invertebrates, and turtles; Measuring/studying of environmental parameters and habitats such as seagrass, oyster, and mangroves; laboratory experiments; and other day-to-day tasks such as sample processing, data entry, and assisting other staff as needed. The selected intern will work with a variety of lab personnel including faculty and graduate students. Field work will be performed on small boats and interns will be required to participate heavily in field-based activities which are often characterized by long hours outdoors and potentially arduous conditions such as extreme heat in the Florida summer, biting insects, and inclement weather.
Qualifications: Job responsibilities will include possible night and weekend work and some moderate-heavily lifting. Basic computer skills and ability to work full time with long field days are required. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are necessary. Preferred applicants will have some experience with identification of invertebrates and fishes of Florida’s Big Bend or previous experience using dichotomous keys. Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology and previous experience with small watercraft is preferred, but not required.
Other Information: This position is located in Cedar Key at the UF/IFAS NCBS facility. The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license as well as an interest in marine community ecology and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Carpooling opportunities might be available.