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Current ALP Projects

Thank you for your interest in the Active Learning Program!

Here are our internship and research opportunities for the Summer C and/or Fall semesters 2024.

As you browse our upcoming opportunities, remember that the ALP is both an internship-research program and a 4000-level 3-credit professional development course. Our Summer C course runs remotely and our Fall course meets in-person. UF Online and Innovation Academy students are invited to participate in our Summer C program, but not the Fall program. If you accept an internship position, you can expect 5 hours of internship/research work a week and 2 hours of coursework a week. If you are offered a position, you will be offered to join either a Summer C or Fall team, depending on your application selection and the availability of projects. Students can only participate in the ALP for one semester.

Through our rigorous program, you will:

  1. Earn valuable, mentored internship/research experience and knowledge in your career field;
  2. Develop your identity as a competent early career professional while constructing a cohesive personal-professional brand that connects your mission, values, and strengths with your career path;
  3. Build your collaboration, communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skillsets’
  4. Create professional deliverables that you can use both in your internship/research experience and as an early career professional.

Upon accepting an internship, our administrator will enroll you in the ALP (IDS 4940) course; students cannot enroll themselves in the course on One.UF.

Our Summer C course section meets remotely, so all summer students will be in the same remote section. Although the course is asynchronous remote, internship and research projects may operate in-person, remotely, or both in-person and remotely—be sure to check the projects’ format before applying.

Our Fall course meets in-person. There are three possible course sections, with each internship assigned a section so that all interns can collaborate in-class and on Canvas. We will meet for class every other week on the day listed with two class periods, and students can use the remaining class time for meetings with their internship team. You must have all the 3 class periods associated with an internship open in your ONE.UF class schedule to join the ALP. Internships and research projects may operate in-person, remotely, or both in-person and remotely—be sure to check the projects’ format before applying.

Our course sections for Fall are:

  • Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)
  • Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)
  • Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

 

As you browse our available opportunities, be sure to look at:

  • Semester & Course Meeting Times:
    • Availability in Summer Only, Fall Only, or Both Summer & Fall
    • Fall Projects will be assigned a course meeting time.
  • Internship Format: In-Person, Online, or Both
    • For In-Person, Location
  • Other: Instructions, Preferences, or Requirements for Internship
  • Categories: Key words describing the work and thematic topics of each opportunity.

Biology & Chemistry, Black Culture, Business, Community & Civic, Computer Science, Engagement, Entomology, Event Planning, Economics & Finance, Education, Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Gender & Women’s Studies, Hands-On Internship, Health & Medical, History, Humanities & the Arts, International, Marketing & Communication, Non-Profit Experience, Nutrition & Food, Politics, Pre-Law, Psychology, Religion, Research, Sociology, Statistics, STEM, Sustainability, Web Design & Programming, Writing & English

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled—some positions fill very quickly. Applying earlier increases your chances of being offered an internship/research position, as more positions will be available.

You can apply here: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1IhUfDPpXUdJVQO

 

  1. Human Systems Interactions in Health Information Technology (Summer & Fall)

Our lab investigates human-systems interactions in health information technology with a particular focus on clinical decision making, decision support, and patient/caregiver facing health information technology. We work in a range of clinical areas including pediatrics and emergency medicine, as well as collaborating with colleagues in surgery and medicine. We are currently investigating how to tailor patient/caregiver facing technologies in pediatric primary care. Interns can assist on projects including the development of patient facing tools to address anxiety and depression, and caregiver facing technologies to support management of childhood overweight/obesity. Our work takes a mixed methods approach where interns can gain experience in qualitative interviews; observations; EHR data analysis; surveys; and biometrics, including eye-tracking, which we use as a measure of attention and cognitive load. Additionally, students may assist with review papers to summarize pertinent literature related to ongoing research in the lab. Thank you for considering joining our research.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall 2024: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Remote and In-Person on Campus

Categories: Health & Medical, Computer Science, Engineering, STEM, Research

 

  1. Spreading Awareness of Chagas Disease – Voices of Chagas (Summer & Fall)

Chagas is a deadly disease rapidly increasing in Alachua County and throughout Florida. It is our mission to educate and offer guidance on proper health care for Chagas diagnosis and treatment. Interns will have an opportunity to use their talents to increase awareness of and access to Chagas information. Interns will have opportunities to conduct field research, lead community outreach events where they prepare informational materials and engage in conversation, translate our message to other populations in many languages, attend meetings, health clinics, and lectures physically and/or online, plan events, monitor and evaluate data collected, design surveys, make presentations at community events/meetings, manage social media sites, and actively inform the public and health care providers of the most recent discoveries and services available to those in need. We look forward to you joining our team and supporting healthy Florida communities!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall 2024: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Remote & In-Person: Transportation can be provided for off campus work in Alachua and Levy County.

Other: Spanish-Speaking Preferred for Translation Tasks

Categories: Health & Medical, Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Education, Statistics, Biology & Chemistry, Event Planning, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Aedes Aegypti Population Dynamic and Age Structure in Pleasant Street Historical District, Gainesville, Florida (Summer & Fall)

Our lab works on mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases; our goal is to better understand mosquito population so that we can make recommendations for targeted vector control and reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases! Our project aims to understand Aedes aegypti population dynamic and age structure in the Pleasant Street Historical District, Gainesville, Florida. Aedes aegypti is the main vector of several diseases that affect humans including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. This mosquito is an invasive species that originates from Africa and that has now spread throughout most of the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Aedes albopictus originates from Southeast Asia and has spread through temperate regions of the world in addition to subtropical and tropical regions. Following the arrival of Aedes albopictus in Florida, Aedes aegypti was displaced by Aedes albopictus. Recently, Aedes aegypti has reemerged from areas where it was once displaced by Aedes albopictus. One of these areas is Gainesville and in 2019 Aedes aegypti was detected after 26 years of absence. Our lab recently tested the efficacy of the In2Care mosquito trap in reducing Aedes aegypti.

While our mosquito control intervention using the In2Care mosquito trap did not result in a reduction in adult or immature abundance, we still want to 1) investigate if the intervention changed the age structure of the mosquito population in the In2Care treatment zone Vs the Control zone and 2) monitor the abundance of Aedes aegypti in relation to other mosquito species especially Aedes albopictus to evaluate if through time Aedes albopictus will once again displace Aedes aegypti. Interns will meet in the laboratory located in Steinmetz Hall room 3221 or directly in the field in Pleasant Street to conduct mosquito surveillance. Interns will meet in the laboratory located in Steinmetz Hall room 3221to learn how to recognize parous and nulliparous females and to dissect mosquito to assess their parity status. During this internship, you will learn about mosquito biology and ecology, but also about scientific rigor and lab-based research, which is an important experience if you are considering a career in public health as an epidemiologist or as a medical doctor. We hope you’ll apply to our project!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall 2024: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: In-Person on Campus and in Gainesville

Other: Interns will need to transport themselves to health sites and clinics. Students will need to transport themselves to mosquito select sites within Gainesville. Students must be available for morning data collection.

Categories: Entomology, Environmental Sciences, Biology & Chemistry, Health & Medical ,STEM, Research

 

  1. African & African American Presence in Alachua County Research (Summer & Fall)

The “African and African American Presence in Alachua County” research project is sponsored by the Alachua County African & African American Historical Society, Inc., a nonprofit, community-based organization in the City of Gainesville. The goal of the project is to research and document the African and Black Presence in Alachua County and Florida History. Specific objectives include: (1) Documentation of African & Black History Makers in Alachua County and Florica, (2) Documentation and analysis of the contributions of Africans and peoples of African descent to the history of Alachua County and Florida, and (3) Preparation of historical materials for the Observance of Alachua County Bicentennial in December 2024.

We will create a digital collection of Black History Makers in Alachua County. Interns with our project will conduct academic literature reviews, investigate the Black History makers in Alachua County, create annotated bibliographies of published materials on the Black Experience, collect Oral History research data in collaboration with UF African American Studies Program and the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP), and create the digital collection. Interns will be mentored by a distinguished academic historian and network with professional role models. Interns will also have ample opportunities to enhance their career trajectories by developing and improving communication skills, especially writing skills; and learning best practices in historiography and historical preservation.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Interns will work both in-person and remotely. The internship duties are all on campus or can be done remotely.

Categories: Black Culture, Community & Civic Engagement, History, Humanities & the Arts, Marking & Communication, Pre-Law, Politics, Sociology, Computer Science, Writing & English, Research

 

  1. ARTSPEAKS Internship (Summer Only)

ARTSPEAKS is North Central Florida’s premier poetry organization, dedicated to promoting literacy in youths and adults through the art of Poetry Spoken-Word Storytelling and Creative Expression. It promotes healthy communities at the intersection of ARTSPEAKS is North Central Florida’s premier poetry organization, dedicated to promoting literacy in youths and adults through the art of Poetry Spoken-Word Storytelling and Creative Expression. It promotes healthy communities at the intersection of Creative Expression and Mental Health. Interns will have the opportunity to assist in planning, creating, producing, and organizing amazing community arts projects and events centered around text, imagery, and creative expression. ALP Interns will assist in the production of:

  • 12th annual ARTSPEAKS: Bringing Poetry & People Together, co-sponsored by the city of Gainesville
  • 3rd Annual Bard & Broadside: North Central Florida Poetry Festival, a four-day event supported by an eclectic collaboration of diverse community partners including the Alachua County Library District, the University of Florida, Alachua County BoCC, the City of Gainesville, Alachua County Public Schools, and Community Members.

Additionally, interns will initiate a special text and image community project recognizing the bicentennial founding of Alachua County by collaborating with poets, creative writers, and literacy arts organizations on text and image collection. ALP Interns will assist with collecting archival photos along with community members and area museums such as the Matheson History Museum of Alachua County, UF Smathers Library, and UF Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous

Format: Remotely

Categories: Humanities & the Arts, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Event Planning, Writing & English, History, Marketing & Communications, Non-Profit Experience,  Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Bailey Learning and Arts Collective Community Outreach and Education (BLAAC2BASICS) (Summer & Fall)

The Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, Inc. (BLAAC2Basics) builds knowledgeable, self-sustainable, socially responsible communities and leaders utilizing a grassroots ideology through community education and partnerships, social entrepreneurial opportunities, and artistic expression and instruction. We are an incubating company at the Santa Fe College Center for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED) and the proud winners of the City of Gainesville’s 2023 Business Arts Award. The Queen’s Room Women’s Empowerment Group is a space for women to love themselves without judgment, restrictions or obstacles. The Queens Room is a virtual “SHE” Shed, promoting Self-Love, Healing, and Empowerment. The primary goal of the Queens Room is to guide as many women as possible to the road of self-love, self-discovery, and empowerment.

Interns with our project will develop their skillsets in collaborative community outreach and event planning, program design and presentation, professional communication with diverse populations, social media management, InDesign newsletter software, interviewing, and grant writing and research by:

  • Planning for and assisting day of with our quarterly Sip and Create fundraiser event.
  • Updating, managing, creating, and posting content website, social media, and newsletters content.
  • Researching and applying for grants.
  • Coordinating our calls to artist and website for our upcoming anthology—Completing the Process: Love Letters to the National Black Women’s Health Project
  • Identifying (inter)national Women of Color (WOC) Businesses for the Queens Room Directory
  • Collaborating to create, advertise, and implement a virtual or in-person community event.
  • Working in-person for at least 2 of 5 internship hours per week to assist with data entry and office tasks.

We are excited to have you on board with our project!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person on Santa Fe Campus in Downtown Gainesville

Categories: Marketing & Communication, Event Planning, Black Culture, Gender & Women’s Studies, Non-Profit Experience, Humanities & the Arts, Sociology, Web Design & Programming, Economics & Finance, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Building Resource Capacity for Underserved Youth (18-25) Internship & Research Project (Summer & Fall)

Sustainable practices support ecological, human, and economic health and vitality. We invite you to join our project by engaging youth in meaningful discussions about sustainability and work readiness and by empowering them with the requisite knowledge and tools for educating others about sustainability and fostering sustainable futures. As an intern with our project, you will create an educational curriculum on your chosen sustainability, environmental science, and/or work readiness topic that engages youth in meaningful discussions about sustainability work. Then, you will measure the educational impact of your initiative through pre- and post-surveys, reinforcing the importance of your contribution to sustainability, environmental education, and youth career development. By joining our team, you’ll engage in meaningful sustainability discussions; collect and analyze valuable learning feedback; enhance your research, creativity, and communication skills; develop your environmental, work readiness, and research knowledge; and showcase your work at professional events.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Sustainability, Environmental Sciences, Education, Community & Civic Engagement, Research, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Catalyzing a Career in Research Administration Internship (Summer Only)

A career in Research Administration is not often promoted and is often discovered through employment at research universities. Research Administration includes the background work of research, such as managing financials and coordinating research HR. Although careers in Research Administration are not highly known and promoted aspects of academic and professional research, Research Administration skills are highly sought after in hiring, as few people have this experience. Catalyzing a Career in Research Administration is a project built to familiarize students with pre and post award management with the goal to prepare and successfully complete a Research Administration certification. ALP interns will 1) extract sponsored program information from internal systems to assist in the management of faculty sponsored program portfolios; 2) become familiar with federal, state, and industry sponsor research program proposal development and award management through training and shadowing; 3) become familiar with general management of a research enterprise through training and shadowing; 4) become familiar with federal and/or state regulations of sponsored programs through shadowing and training; 5) assist in grant writing and federal funding disbursement; and 6) coordinate pre-award and post-award research logistics. Interns with our project will develop skills in finance, human resources, proposal development, grant management, and research administration—welcome!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous

Format: Remote or In-Person On-Campus in UF’s Academic Research Building

Categories: Economics & Finance, Pre-Law, Business, Marketing & Communication, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Center for Precollegiate Education & Training Internship (Fall Only)

The Center for Precollegiate Education & Training (CPET) works with partners in the community and across UF to provide STEM, health, and humanities education programming for students and teachers across Florida. CPET Programs are developed and coordinated to promote excellence in science, technology, math, and engineering; build students’ skills in humanities and healthcare; foster interdisciplinary science education throughout university research centers; forge partnerships among researchers, schools, communities, and industries; continually integrate research processes and product knowledge with national education goals and standards; and foster the skills of research students, graduate students, and faculty to bring their work to the public.

Interns with our project will gain experience working in a non-profit setting with the Program Coordinator and Administrative Assistant to design and distribute online and in-person program marketing flyers, posters, brochures, and bookmarks to community agencies, partners, and potential participants. You will coordinate correspondence between parties and stakeholders, conduct community outreach and prepare materials and reports. Additionally, you will create content for and manage our social media and other promotional platforms and have the opportunity to work with the program team to update our website. Our interns will gain non-profit management and business administration skillsets by maintaining administrative reports, managing the office phone calls, filing, and supplies. We are excited to work with students interested in education, marketing and communication, graphic design, non-profit management, business administration, community outreach, website design, STEM, and humanities and the arts. We look forward to having you on our team!

Class Time

  • Fall 2024: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: In-Person on UF Main Campus

Categories: Marketing & Communications, Business, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Humanities & the Arts, STEM, Non-Profit Experience, Web Design & Programming, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Cinema Verde Film Festival Internship (Summer & Fall)

Cinema Verde is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide environmental education to diverse audiences through films, arts, and global community events, and to increase public awareness of environmental practices that enhance public health and improve quality of life in urban, suburban, and rural settings. We bring community organizations, businesses, and citizens together to help forge sustainable solutions for our future. Cinema Verde interns may elect to work on any of the following projects:

  • GoGreenNation Journalism: Interns will 1) Create and write content that surrounds environmental news, events, and updates. Some stories may include going to locations in-person and interviewing businesses, organizations, community members, and more. Stories can be multi-media with video support from other team members, as needed. 2) Interview our filmmakers, businesses, and organizations for our media content and display on our channel at www.CinemaVerde.org. Interns with this project will develop their skills in oral and written communication, networking, portfolio building, and environmental research.
  • Social Media Marketing: Interns will 1) Create social media content that is formatted for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. 2) Develop new strategies for increasing engagement. 3) Respond to comments and DMs on social media platforms. 4) Track analytics. They will develop their skills in digital/ social media marketing, oral and written communication, and knowledge of analytical tools.
  • Fundraising: Interns will 1) Assist in developing the fundraising strategy for the organization. 2) Create new ideas for fundraising events, especially online/virtual events. 3) Assist with planning and executing auction and donor related activities. 4) Develop and pitch sponsorship leads. Interns assigned to this project will work with the Development & Engagement Coordinator and will develop their skills in teamwork, time management, and oral and written communication.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-person

Categories: Marketing & Communications, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Sustainability, Environmental Sciences, Writing & English, Economics & Finance, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Working for a Non-Profit: Children Beyond Our Borders Internship (Summer & Fall)

Children Beyond Our Borders, Inc. (CBOB) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Gainesville, Florida whose mission is to improve the quality of life of and provide sustainable access to education to vulnerable students in the US and Latin America. CBOB works to eliminate barriers to education and provide a foundation for quality-of-life improvements for vulnerable children at home and in Latin America. The Volunteer Internship Program is a selective program that allows individuals to get involved in an international non-profit organization. VIP interns are treated as employees by encouraging independence, originality, and a stress-free environment. While participating in VIP, interns apply their academic skills to a hands-on experience in the non-profit field. The overall goal of VIP is to encourage and empower our interns by providing life skills that can prepare them for a successful future. As an intern with this project, you can elect to work on any of the following projects—please indicate in your application which CBOB projects you would be interested in working on:

  • EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ENGLISH INITIATIVES: We offer English classes for adults in the city of Gainesville. Through EEI, we want to provide English conversation workshops to families who are new to our Gainesville community or those who have not had the opportunity to learn or improve their English. Interns working in this program can help teach the class in person on Mondays or online Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The rest of the hours will be used to develop the lessons in collaboration with the other instructors.

 

  • ACCOUNTING TEAM: Work to keep our QuickBooks updated and in the end of the fiscal year report. This intern will also learn how to fill out the forms for the IRS. This intern will work directly with our Accounting Intern and Executive Director.

 

  • CBOB PODCAST: A health and education video podcast with the mission of educating the Hispanic Community about health and education issues. This 20-30-minute video podcast are done with Hispanic experts in these fields.

 

  • GRANT WRITING/FUNDRAISING: Interns will work with our team development team to secure recurrent donors, and organize fundraising events.

 

  • PUBLIC RELATIONS/SOCIAL MEDIA: Interns will work with our PR/Social Media team on weekly post and marketing material for our fundraising events.

 

We look forward to having you join our team!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-person

Other:

Spanish speaking/writing is preferred, but not required.

Please indicate in your application which positions interest you.

Interns working with children must pass a background check to ensure the children’s safety. Instructions will be provided at the start of semester.

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Marketing & Communications, Business, Non-Profit Management, Economics & Finance, Psychology, Sociology, Pre-Law, Hands-On Internship

  1. College PASS Internship (Summer & Fall)

Access to and affording a college education remains uneven. Florida is ranked 48 out of 50 for students completing the (FAFSA) Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The American School Counselor Association recommends a student to guidance counselor ratio of 250:1. In Florida, the ratio is 431:1. The Education Equalizer Foundation (EEF) has taken a remarkable step towards bridging these gaps. By providing comprehensive educational resources, mentorship, and exposure to various career opportunities, EEF’s College PASS program is the gateway program to become an Education Equalizer Scholar.

Our Education Equalizer and College PASS program demystifies higher education bureaucracy for middle schoolers and minority (especially African American) and first-generation students across Alachua County. Participants tour colleges and engage with experts from various fields including education, healthcare, business ownership, dentistry, and law. We nurture lifelong relationships with students, recognizing that mentorship is a crucial aspect of personal growth and development. Monthly 1:1 calls with parents and students will provide ongoing assistance, helping scholars navigate their academic and professional journeys effectively. Moreover, networking opportunities, job shadowing experiences, college tours, and ACT/SAT preparation will ensure that participants are well-prepared for their future endeavors. Interns with our project will help EEF scholars with their college applications, scholarship applications, ACT/SAT Prep, personal statement writing, and everything it takes to submit a college or scholarship application. They can also help with non-profit business social media management, marketing, grant writing, logistics, campus tour support, speaking engagements, fundraising, and events. We are excited to have you on our team to empower younger, future college students!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Remote

Other: Interns will need to pass a background check.

Categories: Education, Community & Civic Engagement, Writing & English, Marketing & Communications, Nonprofit Experience, Business, Economics & Finance, Black Culture, Hands-On Internship

  1. Cultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculture (Summer & Fall)

Promised Land Family Ministries (PLFM) is a faith-based nonprofit located in Lake Butler, Florida that serves families in North Central Florida through a variety of programs. During the fall, interns will be Cultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculture by assisting with our mobile food pantry, community garden, and various educational events. Interns will be involved in designing/planning, implementing, and evaluating these programs and events. They can assist with the community garden, social media, agricultural programs, and our mobile food outreach. We are experienced in a variety of agricultural and ministry/nonprofit topics, and we are excited to help students take what they are learning in college and apply it at our farm. Through this experience interns will gain valuable career skills and grow as leaders who know how to positively impact individuals, groups, and entire organizations/communities. If you have a heart for people and want to learn ways to use your knowledge and skills to help others, this is the internship for you!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-Person at Promised Land Ministries Farm (~25 miles from UF Main Campus. Depending on tasks, interns can expect to visit the farm 2-3 times per month.)

Other:

Students will need their own transportation and gas to Promised Land Ministries Farm (approximately 25 miles from main UF campus) about 2-3 times per month.

Promised Land Ministries Farm is a Christian agricultural farm. Interns do not need to be religious and will not be expected to promote Christianity, though interns should be comfortable with working inside of a Christian farm.

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Event Planning, Marketing & Communications, Religion, Nutrition & Food, Biology & Chemistry, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Cultivating Rural-Urban Community Connections (Summer & Fall)

The Cultivating Rural-Urban Community Connections Project is a partnership between the Polk County Farm Bureau and University of Florida/IFAS Extension Polk County. Active Learning Program interns will assist in our educational and interactive programs that use video and live stream technology to reach elected officials, regulatory officials, state and government staff, local media, and community stakeholders. Using the study abridging the Urban-Rural Economic Divide from the National League of Cities as inspiration, the local Farm Bureau and local IFAS Extension office will work with our interns to develop materials that promote rural and urban interests, working across the divide that normally characterizes interactions between them. This is a multi-phase project that highlights the connections between four UF/IFAS research centers, agricultural producers who implement the research, and the critical issues impacted by that implementation. These issues are of importance to the public at large, such as water quality and availability, invasives species, wildlife, land use issues, and technology use in rural and urban areas (and the continuum in between).

The Summer C and Fall 2024 intern cohorts will create materials in support of the webinars. A third-party partner will handle video production, while the interns focus on communications, outreach, educational and promotional materials development, and potentially interviewing stakeholders. Interns will also assist with literature reviews for the “rural-urban continuum” concept and assist with post-event evaluation. Key practice skill sets in the internship include meeting deadlines, verbal and written communications, reaching influential audiences, and project management. We are excited to have you on our team researching rural-urban divides and connections!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Education, Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communications, Politics, Pre-Law, Sociology, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Engaging Farmers in Climate-Smart Agriculture through Virtual Extension Programs Internship (Summer & Fall)

Climate-smart agriculture in the United States involves implementing practices and strategies to address the challenges posed by a changing climate while ensuring food security, environmental sustainability, and economic viability. In Florida, climate-smart agriculture is of particular importance due to the state’s vulnerability to sea-level rise, increased temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events. Adaptation strategies include the adoption of precision agriculture technologies, the use of climate-resilient crop varieties, improved water management, and sustainable land practices.

This project aims to empower farmers, agricultural communities, and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools necessary to implement sustainable agricultural practices. Specific objectives include:

  • Raising Awareness: The primary objective of this project is to increase awareness among farmers and key stakeholders about the importance of sustainable agriculture and climate-smart practices in preserving the environment and ensuring long-term food security.
  • Transferring Knowledge: Facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices in sustainable agriculture, such as soil conservation, efficient water management, organic farming, and integrated pest management.
  • Capacity Building: Empower farmers with the skills and resources necessary to adapt to changing climatic conditions, minimize environmental impact, and optimize agricultural production.
  • Community Engagement: Foster community collaboration and involvement in sustainable agricultural initiatives to create a collective approach to addressing regional challenges.

The primary duties and responsibilities of the interns are centered around virtual extension program development. They will bring a new perspective of what strategies may work and may not work for virtual extension programs. Interns will:

  • Conduct Literature Reviews: Conduct a comprehensive literature review and/or needs assessment to identify the specific challenges and opportunities within the target agricultural community.
  • Create Educational Materials: Develop and distribute educational materials, brochures, and guides that provide step-by-step instructions and resources for implementing sustainable practices.
  • Conduct Community Outreach: Engage with local communities through social media and other channels to promote the project’s goals and create awareness.
  • Collect and Analyze Data: Collect and analyze data to measure the project’s impact on agricultural practices, environmental sustainability, and economic well-being within the community.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Remote.

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Education, Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communications, Biology & Chemistry, Nutrition & Food, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Establishing the Psychometric Properties of a Novel Toe Strength Measurement Device Research (Summer & Fall)

At TOP lab, we have designed a portable device called the ToeScale to measure big toe health on motor output and strength. This came from a clinical need to monitor individuals with diabetes and cancer for loss of toe strength as they receive neurotoxic chemotherapy with potential to cause peripheral polyneuropathy. Toe weakness can interfere with balance and walking, so the patient may need to stop chemotherapy, or at least have their dose reduced. Commercially available devices require the patient to hold the big toe up while a tester pushes down with a measurement device, but with neurologic weakness, the toe may immediately give way when pushed down, so the strength cannot be reproducibly quantified for tracking purposes. With our device, the patient inserts their toe into a “cap” connected to a load cell. When they pull up, force registers (toe extension). When they push down, force for toe flexion registers. Because of the “cap” design, and the need to pull upward within the cap to assess toe extension, it is more difficult to validate the device using known loads or known timing to reach peak force. As we determine how to process the signals generated by the device, we need to distinguish mechanical “noise” from physiologic variation in magnitude or timing of force production, since the latter could be a real and clinically meaningful effect of the chemotherapy that differs between people. The desired end product comprises two mechanical devices that apply upward or downward force through the “toe cap” interface of our toe strength measurement device. One device would apply upward force, the other would apply downward force. Standard weights will be placed at a designated location on the device to transfer that load along the vertical axis at a designated point through the “toe cap” interface. Our device is now a working prototype that can measure the toe flexion and extension strength, including peak strength, how long and fast it is to reach peak force, and how long can a user hold the peak force.

We are excited to work with students with health science backgrounds interested in data collection. Interns will conduct phone screens of research participants, schedule participants, and conduct clinical balance and mobility assessments. Interns will also digitalize data collected via paper forms, organizing, and maintaining the data collected on Microsoft Excel. We look forward to working with health oriented and pre-med students!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person at The Smart House at Oak Hammock, approximately 5 miles from UF’s Main Campus

Other: Interns will need to provide their own transportation to Oak Hammock’s Smart House

Categories: Health & Medical, Biology & Chemistry, STEM, Research

 

  1. Ethics in the Public Sphere Internship (Fall Only)

Ethics in the Public Sphere is an interdisciplinary project dedicated to promoting conversations, reflection, and action about important—and often controversial—public issues. In the past we have organized events and developed materials about topics including DEI, climate change, immigration, consent, artificial intelligence, abortion, free speech, and more. For example, in spring 2024 we are holding events on transgender athletes and the ethics of AI and conducting research on student views of higher education policy in Florida. As an intern with our project, you’ll assist in planning and organizing events on and off campus; updating and maintaining our website (https://public-ethics.humanities.ufl.edu/); managing social media; writing reports and blog posts; and other projects of your choosing, including research, community outreach, curriculum development, and grant proposal writing. We welcome student initiative—past interns have developed new event formats, conducted research on issues about which they are passionate, and more. We look forward to having you join our team!

Class Time:

  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Mostly In-Person on Campus with possibility for some remote work

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communications, Education, Event Planning, Web Design & Programming, Politics, Pre-Law, Humanities & the Arts, Gender & Women’s Studies, Environmental Sciences, Religion, Psychology, Sociology, Sustainability, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Evaluation of Mobility Assistive Devices, Such as Canes, Crutches, and Walkers Research (Summer & Fall)

One barrier for older adults to exercise and walk is the lack of assistance to carry their items (ex. medications, medical equipment, groceries, etc.). A human-following robotic companion has been developed to follow a person and carry up to 40 lbs. of payload. This project is a pilot feasibility study to assess the usefulness of the robot for community living older adults. We will conduct focus group studies with participants on their perceived usefulness of a robot companion. The participants will be asked to conduct a list of tasks that the robot could help with. Their interactions with the robot will be observed, and their feedback on the robot will be collected. At the same time, we will work on instrumented sensors and applying AI-based obstacle avoidance algorithms to improve the performance of the current robot prototype.

Interns with our program will assist our research team by conducting literature reviews on the current use of walkers for mobility or gait improvement, collect survey data at Oak Hammock and other community settings, collect data using different types of walkers and a markerless motion capture system, and analyze this data using Python or MATLAB. This data analysis will involve manual data cleaning and management before conducting any analyses. We hope to assemble a strong, interdisciplinary internship team of students interested in health and medicine, computer science, biomechanics, and engineering!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remotely and In-Person at the Smart House at Oak Hammock, approximately 5 miles from UF Main Campus

Other: Some days, students must transport themselves to the Smart House at Oak Hammock, approximately 5 miles from UF Main Campus

Categories: Health & Medical, STEM, Computer Science, Engineering, Biology & Chemistry, Research

 

  1. Cultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculture (Fall 2024 Only)

Promised Land Family Ministries (PLFM) is a faith-based nonprofit located in Lake Butler, Florida that serves families in North Central Florida through a variety of programs. During the fall, interns will be Cultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculture by assisting with our mobile food pantry, community garden, and various educational events. Interns will be involved in designing/planning, implementing, and evaluating these programs and events. They can assist with the community garden, social media, agricultural programs, and our mobile food outreach. We are experienced in a variety of agricultural and ministry/nonprofit topics, and we are excited to help students take what they are learning in college and apply it at our farm. Through this experience interns will gain valuable career skills and grow as leaders who know how to positively impact individuals, groups, and entire organizations/communities. If you have a heart for people and want to learn ways to use your knowledge and skills to help others, this is the internship for you!

Class Time:

  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-Person at Promised Land Ministries Farm (~25 miles from UF Main Campus. Depending on tasks, interns can expect to visit the farm 2-3 times per month.)

Other:

Students will need their own transportation and gas to Promised Land Ministries Farm (approximately 25 miles from main UF campus) about 2-3 times per month.

Promised Land Ministries Farm is a Christian agricultural farm. Interns do not need to be religious and will not be expected to promote Christianity, though interns should be comfortable with working inside of a Christian farm.

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Event Planning, Marketing & Communications, Religion, Nutrition & Food, Biology & Chemistry, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Diaper Distribution Program 2024 – Health Education and Training Center (Summer & Fall)

The Health Education and Training Center (HEAT) is a Gainesville non-profit providing charitable and educational wellness services to underserved community members through health education classes, seminars, exercise groups, workshops, and educational resources. Our mission is to improve the quality of health of the Gainesville community through health education and promotion. Interns with our projects can build their experience and skills in healthcare and wellness, marketing and communication, community outreach and education, event planning, and office administration. Interns will:

  • Attend community events to educate and promote health and wellness within the Gainesville and Jacksonville Communities
  • Provide outreach support to community centers through health education and wellness brochures on Maternity Child Health Care.
  • Provide assistance with outreach to area to other non-profits or for-profit companies to establish and build credibility with Sponsors and donors.
  • Write and send press releases to local media contacts announcing and promoting events, sponsors, team recruitment, award winners etc.
  • Manage social media interaction surrounding all events, including email, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and create and post YouTube videos on family/volunteer testimonials or sponsor acknowledgements.
  • Establish marketing endeavors with potential sponsors or donors in the community.
  • Conduct network marketing and design campaigns for our newsletters and/ or social media endeavors.
  • Assist with event logistics and planning, including designing event materials, distributing display and promotional materials, taking photographs, managing vendors, and creating slide shows for event programs.
  • Conduct general administrative duties, including copying, filing, collating materials, mailings, data entry, spreadsheet management, scheduling meetings, making/answering calls, and Internet research.

We look forward to having you on our team! Planning events is fun, and performing this work for a worthy cause is very rewarding. Through our signature events you will have the opportunity to meet the families we have helped and learn first-hand what health and wellness means to them. Interning with us can help you to determine if you have an interest in a particular career, create a network of contacts, and achieve course credit.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Primarily Remote with Some In-Person Work; Community Outreach at UF & Santa Fe Campuses and Gainesville Community Events

Other: Students must provide their own transportation to events

Categories: Health & Medical, Psychology, Biology & Chemistry, Business, Marketing & Communications, Education, Non-Profit Experience, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Florida Well Owner Network Research (Summer & Fall)

Approximately 2.5 million Floridians rely on private wells for home consumption. While public water systems are monitored under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, private wells are not regulated. Well users control the management and protection of their wells, depending on education rather than regulation to ensure water quality standards are met. Limited public data exists on how many well users test their water or drink from contaminated wells. The risk of contamination is suspected to increase after storms and flooding events. The Florida Well Owner Network (FWON) was developed by the UF/IFAS Extension Agents and Specialists to meet the needs of private well users in Florida to ensure a safe drinking water supply. It is a drinking water quality and septic system education program for Florida residents on well water quality and best practices to ensure well and groundwater protection. It facilitates water testing and provides information about treatment options if problems are found. Interns will facilitate the well water sampling, enter well water survey data, create a well water quality database, and conduct outreach campaign.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Biology & Chemistry, Sustainability, Community & Civic Engagement, Education, Research

 

  1. Genetic Testing Done Equitably, and Sustainably (Summer & Fall)

Genetic testing is considered a part of the clinical standard of care and used to identify a genetic etiology (e.g. mutations or genetic variants) when individuals are undergoing an evaluation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disorders. Though genetic testing is medically indicated and should be offered to everyone, prior intern groups have demonstrated that at least 12% of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the UF Health System have genetic testing either completed or documented as having been offered and declined. It is noted that 100% of individuals should be offered genetic testing. There are also notable disparities in the rates of completed genetic testing by race. This has led to efforts to make educational materials that will be targeted towards this audience as part of a quality improvement effort.

The Summer and Fall interns will be tasked with creating UF-specific educational materials for genetic testing’s benefits for the different clinical populations impacted. UF CAN is recruiting UF undergraduates to serve as research assistants and community liaisons for the patients served by UF Health as well as constituents served by UF CARD by combining outreach efforts with qualitative data collection as well as rigorous quality-improvement and discrete data analysis. The program is designed to have interns gain exposure to the clinical population of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and the data derived from the patients. As part of the Genetic testing done equitably and sustainably subgroup, interns will now focus on generating follow-up data to see whether implementation of several measures have made an impact compared to baseline data for genetic testing in this population.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-Person

Other: Though not mandatory, students may find the internship experience more enriching working physically at Springhill 2 Child Psychiatric Clinic & UF CARD located in the UF Shands Psychiatric Hospital.

Categories: Biology & Chemistry, Sustainability, STEM, Community & Civic Engagement, Research, Health & Medical

 

  1. Health Extension and Community Focused Research (Fall Only)

UF/IFAS Extension partners with communities to provide quality, relevant education, and research-based expertise to foster healthy people, healthy environments, and healthy economies. Extension is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. UF, together with Florida A&M University (FAMU), administers the Florida Cooperative Extension Service.

Interns will be exposed to several different activities as a part of the Cancer focused Health Extension program. Interns will have the opportunity to attend meetings with Health Extension faculty and staff, participate in data collection, data management, data analysis of current cancer-relevant research studies ongoing in the lab. Interns will also be able to support cancer education resources development and refinement (infographics, fact sheets, slide decks) for us in community based educational programs. Current projects include:

1) skin cancer prevention and education via augmented reality health application pilot study.

2) activities related to a communal coping-based pilot study intervention to support colorectal cancer survivors adhere to the DASH diet.

Other activities may include participating in blog posts, manuscripts preparation, community education events, and other activities to support cancer focused Health Extension Efforts.

Class Time:

  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Both In-Person at Data Sites with some opportunities for remote/alternatives

Other: Interns may go to data sites for data collection days (dates TBD); however, optional alternatives to offsite work will occur periodically.

Categories: Health & Medical, Nutrition & Food, Research

 

  1. Identify Genetic Basis of Quality Traits Through Gene Editing and Machine Learning Approaches Research (Summer & Fall)

Fresh fruits and vegetables are invaluable for human health, but their quality deteriorates during distribution before reaching consumers due to ongoing biochemical processes and compositional changes. The current lack of any objective indices for defining the “freshness” of fruits or vegetables limits our capacity to control product quality and leads to food loss and waste. In this work, we will undertake interdisciplinary research to address plant science challenges related to food security and human health. Our projects will leverage plant physiology, machine learning technologies, and genomics tools to understand deterioration of fresh produce. We therefore propose a comprehensive research program to identify genes, proteins, and compounds as “freshness-indicators” and to aid in the development of an innovative and easy-to-use accessibility tool to accurately estimate the freshness of produce. The goal of the proposed research will be to advance in both basic research and applied science. Such a tool would allow a new level of postharvest logistics, supporting availability of high-quality, nutritious, fresh produce.

Interns with our project will: 1. Grow plants for characterization of physiological, biochemical analysis. 2. Identify candidate traits for qualitive and quantitative analysis. 3. Perform gRNA primer design, gene cloning and construct validation. 4. Validate results with physiological, biochemical, and genomic data. In this project, the UF undergraduate interns will perform data analysis as well as bench work in the lab to identify new genes and traits that have potential to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce. The program provides research opportunities and data mining training for interns to learn literature, technology, and bioinformatics in plant science, to gain experimental experiences and lab skills, and to develop critical thinking and data analysis abilities.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: In-Person On Campus

Other: The nature of this research requires college-level course background in biology.

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Biology & Chemistry, Sustainability, Computer Science, STEM, Nutrition & Food, Research

 

  1. I Gotcha Back (IGB): Mentoring Program Internship (Summer & Fall)

The IGB (I Gotcha Back) Program, a 501(c)3, has operated since August 2007, utilizing community resources and volunteers to help guide many young people. We have exposed young people to mentors, motivational speakers, classroom activities, cultural events, outdoor activities, culinary exploration, volunteer opportunities, recreational outings, and leadership symposiums. We offer Mentoring (one-on-one and group) for 6-12th graders, an entire Summer Enrichment Program (SEC), and IGB MAP (Mentoring After School Program) for K-5th graders. We have established partnerships with NCFL YMCA, www.Askmeno.com, Peak Literacy program, financial institutions, and mental health providers to develop and implement our program offerings. These experiences and interactions have empowered many young people to Dream Higher, Expect Greater, and Accomplish More! As an intern with our project, you will support our mission while gaining experience with writing grant proposals, creating reports, analyzing data, planning and creating budgets, marketing and advertising, and more.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Remote & In-Person at Office on NW 13th Street and Gainesville YMCA, within five miles of UF campus.

Other: Interns will need to pass a background check to ensure the children’s safety. Instructions will be provided once the semester begins.

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Non-Profit Experience, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Impact of Habitat Fragmentation on Mosquito Composition and Functional Traits (Summer & Fall)

Our lab works on mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases. Our goal is to better understand mosquito population so that we can make recommendations for targeted vector control and reduce the burden of vector-borne diseases! Our project aims to understand how habitat fragmentation influences mosquito communities and functional traits. Our team is currently collecting mosquitoes from forest habitats of different patch sizes (10 small patches and 10 big patches) at the Deluca Preserve using CDC Miniature Light Trap (JW Hock, Gainesville, FL) baited with CO2 (dry ice). These samples will be identified to the species level using taxonomic key. Every week, interns will meet in the laboratory located in Steinmetz Hall, room 3221 to measure important mosquito functional traits including wing length (dispersal trait), proboscis length, and body size (feeding traits). Mosquito traits will be measured under the microscope following standard methodology for insect functional traits. We aim to measure traits on a minimum of 20 adult mosquito per species, 10 males and 10 females. These traits are important as they may affect the ability of mosquitoes to find oviposition sites, disperse and blood feed under field conditions. During this internship, you will learn about mosquito biology and general ecology, but also about scientific rigor and lab-based research, which is important experience if you are considering a career in public health, as an epidemiologist, or as a medical doctor. We hope you’ll apply to our project!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: In-Person at Steinmetz Hall on UF Main Campus

Other: Student will need to transport themselves to the lab

Categories: Entomology, Biology & Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Health & Medical, Sustainability, Research

 

  1. Improving The Safety and Quality of Healthcare that Patient’s Receive (Summer & Fall)

Our research is aimed at improving the safety and quality of healthcare that patients receive before or after they are discharged from the hospital, or those with a disease or condition that requires monitoring over long periods of time (e.g., cancer, diabetes, etc.). As an intern, you will be an essential part of this mission by contributing to our research projects. Interns’ primary role will be to assist with various tasks related to our projects. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to data collection, literature review, design, data analysis, writing, and interpretation of results. You may also be required to attend research team meetings, presentations, and other events related to projects.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Choice between Remote and In-person

Categories: Health & Medical, Research

 

  1. InSciStemify Internship (Summer & Fall)

InSciStemify is a STEM Kit Startup primarily for middle schoolers. Our program offers STEM Kits—boxes of tools and activities designed to teach Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science. You can think of them in terms of those side bars in textbooks—really cool extensions to the main goal of the chapter! Our hope is to expose 10–14-year-old students to small, exciting bits of various scientific disciplines to help them get a feel for what scientific disciplines they might want to study and pursue careers in. We are looking for interns skilled and interested in designing science kits for biology, chemistry, AI, and other STEM fields; advertising and marketing; writing newsletters for middle schoolers and parents; writing grants; coordinating social media; and managing projects. We are excited for you to be joining our team!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Education, STEM, Biology & Chemistry, Marketing & Communications, Engineering, Business, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Insightful Analysis Solutions (Summer & Fall)

Insightful Analysis Solutions (IAS) collaborates with organizations to produce tailored findings, insights, and deliverables that are actionable, meaningful, and effectively utilized. Our experienced, multidisciplinary team uses scientific methods to offer a comprehensive suite of services, including program development, needs assessments, research study design, grant funding proposals, polished communication materials, program monitoring and analytics, grant writing, and technical writing support. Our expertise spans non-profit organizations, foundations, and federal agencies across various sectors.

We combine substantive knowledge with methodological rigor to help organizations translate knowledge into positive impact and support them with evidence-based solutions. IAS’s mission is to generate insights through rigorous scientific methods that equip partner organizations to capture and track impact, better serve vulnerable populations, and actualize growth.

We collaborate to design customized studies, analyze complex data, and translate results into policies, programs, and practices that drive meaningful change.

As part of the IAS program, interns will:

  1. Assist in synthesizing and interpreting both quantitative and qualitative data. This includes using descriptive and inferential statistics to explain quantitative findings and draw conclusions, as well as synthesizing and interpreting qualitative results. The student will write up findings to include in reports to present to quantitative analysis or team members. The student will also document data collection methods, timelines, response rates, and data counts. Using tools like SPSS, SAS, and R, the student will run appropriate statistical analyses (t-test, correlation, chi-square, regression, ANOVA, validity and reliability scores, etc.), develop materials and conduct training for data collectors to ensure data integrity, quality and consistency, as well as provide training on data entry. The student will also perform data cleaning, preparation, coding, etc. Additionally, the student will conduct pilot tests to verify accuracy, usefulness, and feasibility of data and data collection plan, revising as needed based on results.
  2. Prepare:
  • Pricing analysis and growth projection.
  • State business licensure.
  • Conceptualization, development, and implementation of project evaluation plans
  • Identifying and conceptualization and development of grant(s)
  • Designing and enhancement of Clients’ programming
  • Technical reports and forms
  • Literature reviews
  • Transcription
  • Logic models

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-person

Categories: Business, Community & Civic Engagement, Computer Science, Economics & Finance, Hands-On Internship, Research, Statistics, STEM, Sustainability, Writing & English

 

  1. Launching A VIBE – KidzHack (Summer and Fall)

Are you passionate about using technology to empower the next generation of leaders and changemakers? Do you have a strong desire to make an impact in the lives of young learners? If so, KidzHack is looking for interns like you to join our team! We believe that technology is the key to unlocking the limitless potential of today’s youth. Our innovative products are designed to empower the next generation of leaders and changemakers, providing them with the tools to inspire creativity, foster critical thinking, and encourage global citizenship. As a subsidiary of Deep Design, LLC, our team of skilled designers and technologists is dedicated to creating cutting-edge solutions that cater to the unique needs and interests of young learners.

As an intern at KidzHack, you will have the opportunity to work alongside a team of skilled designers and technologists dedicated to creating cutting-edge solutions for young learners. Interns can choose to:

  1. Design end-to-end solutions, contributing to customer research, user data, and usability testing to deliver delightful designs.
  2. Be part of a team providing technical support during the soft release of the beta version of our technical platform. These interns will assist with the integration of the platform into various APIs and SDKs. As they debug and work on the platform they will also work on the technical documentation, including API documentation, installation guides, deployment guides, getting started guides, and all sorts of other specifications about the software.
  3. Expand the company’s social media presence, foster virtual relationships with current and potential community partners, and create written and verbal media to engage the target audience. As an intern with Kidzhack, you will play a critical role in increasing awareness of the KidzHack mission. Interns will gain experience using social media platforms to engage audiences and build relationships with partners, strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability to clearly and concisely convey complex ideas to target audiences.

We are seeking interns who are adaptable, resourceful, innovative, forward-thinking, and committed. You should be able to approach problems creatively and think outside the box to find solutions that meet the unique needs and interests of young learners. Throughout your internship, you will work with a small, highly collaborative team and receive mentorship. Join us at KidzHack and be a part of a team that is passionate about using technology to empower the next generation of leaders.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Computer Science, Web Design & Programming, Business, Marketing & Communications, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. MusicGnv (Summer & Fall)

MusicGNV is a 501c3 Nonprofit that supports the local, independent music community in Gainesville. We launched in 2020 to support the needs of musicians during quarantine and have worked to become more sustainable over time. We are developing our program by working with local Gainesville businesses to play local music in their establishments. Interns with our program can assist our organization and the local Gainesville music community by helping us work with businesses, managing our social media, planning and coordinating events, fundraising, and other projects students are interested in. We hope to work with students excited about supporting local music and community!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Choice of both Remote and In-Person (Downtown Gainesville)

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Event Planning

 

  1. Natural Hair Headquarters Internship & Research Project (Summer & Fall)

Natural Hair Headquarters (NHQ) is an innovative and groundbreaking mobile application designed to empower African American women by offering personalized hair care routines and contributing to the advancement of medical hair and scalp research. NHQ is a data driven decision making engine that supports care and treatment of highly textured, tightly coiled, and packed hair. Based on user complied/entered data we use recommendation algorithms and data science to personalize the daily care and maintenance of users with highly textured hair based on porosity, texture, and lifestyle. By leveraging our unique algorithms, this app will revolutionize the hair care industry and cater to an underserved market, providing a holistic solution for hair issues faced by women of color. ALP interns will engage in research, collecting and aggregating data into groups for data analysis and developing professional communication skills by coordinating social media marketing to garner more data. Interns with web design backgrounds and interests may also help develop and refine our website on WordPress. This project is ideal for students in marketing, communications, data science, computer science, web development, and business; come join us!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Marketing & Communications, Business, Computer Science , Web Design, Black Culture, Gender and Women’s Studies, Research, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Pleasant Street Historic Society Internship (Fall Only)

Founded in 1984, The Pleasant Street Historic Society is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and protecting the history of the Pleasant Street neighborhood and African American history in Gainesville, Florida. A central component of preserving this history is the renovation and repurposing of the historic Smith-Griffin home as a living history museum and cultural-educational center. We are undertaking fundraising efforts and developing programming and exhibits/artifacts for the home. We are also working to help current residents retain their homes, particularly those owners who are in danger of losing their property. Interns with be involved in developing marketing materials for our fundraising efforts, identifying resources for property owners, and developing materials/artifacts for the museum.

Class Time:

  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote and few In-Person meetings around Gainesville, the Pleasant Street area, and the AQ Jones Museum located less than 1 mile from UF Main Campus.

Categories: Marketing & Communications, Education Community & Civic Engagement, Economics & Finance, History, Pre-Law, Politics, Humanities & the Arts, Sociology, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Predicting Soil Health Properties with Infrared Spectroscopy (Fall Only)

Soil is a valuable natural resource that provides many essential functions to our society, including habitat for crops, microbes, and fauna, water purification, and nutrients and carbon storage. Soil health is an emerging concept to evaluate the potential of soil in providing these functions. Our research group is conducting a baseline survey of soil health in various agricultural systems in Florida. So far, our group has collected a large number of soil samples across the state and analyzed them for different soil properties, such as organic matter content and nutrient availability. However, these soil properties are difficult to measure and interpret, especially for lay people, which hinders the efforts in the education and promotion of soil health. Our group hypothesizes that infrared spectroscopy could be an intuitive and cost-effective measure of soil health. The primary goal of the ALP project is to test the use of infrared spectroscopy as a cost-efficient method for measuring soil health. Student interns of the ALP project will work closely with faculty and graduate students of the UF’s Soil Health research group on predicting soil health.

Class Time:

  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-Person, On-Campus at McCarty A

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Biology & Chemistry, Sustainability, Education, Statistics, Research

 

  1. Program for Resource Efficient Flood Resilient Communities (Summer & Fall)

The Program for Resource Efficient Communities is conducting several projects addressing water resource management, flooding, and stormwater concerns in Florida and nationally. Most involve climate change, Florida-friendly landscapes, low-impact design/development (LID), and green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) guidance and ordinance development. Our projects have great opportunities for students interested in climate change, the environmental sciences and sustainability, sociology, and communications.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Interns will work both in-person and remotely

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Biology & Chemistry, Education, Community & Civic Engagement, STEM, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Read-a-Recipe for Literacy and Food Safety Internship & Research Project (Summer & Fall)

Read-a-Recipe for Literacy is a program for youth where they learn about nutrition/food safety using hands on activities and reading or writing. The children record the activities in their journals allowing us to track their development. Interns with our project can help design nutritional and literacy-based curriculum and instructional materials, publish blogs and newsletters, create a Google site where lesson plans are organized and easy to access, and research our program’s outcomes by conducting and analyzing retrospective pre-post surveys and writing end of year impact reports. Interns interested in food safety can create a training education PowerPoint of ServSafe Manager Food Safety certification course and create a retrospective survey for this program. Students who can speak and write in Spanish will also have the opportunity to create curriculum and literacy materials for adult audiences. We would also like to add health and wellness where the students would design PowerPoints/handouts and possibly a blog on different health and wellness topics targeted for adults and seniors. Our program would be a great fit for students interested in nutrition, dietetics, English, writing, education, and family youth & community sciences. We look forward to working with you!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Interns will most likely work remotely

Categories: Education, Nutrition & Food, Marketing & Communications, Health & Medical, Writing & English, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Reading Pals Internship (Summer & Fall)

Our mission is to help reduce students’ achievement gaps by providing volunteer mentors and supplies for students from Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) to 3rd grade who may need extra help, utilizing one-on-one or small group settings. We strive to build genuine, impactful relationships between students and our volunteer mentors; improve students’ understanding of the fundamental building blocks of early literacy; help students build a strong social-emotional foundation through self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making; and collaborate with teachers, parents, and local nonprofit partners to prepare 1st through 3rd graders for reading success.

Interns will help us achieve our goals by becoming trained virtual and in-person reading coach volunteers, working directly with students to advance their social-emotional and literacy skills. Interns will also learn how to onboard and recruit volunteers to join our program and manage aspects of their participation, such as ensuring they fill their requirements and have a pleasant experience doing so. Interns may also choose to work on our UF Club presence or ReadingPals social media. We hope to see an application from students interested in education and invested in helping close the achievement gap between students in our community!

The focus of our work is to provide social emotional development for students. We work with students in person and virtually at various sites to provide them with an enriching experience after school. We use literature as the topic to open a conversation and create a safe space for students to be themselves and practice leadership through improving their reading skills. We use virtual methods through discord and Reading A-Z and in person methods using our libraries and class set of books that are onsite. No previous experience is required we will train you before you get started. Interns will get to choose their site and schedule—we look forward to working with you!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Choice of Remote and In-Person 3-5 Miles from Main UF Campus in Gainesville

Other:

Interns must pass background check after being accepted to this internship—instructions will be provided at start of semester.

Interns must transport themselves to students in Gainesville, we have options:

  • Girls Place is 15 minutes north of campus.
  • Caring and Sharing Learning School is 13 minutes from campus.

Categories: Education, Writing & English, Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Respect Me Project Internship & Research Project (Summer & Fall)

The Respect Me project is an initiative aimed at helping members of the Gen Z cohort and other emerging talents to identify respect gaps with the job recruitment lifecycle in order to engage with this process proactively and effectively. This is not a prepare-to-find-a-job kind of project, but a project that intends to level the playing fields between job candidates/applicants of all levels and potential employers. When a candidate/applicant doesn’t fully understand this process, there’s a disadvantage that affects the moral and wellbeing and even future performance. However, providing a walkthrough of the process places the candidate/applicant in a seat of power and more prepared for negotiation. As an intern with this project, you’ll help support our efforts to educate employers and Gen Z’s, as well as conduct research on professional trends affecting these groups.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Business, Education, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Spatial Data Science for Quantifying Environmental Benefits to Human Society Research (Summer & Fall)

The Ecosystem Services AI lab in the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department at the University of Florida is seeking several highly creative and motivated student interns in the areas of Data Science and Geospatial Analysis. Interns will exercise and develop skills in spatial data science that lead to important insights for a portfolio of AI-based modeling and mapping research projects that quantify ecosystem services provided by ecosystems. This involves mapping urban greenspaces and their services, biodiversity, outdoor recreation, wildlife watching, etc. Our goals are to improve knowledge of the spatiotemporal dynamics in the delivery of a wide range of environmental benefits to human society by urban and rural landscape in Florida and beyond, as well as the driving socio-ecological factors that lead to variations in benefit distributions across space and time.

Interns with our project will

  • Develop Python or R programming scripts to download, clean and process GIS data, remote sensing images, and other spatial data from various sources, including iNaturalist, Google Street View, OpenStreetMap, Flickr, Census and Google Earth Engine (GEE);
  • Perform geospatial analysis, GIS mapping, data visualization and annotation, using ArcGIS Pro and programming languages (including R or Python);
  • Develop interactive web GIS mapping tools using R Shiny, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS experience builder, or JavaScript/CSS/HTML;
  • Create figures, tables, flyers, factsheets, and other presentation materials for research and public outreach.

By the end of the semester, interns will produce GIS data products, images, maps, online mapping tools, and other visualizations. We are excited to have you on our team and to build your skillsets in spatial data science, geospatial analysis, programming, mapping, web GIS, and presentation!!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-person

Other: Students need to have good programming skills in R and Python, and have good knowledge of ArcGIS Pro and other GIS software and GIS Programming

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Biology & Chemistry, Statistics, Computer Science, Web Design & Programming, Engineering, STEM, Research

 

  1. The Economic Value of Water Research (Summer & Fall)

Humans derive great economic and social benefits from the irreplaceable ecosystem services provided by lakes. Quantifying the economic benefits of water quality improvements is crucial for supporting decisions regarding environmental and conservation practices. This project will use economic models to empirically estimate the implicit prices (in terms of dollars) of water quality and ecosystem health to facilitate public policy considerations and offer guidance to prioritize water quality management plans.

Interns will contribute to our research by 1) Conducting preliminary data analysis. 2) Conducting a literature review. 3) Preparing outreach materials. Interns will gain first-hand experience with a variety of software (e.g., R, Python, ArcGIS, and GitHub) and master the fundamentals of working with data, including data gathering, data management, and data analysis. In addition, interns will engage in the research process and collaborate closely with researchers across disciplines. Through experience in this project, interns will gain the knowledge and skills needed for a career in data analytics.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Choice between Remote & In-person work

Other: Experience in coding, R, ArcGIS, or data analysis are preferred, but not required. If you have this experience, please list this in your application.

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Economics & Finance, Computer Science, Web Design & Programming, Statistics, Engineering, STEM, Research

 

  1. The Social-Economic Impacts of a Novel Unregulated Contaminant Research (Summer & Fall 2024)

PFAS is one of the toughest environmental problems of our time. It is a class of chemicals that are used in a wide variety of products, including firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, and stain-resistant fabrics. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body. Worst of all, PFAS has been linked to a variety of serious human health concerns, including cancer, thyroid disease, and birth defects.

With its unregulated use for the past 50 years, the social impacts of PFAS are widespread, but poorly understood. The goal of this project is to understand the social impact of PFAS pollution in Florida. Specifically, the project will build a database linkage that documents the scale of PFAS exposure and their potential impacts on local drinking water systems, housing market, and health and educational outcomes. We will then utilize modern data analytics to quantify the socio-economic impact of PFAS pollution using a data-driven, spatially explicit approach.

Interns with our project will:

  • Delve into case laws (especially the recent class actions against 3M and Dupont) and code up relevant information using AI.
  • Extract information from publicly available databases on pollution, neighborhood demographics, and social economic outcomes.
  • Conduct geospatial data processing and analytics on the source and spread of the pollutant.
  • Perform statistical inference and prediction on the social impact of the pollutant.

And will likely develop skills with:

  • Quantitative social science research and exposure to modern research toolsets.
  • Reproducible programming for scientific purposes, especially in dealing with spatial big data.
  • Tackling one of the toughest environmental problems of our time.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Choice of Remote & In-person work (on campus)

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Biology & Chemistry, Pre-Law, Sociology, Economics & Finance, Statistics, Web Design & Programming, Computer Science, Research

 

  1. UFHealth Cancer Center Office of Community Outreach & Engagement Internship (Summer & Fall)

By partnering with local community members, health systems, and patients and their families, the UF Health Cancer Center is reducing the burden of cancer in the 23 counties we serve, from prevention to survivorship. The Office of Community Outreach & Engagement (COE) forms partnerships with the community and scientists to support the development of community-responsive research and to increase awareness of and access to clinical trials, conducts outreach, improves access to evidence-based education and screening services, and increases access to evidence-based cancer screening services to address catchment needs and disparities.

Project CONTINUITY was launched to increase access to evidence-based cancer screenings, with an initial focus on cervical cancer screening, and HPV vaccine uptake in vulnerable populations. Beyond that, Project CONTINUITY ensures a connection to needed care for all individuals, across the continuum from screening through treatment, using tailored communications, community outreach and engagement, and clinical navigation services. By partnering with clinics that provide care in underserved communities, we can tailor high-quality care to each person, based on their social and healthcare needs, to link them to needed care and follow-up. We also help researchers design studies informed by community voice and perspective and by creating opportunities for community members to learn more about clinical trials. These efforts are made possible through collaboration between community leaders, local health care facilities, providers, and researchers.

By joining our team, you’ll advance your skills in:

  • Organization, planning, and teamwork
  • Communicating with diverse populations
  • Community outreach health program planning
  • Development of community facing program materials
  • Online research
  • Research project development.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person—Interns are able to attend our program’s community events, including one Gainesville community clinic approximately 6 miles from campus.

Other: Interns will need transportation to any Gainesville community events and clinics they attend.

Categories: Health & Medical, Marketing & Communication, Hands-On Internship, Research

 

  1. Improving Cervical Cancer Outcomes Globally (Fall Only)

The purpose of this research study is to understand the experiences of caregivers living with cervical cancer survivors in Kenya. We plan to interview 30 caregivers of women currently being treated for cervical cancer in Kenya about their experiences and needs. The interviews will be de-identified and transcribed. ALP interns will learn qualitative research methods, including the coding of qualitative data and analysis. Interns will prepare abstracts, manuscripts, and presentations to disseminate the findings of this research. Day-to-day activities will include coding and analyzing data, conducting literature reviews, writing manuscripts, and creating posters and PowerPoint presentations. Interns will also attend weekly lab meetings that will likely occur on Wednesday afternoons. We are excited to work with students interested in health, medicine, research, and gender studies.

Class Time:

  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person (on campus)

Other: Students should be prepared for in-person meetings on Wednesday afternoons, estimated time around 3-5pm

Categories: Health & Medical, Gender & Women’s Studies, Writing & English, Research

 

  1. Understanding Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy (HDP) using Electronic Health Records (Fall Only)

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a well-recognized cause of maternal morbidity that can persist after delivery and in some cases arise de novo in roughly 10% of pregnancies. Diagnosing HDP’s is accomplished routinely through a series of physical exams and blood pressure measurements. However, due to the rapid and unpredictable fluctuations in blood pressure, HDP can often evade diagnosis, thereby exposing the patient adverse health outcomes such as pulmonary edema or eclampsia following delivery. Despite the complexity of diagnosing HDP, there have been several novel developments using electronic health records (EHR) to predict the onset of complex diseases such as HDP. Machine learning approaches have been shown to provide advancements in disease diagnosis by learning from subtle features found in biomedical data. EHR is rich with longitudinal patient specific information that can be leveraged with these algorithms to help train a computer on complex associations between patient data and disease outcome without the need to clinician assistance. The goal of this project is focused on utilizing both structured, unstructured EHR data that includes routinely collected ultrasound images to detect HDP during early gestation and predict adverse maternal-infant health outcomes. The translational potential of this proposal is devoted to improving the time in which HDP is diagnosed in this critically important patient population. As part of the mom-baby EHR study, interns will lead the exploratory data analysis, develop a visual data dictionary and extend the EHR data to include UFHealth Jacksonville.

Interns with our project will:

  • Collect, wrangle, and visualize data, maintaining high levels of data integrity and accuracy.
  • Update and manage a RedCap database; including data entry, electronic survey development, and report building for participants.
  • Complete an independent research project based on available data.
  • Attend research meetings.

We are looking for team members who have:

  • Been enrolled in a degree program that provides a background in advanced statistical analysis of large data sets (including, but is not limited to, economics, finance, statistics, mathematics or computer science)—Required
  • R and/or Python programming experience—Required
  • Experience working with geospatial data in the simple features framework—Preferred, Not Required
  • Experience working with EHR data—Preferred, Not Required

Class Time:

  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person at On-Campus Lab

Other: List any required or preferred experience in the experience section of your application.

Categories: Health & Medical, Nutrition & Food, Statistics, Economics & Finance, Computer Science, Web Development & Programming, STEM, Sociology, Research

 

  1. Urban Greenspace Exploration: Mapping, Policy Analysis, and Biodiversity (Summer Only)

Join our groundbreaking project, “Urban Greenspace Exploration: Mapping, Policy Analysis, and Biodiversity,” as we embark on an ambitious journey to uncover the hidden dynamics of urban greenspaces. This innovative research initiative aims to delve deep into the management and practices shaping the biodiversity and ecosystem services of urban greenspaces across various cities. Through a meticulous blend of geospatial mapping, policy analysis, and biodiversity assessment, we seek to illuminate the intricate relationships between urban planning, greenspace management, and their collective impact on environmental sustainability.

Our project is driven by three core objectives:

  1. Systematic Mapping: To comprehensively map urban greenspaces within selected cities using Open Street Map data, accessible urban park layers, and aerial imagery, transforming these into detailed geospatial polygons.
  2. Policy Analysis: To extract and analyze policy documents relevant to the management of natural resources in each city, identifying key themes, strategies, and gaps in urban greenspace governance.
  3. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Evaluation: To understand how management practices influence biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services within urban greenspaces, fostering insights into sustainable urban development.

As a student intern on this project, you will be entrusted with a significant portion of this research. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Mapping Urban Greenspaces: Utilizing various data sources to systematically map greenspaces as geospatial polygons across three cities.
  • Gathering Policy Documents: Conducting thorough searches via Google, official city websites, and direct communications to collect policy documents related to urban greenspace management.
  • Policy Document Analysis: Quantifying and analyzing information from the gathered policy documents to identify trends, strategies, and management practices affecting urban greenspaces.

This project offers a unique opportunity to develop a broad set of skills, including:

  • Geospatial Analysis: Enhance your ability in GIS and remote sensing through the mapping of urban greenspaces.
  • Policy Research: Gain expertise in policy research, critical analysis, and synthesis, as you navigate through diverse sources to extract relevant information.
  • Data Management: Learn to effectively organize, manage, and analyze large datasets.
  • Collaborative Research: Work as part of a dedicated team, developing strong communication and teamwork skills.

By participating in this project, you will not only contribute to vital research on urban sustainability but also gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge geospatial and policy analysis techniques. This experience will be invaluable for students interested in urban planning, environmental science, public policy, and geography, offering a solid foundation for future academic or professional pursuits in these fields.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous

Format: Remote

Categories: Environmental Sciences, Sustainability, Politics, Sociology, STEM, Research

 

  1. Vena Cava (Summer & Fall)

Vena Cava Intentional Community is a heartwarming and welcoming home for celebrating in ceremony, where self-care meets self-actualization and developing projects with medicine for men and women we call friends. We curate events for traveling entrepreneurs and need help promoting our nonalcoholic conscious local events. Interns can help us with our marketing and design or planning, promoting, and coordinating events, like our nonalcoholic conscious events, healing ceremonies, and music festival celebrations. We look forward to working with you!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Thursdays P7-8 (1:55pm-3:50pm) and Tuesdays P8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Format: Both Remote and In-Person (at vena Cava ~ 3-4 miles from campus)

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Event Planning, Health & Medical

 

  1. Wearable Devices for Sleep and Activity Tracking Research (Summer & Fall)

We are excitedly looking for interns with computer science, statistics, and/or mathematics backgrounds with interest in data collection and analysis using wearable devices, including fitbit, oura ring, and apple watch. A large component of this project is data cleaning, data management, and data analyses using python, SPSS, R, SAS, or Matlab. We would prefer students with some basic knowledge of programming and some beginner to intermediate level experience with at least one of the mentioned programming languages or software—please let us know your experience on your application. Thanks!

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-person (on UF campus)

Categories: Computer Science, Statistics, Web Design & Programming, STEM, Engineering, Biology & Chemistry, Research

 

  1. Web Development and Social Media (Fall Only)

This project will focus on building technology by working with a nonprofit organization. Interns with this project will learn and use their skills to develop a website or web application as a service project. Interns will interact directly with the client and will be exposed to web development languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. By working with our project, you can boost your resume with a stand out project, develop web design skillsets, and help a local non-profit organization.

Class Time:

  • Fall: Tuesdays P5-6 (11:45am-1:40pm) and Thursdays P6 (12:50pm-1:40pm)

Format: Remote

Categories: Web Design & Programming, Computer Science, Hands-On Internship

 

  1. Xtraordinary JOY MOVE Masquerade Internship (Summer & Fall)

Xtraordinary JOY is a non-profit focused on funding research and outreach for ultra rare chromosome disorders like Xq27-28 deletion. Xtraordinary JOY typically holds 3 community events per year for all abilities. In addition, members of Xtraordinary JOY executive board and volunteers serve in other community events to support special needs organizations and populations. Some of the facets of the organization include raising awareness for the numerous conditions and disabilities within Xq27-28 deletion disorder (like autism, epilepsy, intellectual disability), fundraising, and hosting inclusive events that cater to special needs families. Summer and fall interns will specifically be helping market our fall event, an annual Masquerade Ball with silent and live auctions. This is our largest fundraiser to support our research efforts. We will work together to build our community support and partnerships by presenting the event opportunities to past and prospective companies and individuals. Interns will be using interest in fundraising and marketing to make asks in our community and online. Interns should be outgoing and willing to visit storefronts to ask for donations. Fall interns will get to be a part of the auction in person 11/2/24 and be organizing the items into packages as well as into our software.

Class Time:

  • Summer, Online Asynchronous
  • Fall: Tuesdays P9-10 (4:05pm-6:00pm) and Thursdays P10 (5:10pm-6:00pm)

Format: Both Remote & In-Person around Gainesville.

Categories: Community & Civic Engagement, Marketing & Communication, Event Planning, Health & Medical, Non-Profit Experience, Hands-On Internship