Questionnaire for Undergraduate Students Interested in Research Experiences at HIMB

Questionnaire for High School Students Interested in Internships at HIMB

Things you should know: With the exception of a few grant-funded programs, most internship opportunities for high school students at HIMB are volunteer (i.e. unpaid) positions. Most faculty require a commitment of at least 3 months. It is generally understood that an academic year internship will be part-time, and a summer internship could be either part- or full-time. Students must reside or be able to reside on O‘ahu for the duration of the internship, with housing and transportation support independent of HIMB. Please see the attached list of projects for faculty that may have opportunities for high school students and determine with whom you would like to work. If an appropriate faculty member has space and feels you are a good match for their program, you will be contacted by them separately for an interview and further information.

Email: Phone:

Age: Academic Year (Fr/So/Jr/Sr):

High School attending/attended:

Science classes taken: Cumulative GPA:

Requested length of research internship:

Time-frame of requested internship (specify months and year):

I am interested ONLY in internships that are paid: Yes / No

Faculty with whom you would like to work (you may list up to three):

Any laboratory, field experience or special skills that you possess?

Are you comfortable in the water (snorkeling/free-diving?)

Contact information for one referee who is familiar with your school (e.g. teacher or mentor) or work experience (e.g. supervisor). Include name, affiliation, position, email, and phone number.

Any specific laboratory or field experience/skills that you are looking to acquire?

Please state your interests for wanting to participate in research at HIMB. Include your long-term educational and career goals.

Please return for via email to [email protected], or by mail to Dr. Malia Rivera, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawai‘i, 96744. HIMB faculty that may currently have positions for undergraduate interns:

Dr. Megan Donahue—The He‘eia fishpond (Loko I‘a o He‘eia) is one of a few functional fishponds that remain of the hundreds that were established by native Hawaiians before western contact. Fishponds, which typically enclose a part of the nearshore reef environment with a rock wall, were a critical resource in the native Hawaiian ahupua‘a land management system, providing a continual source of fish protein throughout seasonal fluctuations in food availability in the nearshore environment. The fishpond itself is a dynamic estuarine system in which salinity, sedimentation, and nutrient availability depend on freshwater inputs from He‘eia stream and tidal fluctuations. Since western contact, land-use change and introduced species have radically affected the fishpond food web, challenging traditional management practices. In collaboration with other UH researchers and community groups, our lab is studying the function of this new food web to understand (i) how spatial and temporal environmental variation within the fishpond influences food web structure and function, and (ii) how today's fishpond managers can use this information to more effectively manage the fishpond today.

In general, the student volunteers would be assisting Dr. Donahue’s graduate students with fieldwork and lab work for food web studies in He‘eia fishpond or on lab work for bioerosion studies in Kāne‘ohe Bay. A commitment of 2 months in the summer or 6 months during the academic year would be appropriate.

Dr. Mary Hagedorn—The Hagedorn Lab at HIMB works on cryopreservation (tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures) of genetic material of coral and fish. This includes sperm, embryos, stem cells and adult tissue. Cryopreservation is important for both conservation purposes, as in the coral species that we work on and medical and other research purposes as in our fish research.

Internships with our lab range can range from a few hours each weekend, helping to care for our fish colony, to 20+ hours per week during the summer months helping with coral spawning events and cryopreservation experiments. Hours will depend on students’ interests and availability.

Mr. Mark Heckman—The HIMB Community Education Program accepts volunteers to lead tours for school groups and the public, and work on infrastructure and program support projects. CEP utilizes high school age volunteers (15 years old and up) on a very limited basis as suitable program need arises and staffing is available to mentor them. Tours are generally in the morning hours. Schedules are negotiable.

Dr. Stephen Karl—Research in Dr. Karl’s laboratory is focused on using genetic tools to uncover attributes of basic ecology that would be difficult or impossible by traditional means. Although we focus on marine organisms, my students have worked on variety of organisms such as snakes, sea turtles, coral, fish, and even plants.

To volunteer in Dr. Karl’s lab, students would be required to commit to a minimum of one day a week (either full day or 2 half days) for a minimum of 3 months.

Please return for via email to [email protected], or by mail to Dr. Malia Rivera, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawai‘i, 96744. Dr. Judy Lemus—The Laulima A ‘Ike Pono programs offers eight internship positions every 6 months to work with HIMB researchers in He‘eia fishpond. The research focuses on biological and geochemical processes in the fishpond with the goal of understanding how it may be restored to a fully functioning fishpond in the future. Interns work 8 hours per week for 6 months (Jan - June or July - Dec). Applications are accepted in May and November of each year. Please check the Laulima A ‘Ike Pono website for details and applications. http://www.hawaii.edu/HIMB/Education/LAIP.html

Dr. Malia Rivera—The HIMB Research Experiences in Marine Science Summer Program is an intensive five-week training program providing Hawai‘i high school students, recent graduates or early undergraduates with hands on experience in selected marine science research based on ongoing HIMB research. For more information, please see http://www2.hawaii.edu/~himbed/summer-course.html

Dr. Rivera also has limited research internships relating to urchin spawning and population genetic studies on Hawaiian fish. Work may involve field collecting, animal care, preparing samples, DNA extraction, PCR and DNA sequencing.

Dr. Clyde Tamaru—Dr. Tamaru’s lab has several volunteer opportunities. Students can work on a project to assess biodiversity in Kaelepulu Stream. This work would involve analysis of samples taken both in the field (e.g. Enchanted Lake) and also at HIMB. Other options include helping to maintain ‘Ōpakapaka broodstock that is part of a stock enhancement program on Hawaiian bottomfish, or to investigate the marine aquaponic technologies.

Students would need to be able to work in the mornings (approximately 8AM-12PM). Dr. Tamaru can be somewhat flexible on the hours but it is important that students keep to a schedule once one is decided upon.

Please return for via email to [email protected], or by mail to Dr. Malia Rivera, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kāne‘ohe, Hawai‘i, 96744.