Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Habitat Restoration Specialists Internship, Owen Donnelly

College of the Environment Internship Reports

primarily the removal of a range of invasive species within the Pacific Northwest. Most of the work was conducted within King County on a mixture of county and privately owned land.

El Dorado Parks And Trails, Carley Zaragoza

College of the Environment Internship Reports

boat counts on the Coloma to Greenwood section of the river to quantify the use, assisting with documentation of the best management practice (BMPs) on the trail in the collector application, data collection on the Rubicon use and contacts on the Rubicon Trail, assisting with data collection from commercial companies and requirements of the River Management Plan such as water samples, flow information, use date private and commercial, and assisting with public education information on the River and Rubicon programs.

Canopy Cover Of Sehome Aboretum, Liz Zimmerman

College of the Environment Internship Reports

visualizing and analyzing data, focused on the canopy cover of Sehome Hill Arboretum. Under the advisement of Rebecca Bunn, and assistance of Stefan Freelan, Dave Knutson, and the City of Bellingham, I was able to obtain spatial imaging and remote sensing data. Using the ArcGISPro application, I categorized tree cover in the Arboretum over multiple years, through both remote sensing and visual delineation methods.

Washington Conservation Corps, Annalise Hill

College of the Environment Internship Reports

help restore and preserve our natural habitats while also educating others about the environment.

Nw Avalance Ctr/Elk Habitat Restoration, Ryan Ruklik

College of the Environment Internship Reports

introduce junior high school students to snow science, including avalanche science, snow algae, and climate change in a fun and interactive way.

to help restore elk habitat in the highlands of the Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forest in Idaho. This work came about due to a contract from RMEF to improve quaking aspen tree stands at high elevations.

Usfs Fire Crew Internship, Adriano De Olivera

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Wildfire has been an integral part of Western ecosystems for millennia. Lightning has and still does start most wildfires here in Washington. This sort of disturbance regime is natural, and important to resetting the biological stagnation of our ecosystems. When disturbances occur in a natural, infrequent matter, it promotes competition and biologic diversity within an ecosystem (Urban In Prep). Creatures and plants have evolved against this selective pressure, but things have changed. During the 20th century, the USFS ramped up its wildfire suppression efforts in response to an increase in activity due to the heavy logging during this era,

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group Riparian Restoration Intern, Connor Garrod

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Help ensure success of riparian restoration efforts in the Skagit River Basin.

North Sounds Baykeeper Intern - Resources, Shelby Johnson

College of the Environment Internship Reports

This internship involved pollution patrols, water sampling, stormwater monitoring, intertidal surveys, and beach cleanups. My educational goals for this internship included learning about water quality, data quantification, data management,
choosing and conducting surveys, and community outreach.

Deception Pass State Park Beach Naturalist Internship, Devon Bedard

College of the Environment Internship Reports

This internship program is designed to engage visitors of Deception Pass State Park through
informal interpretation as well as provide accessible knowledge of the local ecology and natural
history. A fundamental goal of the program as well as Marine stewardship and this is
accomplished through community engagement, educational opportunities, and active restoration
efforts in the Rosario tide pools

Gonatives! Research Internship, Miles Hyland

College of the Environment Internship Reports

This project focused on the relationship between soil biota, such as mycorrhizal fungi, bacteria, and other microorganisms, and the success of native plants grown in landscaped settings. In particular, we hoped to obtain data which might describe the mycorrhizal associations formed by target species, as well as their growth response to the introduction of native soil biota. This work will improve our understanding of how to grow certain plants, such as sea thrift (A.
maritima), that have proven difficult to maintain in native plant gardens and nurseries. My roles within this project were wide ranging, and included responsibilities such as …

Us Forest Service Intern, Kathleen Castleberry

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The main purpose of my work and the goal of the Forest Service, is to serve the people. That meant that I did what most benefited the public, protected the natural environment, and educated its visitors.

Upper Skagit Indian Tribe Baker And Shannon Lake Nutrient Analysis, Kiley Carrigan

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe (USIT) is pursuing the idea of fertilizing both Baker and Shannon Lake in Concrete, WA with the intention to enhance salmon production. Before inputting nutrients into the limnological systems, baseline data must be established to determine the current amount of nutrients within the lakes. The USIT has been contracting with the Institute of Watershed Studies’ lab to analyze water samples for this project.

Integrating And Institutionalizing Sustainability Programming Into University Residences, Dora Vaughan

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The institutionalization of the Residence Hall Reuse Program is a reality, and the increased awareness of the program demands expansion in software, supervision, inventory, and storage. The manual system will not support another year of reservations without compromising staff work boundaries and accessibility. We have begun looking into software creation and other options available for contracting.

Noaa Wdvcc Fisheries Internship, Antonio Jones

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The invasive European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) have spread from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, becoming a matter of concern in waterbodies throughout the Salish Sea. The possible establishment and growth of this invasive species poses risks to the native species, that thousands of people rely on for their livelihood and for the seafood industry in the Pacific Northwest. I completed and internship with the Northwest Straits Commission (NWSC) working in an emergency response trapping effort to trap invasive European Green Crabs (EGC) in Drayton Harbor, WA to help protect and conserve the native species from their devastating …

Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Internship, Nathan Fisher

College of the Environment Internship Reports

the goal of this voluntary initiative was to ensure that the natural resources of Lake
Whatcom, Lake Samish and other important bodies of water in the Bellingham area are preserved and
protected. In 2011 the Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea) was detected for the first time in Lake Whatcom,
sparking concern for some about future invasions. Aquatic Invasive species are non-native pathogens,
animals, and plants whose habitat is primarily the aquatic environment. Effects of the invaders can be
ranging. In extreme cases pathogens can be introduced to bodies of water frequented by swimmers. When
these pathogens come into contact with victims, …

Gonatives! Intern, Justin Mead

College of the Environment Internship Reports

I was an intern for GoNatives!, a plant nursery that raises and sells local botanicals to local public and private entities. The owner of GoNatives!, Don Norman, is interested in the mycorrhizal associations of several local plant species, including Rhododendrun macrophylum, Menziesia ferruginea, Cornus nuttallii, Paxistima myrsinites, Ceanothus velutinus, Achlys triphylla, Arbutus menziesii, Linnaea borealis, and Armeria maritima.

Noaa Hollings Internship - Nw Fisheries Science Center, Zofia Danielson

College of the Environment Internship Reports

learn how to develop research questions based on preexisting data, build my R statistical programming skills, analyze large datasets, continue to build my skillset in ArcGIS mapping software, and learn how to write and present a cohesive report of the results of this analysis. The objectives of the research project were to quantify patterns of vertical movement and activity level for Endangered Species Act-listed (ESA) yelloweye rockfish at hourly and seasonal scales and determine whether environmental covariates, such as currents, ocean temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, affect these patterns. This work resulted in a presentation a NOAA Hollings Scholar …

State Campaign Organizer: Washington Poor People's Campaign, Ian Lorenz

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The Poor People’s Campaign argues that the day-to-day inequalities experienced by the 140 million Americans living in poverty and low wealth result from systemic, structural, and interconnected forms of injustice. The campaign views poverty, systemic racism, militarism, and ecological devastation as fundamentally intertwined forces in society that act in concert to bring about unequal outcomes marginalizing millions of people. This argument is presented by the Poor People’s Campaign most clearly in a report published by the campaign and the Institute for Policy Studies in 2018- The Souls of Poor Folk: Auditing America 50 Years After The Poor People’s Campaign Challenged …

Wwu Research Intern - Investigating Particle Composition And Aquatic Chemistry Impacts On Microplastic Aggregation Behavior Through The Use Of Nanopolymer-Nanoparticle Composites, Mckenna Haney

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Understanding how microplastics act in environmental systems is of growing interest in the environmental toxicology field. Given the number of consumer and industrial grade plastic pollution, along with unknowns regarding their ability to sorb to other contaminants, it is key to understand how these microplastics behave in the environment. Microplastic pollution has the ability to not only negatively impact environmental health, but human health as well. Emerging results on microplastic trophic transfer alludes to the possibility that these plastics could trophic transfer (Athey et al., 2020). For example, when organisms are exposed to microplastics, along with the other contaminants sorb …

Studying The Characteristics Of Common Red Raspberry Fungal Pathogen, Botrytis Cinerea, Olivia Pells

College of the Environment Internship Reports

In the summer of 2022, I worked as a laboratory assistant on a project studying red raspberry fungus and was based at a Washington State University agricultural laboratory. During this internship I worked mostly in the lab and performed a variety of tasks and procedures primarily involving the fungus, Botrytis cinerea. Prior to my employment I set learning targets of improving my lab technique, time management, writing skills, and gaining a better understanding of the research process. All of these goals were achieved, and I was able to apply the skills I learned through university coursework in a practical setting …

Spectral Variability In Naturally Weathered Rock Surfaces And Implications For Mars, Sabrina Curtis

WWU Graduate School Collection

Rock weathering products are important clues for understanding past environmental conditions on Mars. They can be identified using reflectance spectroscopy because the formation of new minerals and textures on a rock surface will change its spectral signature. Previous studies demonstrate that the spectral signature of coated rock surfaces can vary with viewing geometry (the angle between incident and emitted light); however, these photometric effects have not been extensively characterized for naturally weathered rocks. My goal in this study is to quantify how both weathering and viewing geometry affect visible to near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra of a subset of naturally weathered …

Uav Remote Sensing Approaches To Mapping Glacier Ablation And Snow Algae Radiative Forcing In The North Cascades., Shannon Healy

WWU Graduate School Collection

The stability of our cryosphere relies on highly reflective snow surfaces that reflect solar radiation, thereby maintaining the energy balance of the earth. The advances in Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology allow for researchers to assess snow surfaces in remote terrain at unprecedented scales. With this thesis, we demonstrate the range of UAV applications to assess glacier ablation and map snow algae in the North Cascades. The first chapter employs a low-cost, light-weight UAV to measure ablation of the Sholes Glacier using Structure-from-Motion technology and validates the measurements with outlet stream discharge data collected by the Nooksack Indian Tribe. We …

Structural History Of The Bald Mountain Mining District, Nevada, Usa, David Paul Ryan

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Bald Mountain Mining district, like much of central Nevada, has experienced a complex deformation history. The mining district is considered here as a southern extension of the well-studied Carlin trend of gold deposits to the north. In order to gain a better understanding of how the Bald Mountain Mining District structural style relates to other structural models developed to the north in the Carlin trend, I completed a mapping and structural domain analysis in the district, with a focus on the North Mooney basin area where a high spatial concentration of Carlin-type gold deposits occur. The identification of structural …

City Of Bellingham - Aquatic Invasive Boat Inspection Intern, Lewis Rowlen

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Invasive species pose threats to ecosystems worldwide, which are often exacerbated by anthropogenic activities. As an aquatic invasive species boat inspector, I worked in an effort to prevent the spread of these harmful plants and animals into Bellingham’s local lakes. During the 2022 season, the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) team and I successfully intercepted many high-risk vessels set to enter local lakes. After these vessels were identified as a high risk of harboring aquatic invasive species, the vessels were decontaminated using a high-pressure hot-wash unit.

Couer D'Alane Tribe Water Resources, Jeremy Hays

College of the Environment Internship Reports

During my Internship with the Coeur d’Alene (CDA) Tribe (The Tribe Lake Management Department. I planned to learn about the extent, impact, and the effectiveness of treatments for aquatic invasive plants. I have primarily worked with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Water Resources Specialist, Ben Scofield, executing aquatic plant surveys on the Southern end of Coeur d’Alene Lake and several connected lakes and rivers. These surveys are performed twice a summer, before and after a harvester removes submerged vegetation, at the same sites to determine overall species composition and the distribution of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and its hybrid, as well …

North Cascades Institute Internship, Ellysen Mcfarland

College of the Environment Internship Reports

This fall I worked as a Mountain School Instructor at the North Cascades Institute, a nonprofit
organization with an Environmental Learning Center near Lake Diablo. The season began in late August
and ran through mid-December. The responsibilities as a mountain school instructor include designing
and delivering lessons about natural and cultural history, interconnectedness, social emotional learning,
art, and natural science topics including fluvial/alluvial valleys, watersheds, decomposition, web of life,
geology, and stream ecology. This season had unforeseen challenges due to an extremely long wildfire
season with fires near the Environmental Learning Center. As a result, I was not able to …

Whatcom Marine Resource Committee Intern, Stephen Hullin

College of the Environment Internship Reports

worked with Whatcom MRC on many different projects including public outings, events, beach cleanups, festivals, oyster surveys, and digital marketing. I generated digital media for volunteer recruitment for a beach cleanup on Lummi Island in July 2022. I was asked to create original works and send them to the committee for approval. I made 3 different flyers. The committee requested a photo be used, so the flyer with the photograph was used and published throughout the region.

Orca Conservancy, Alexandra Miller

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The organization I had the opportunity to intern for over the summer is called Orca Conservancy and the main goal they aim to achieve is to protect Southern Resident killer whales from extinction. Orca Conservancy is a Washington State 501c3 non-profit organization that started in 1996. Luckily for me, I got to work under chief scientist Dr. David Bain who has studied killer whales since 1978 and specializes in the effects of disturbance.

Kulshan Carbon Trust Regenerative Agriculture Business Intern, Jessica Espy

College of the Environment Internship Reports

The Kulshan Carbon Trust is a local Nonprofit organization. The KCT founders are Howard Sharfstein, Steve Hollenhorst, and Jessa Clark. KCTs mission “is to conserve and sequester carbon through collaborative natural climate solutions in Whatcom and Skagit Counties”. KCT plans to incorporate multiple Natural Climate Solutions to incentivize stakeholders to designate land for carbon sequestration. These Climate Solutions are “Forest Stewardship, Tree Planting & Growing, Biochar Supply, Regenerative Agriculture, and Blue Carbon (marine systems)”. The vision of KCT is “People working together to drawdown carbon in ways that regenerate the land and build prosperous communities”. Ultimately, KCT is interested in …

Padilla Bay Research Assistant, Lucas Lane

College of the Environment Internship Reports

Focuses on the characteristics of climate change on the two eelgrass species in the bay: Zostera Marina (Native eelgrass) and Zostera Japonica (non-native eelgrass). This was done by creating distribution models of the two species, with the data being created from multiple measurements. I assisted Jacqui with collecting these data and measurements for 2-3 days during low tide during each month. These data included imagery captured by Unoccupied Aerial Systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones, and in-situ elevation measurements of the sediment along with vegetative landcover surveys. The study area (an area already defined by Padilla Bay’s Research Reserve) was …