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Opportunities, Research and Affiliations

Research in the Department

At any time in your search, you are encouraged to approach a faculty member for advice as well as to ask about pursuing independent research, either as a job (see Beyond Barnard) or as part of academic study.  We encourage you to make an appointment with departmental faculty either as co-Chairs, instructors, or  advisers.  There are opportunities during the year in the department as well as with affiliates, and many structured, paid opportunities over the summer months, such as through SRI or Lamont and Earth Institute programs.  See below for more info on how to organize your search, who to speak with, and where to go:

Summer internships & Senior research projects

We very strongly encourage all majors to do a summer internship between their junior and senior year. There are many opportunities discussed below for paid and unpaid internships. Many of these summer projects (but not all) might result in a senior thesis in the framework of the senior seminar.   If you know what you are going to work on for your senior thesis by early in the spring semester of your junior year, you can take the senior seminar in the sequence  spring (junior year) - fall (senior year). This allows you to bracket a summer internship, and  be better prepared for the summer.

How to find research opportunities

  • Find your passion: 
    - Did you read/learn about exciting research, did you meet any exciting researchers?
  • Define a few broader areas of interest
  • Find researchers that work in your fields of interest
    - Look at websites, authors of key papers, etc.
    - Local researchers might be easier to build a relationship with
    - Consider Barnard faculty members
  • You may wish to apply to formal internship programs, deadlines in January through March, typically, though some as early as December
  • Keep in mind that during the semester you can't get academic credit and get paid for the same work
  • Professors Stute and Mailloux can help with coordinating research opportunities (sign up for appointment)

Senior thesis website

Look at the Senior Thesis website to get an idea of what is happening down the line for information, like:

Columbia/Barnard based internships

  1. The Lamont Summer Intern Program for undergraduates from U.S. colleges and universities provides a summer research experience in Earth and ocean sciences. The program features a hands-on research project under the supervision of a Columbia-affiliated scientist, as well as special lectures, workshops and fieldtrips. When applying to this program you will compete with students from all over the country.  Our majors do well in this application process and usually perform this research in the summer of their Junior year as a basis for their Senior Thesis. This program is an REU, Research Experience for Undergraduates, and provides research opportunities funded by NSF. A stipend and campus housing is included.  Deadline is March 15.
     
  2. The Earth Intern Program for Columbia and Barnard undergraduates provides a summer research experience in Environmental sciences. The program features a hands-on research project under the supervision of an LDEO-affiliated scientist, as well as special lectures, workshops and fieldtrips. As BC/CU junior you have a very good chance being admitted for this research funded by the Earth Institute and our Junior majors usually use this research for their Senior Thesis. A stipend and campus housing is included. Deadline is March 15.
     
  3. Barnard's Summer Reasearch Institute, SRI, is a 10-week program for Barnard students who want to conduct scientific research over the summer.  Students work directly with a mentor at Barnard College, Columbia University, or other institutions. The SRI provides a common experience for students, providing additional training and opportunities to build skills, along with faculty lectures, alumnae panel discussions, social events, and more. Students receive funding, provided by grants, alumnae donors, the Office of the Provost.  Students interested in working in an external lab may do so, but must ask if the mentor can provide full or partial funding. Many of our Junior major SRI participants use their work as foundations for their Senior Thesis Projects. Subsidized campus housing is available for those who apply.

Details on applying to these program can be found under the links above. For information on other campus-wide research opportunities, check out Barnard's Research Opportunities page.

Other opportunities

Columbia University Undergraduate Departments

Here are a few Columbia University Departments, our majors frequently interact with

DEES The Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Columbia College.
E3B The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia College.
EEE The Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
SDEV Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development, Columbia College.

Columbia Earth Institute

The Columbia Earth Institute is an environmental Umbrella organization for the University of which our Department is an active participant, as are the Columbia undergratuate departments listed above.  The 24 Columbia-based research units and programs of the Earth Institute are home to over 850 scientists, students, postdoctoral fellows and staff working to advance understanding in engineering, biology, and earth, health, and social science. All of the complex interdisciplinary work of the Earth Institute is grounded in the hundreds of research projects based at these units and in these programs.

Institutes, Organizations and Projects

Arsenic Mobilization in Bangladesh Groundwater project
Black Rock Forest Consortium
Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges & Universities
Environmental Health Sciences at The Mailman School of Public Health
Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory
Summer Research Institute (SRI) at Barnard
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Other Web Resources

Study Abroad (Programs Approved by Barnard,  Scholarships for Study Abroad)
Selected Scholarships and Fellowships Guide, Office of the Dean of Studies
Outside Scholarships
Department of Earth and Environmental Science (CU) Graduate School Resources
Graduate School of Journalism and School of Arts and Sciences (CU)
School of International and Public Affairs (CU)
National Science Foundation (NSF) - search for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (Summer REU's), Glassdoor (Jobs & Careers)
Columbia Interactive - on-line seminars

Jobs and Internships

Beyond Barnard

Outside On-line Eco Job Resources:
Environmental Career Opportunities
The Environmental Careers Organization (eco.ORG) for Internships and Careers, including parnerships with governmental, corporate and nonprofit agencies. Also includes ECO publications on careers.
Environmental Jobs and Careers
EnviroLink
ScienceCareers - a weekly on-line publication of Science Online (AAAS, American Association for the Advancement of Science) devoted to scientific training and career development, providing global news, profiles of emerging careers, and advice from experts in the international scientific community. It includes a Search for Jobs, a free network of science jobs, resources and tips for developing a career and finding jobs.
National Science Foundation (NSF) - search for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (Summer REU's), Glassdoor (Jobs & Careers)
Orion Grassroots Jobsource for Jobs and Internships, a network of over 500 grassroots organizations; place-based work in conservation, education, restoration, and environmental justice.

Particular Programs:

Student Conservation Association - provides listing of conservation service opportunities, outdoor skills and leadership training.
Cooperative Center for Study Abroad - Consortium which offers Study Abroad Programs and Internships Abroad.
Greenpeace - listings of jobs and internships for the organization.
National Science Foundation (NSF) - Jobs and Careers at NSF, Glassdoor (Jobs Postings)
Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) connect to jobs with the PIRG your state.
Summer Internships in Sustainable Agriculture at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture in partnership with NC State University.

Other Resources

Environmental Data Exchange - One-stop shop for the exchange of environmental information on the web for environmental professionals.
Environmental Defense Fund - Environmental advocacy organization.
Environmental Protection Agency - US EPA Career and Internship Listings
National Environmental Directory - contains over 13,000 organizations in the US "concerned with environmental issues and envronmental education."
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) - Non profit that uses law, science, and the support of its 500000+ members to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to safeguard the Earth.
Orion Society - inform, inspire, and engage individuals and grassroots organizations to become significant cultural forces for healing nature and community. Their Orion Network provides services and support to over a thousand grassroots organizations engaged in ecological, social, and cultural change.
Public Interest Research Group for national issues and campaigns, updates and resources.
Wetlands Live ! Rainforest Live ! Oceans Live ! - Join students from the School for Field Studies on their semester-long learning expeditions with live field reports from around the world.
Women Oceanographers at Lamont-Doherty - Check out this site that Lamont-Doherty produced, featuring women in Oceanography.