The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, 91¸£Àû.
- Virtual attendance: Complete the to receive Zoom connection information.
- In-person attendance: Attendees must follow 91¸£Àû’s COVID-19 guidelines.
Speakers:
- Jessica Jansujwicz, Assistant Director of Research Maine Sea Grant, Project Coordinator, Internship Program
- Student Interns
A new generation of leaders and problem-solvers is needed to address challenges related to sustainability, conservation, climate change, public health, and other complex issues. In this talk, we will share stories and lessons learned from a pilot internship program that provides students with hands-on experiences tackling real-world problems in Maine. Interns participated in a variety of collaborative projects, such as building GIS tools to help strengthen community resilience; tackling a town’s unsustainable solid waste stream; and assessing training priorities for new fishermen and aquaculture farmers. Key components of the program include co-mentorship of students by internship partners and 91¸£Àû faculty, and additional training in leadership, collaboration, and communication. Students gained new skills collaborating with diverse partners and learned the value of connecting different kinds of knowledge and know-how in solving complex problems. Emerging outcomes from this new effort highlight the value of internships in supporting the professional development of future leaders.