The Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) is dedicated to the study of tropical and temperate forest function and diversity and global climate change. The multi-institutional network comprises 74 forest research sites in 28 countries across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. ForestGEO is one of several institutions involved in the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments-Tropics (NGEE-Tropics), a ten-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER). NGEE-Tropics aims to fill critical gaps in knowledge of tropical forest-climate system interactions.
This is a paid internship opportunity wherein the intern will learn about fieldwork logistics, tree physiology, laboratory analysis, as well as data management and analysis. The intern will support Dr. Eugénie Mas during her fieldwork in the NGEE-Tropics site at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Malaysia. Together, they will measure various tree physiological traits and might perform some water extraction analysis with a local laboratory from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). The intern will be expected to travel to Malaysia for 3-4 weeks in May 2025.
While in the ForestGEO office in Washington DC, the intern will review, clean, and analyze the collected data.
The intern should have familiarity with Microsoft Excel and basics of ecology and botany. The intern should have experience with fieldwork and working in remote places. Experience with R programming language would be an advantage. The intern will work under the supervision of Dr. Eugénie Mas, Postdoctoral Fellow at ForestGEO and NGEE-Tropics.
Learning Objectives: Through this internship, the intern will
- Develop critical skills associated with fieldwork planning and physiological measurements;
- Develop computational skill on data analysis;
- Learn about the diversity and the ecology of tropical forests;
- Develop understanding of research workflows;
- Gain exposure to non-profit, international program by collaborating with STRI, FRIM and global partners.
Experience: Experience will be best suited for candidates to whom the following applies:
- Students who are enrolled in a four-year college or university or recent college graduates
- Students with a solid understanding of MS Office and R
- Students with experience on fieldwork in remote places
- Students with an interest in refining their knowledge of:
- Tree physiology
- International collaborations and partnerships
Office Location: ForestGEO Office (Botany department), Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Desired Hours: Full-time or part-time, ideally three full days/week minimum, telework negotiable.
Timeframe: Six-month internship (Approximately April - September 2025)
Project Point of Contact: Dr. Eugénie Mas will provide mentoring and management.
To apply: Send a single PDF file containing a cover letter and CV/resume to Lauren Krizel, ForestGEO Program Manager, krizell@si.edu. Closing date for applications is 8 February 2025.
