Native Bee Watch Community Science – Outreach and Education Internship
Front Range Region
Arapahoe
County
(Larimer)
- Natural Resources and Sustainability
- Equal time spent on-campus and in the field
Primary Topic:
Natural Resources and Sustainability
Other Topics:
Food and Agriculture
Internship Overview:
The overall goal of this internship is to immerse the student in all aspects of Extension educational programming and coordination, and applied research related to the Native Bee Watch Community Science program.
Pollinator populations are declining worldwide, partly due to urbanization and habitat loss. Bees, specifically, are crucial for sustainable ecosystems, necessitating the need to strengthen efforts in public awareness and engagement to mitigate continued declines. Native Bee Watch (NBW) is a community science program offered through CSU Extension that trains and supports volunteers to identify and monitor bees. As a multi-disciplinary collaboration, NBW’s overarching goal is to create a ripple effect of engagement and education based on ecological and social science research.
Pollinator populations are declining worldwide, partly due to urbanization and habitat loss. Bees, specifically, are crucial for sustainable ecosystems, necessitating the need to strengthen efforts in public awareness and engagement to mitigate continued declines. Native Bee Watch (NBW) is a community science program offered through CSU Extension that trains and supports volunteers to identify and monitor bees. As a multi-disciplinary collaboration, NBW’s overarching goal is to create a ripple effect of engagement and education based on ecological and social science research.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
This internship will focus on the education and outreach components of Native Bee Watch including:
1) coordinating the community science volunteers,
2) delivering virtual and in-person educational programming (e.g. presentations, videos, educational and marketing materials, informal science writing)
3) training volunteers (e.g. spot checking data accuracy and working one-on-one in the field with volunteers), and
4) collecting native bee data at a public garden site.
1) coordinating the community science volunteers,
2) delivering virtual and in-person educational programming (e.g. presentations, videos, educational and marketing materials, informal science writing)
3) training volunteers (e.g. spot checking data accuracy and working one-on-one in the field with volunteers), and
4) collecting native bee data at a public garden site.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
The intern will work closely with Arapahoe County Extension, Native Bee Watch volunteers, and Colorado Master Gardener volunteers and other community partners in the Front Range, such as botanical gardens and nature centers.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
The intern will gain experience with verbal and written communication, working as a team, and applied research and problem solving. They will also gain knowledge in the areas of pollinator conservation, horticulture issues as it relates to individuals and communities. Skills developed during the internship will be transferrable to other jobs and projects the student may pursue. The intern will also have the professional development opportunities to shadow staff in other program areas and will gain a broader understanding of the role of Extension interfacing with research and the community.
