The Summer@Rice program is accepting applications for the 2025 season. Internships are open to students in all majors, with a preference given to those with a strong interest in avian ecology, conservation or natural resource management.

The program consists of:

Field Research
Experience being part of a research team, learn valuable field-based skills and expand your professional network. There is opportunity to engage in ecological studies with faculty at Rice Rivers Center and their community partners. Students will develop individual or group research projects with faculty and graduate student mentors. Center research will average three days a week, beginning in mid-May and will run through early August. Some travel to field sites will be required. Interns will receive a stipend of $2,500.00 to help defray costs.

Field Excursions
Faculty, mentors and interns will spend seven days in June camping, hiking and learning about raptor field research and Appalachian ecology at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Kempton, Pennsylvania. The first four days will include an intensive raptor techniques workshop led by sanctuary biologists, followed by a two-night backpacking expedition to explore the 2,600-acre research station and international conservation training center.

Fall Class
Interns will enroll in a 0 credit Internship (BIOL 493) for the 2025 summer session, and a 3-credit Special Topics (BIOL 591) for Fall semester. The fall course will be dedicated to completing final project reports and participating in guided reflection, based on the Summer@Rice internship experiences.

More details can be found in the Symposium Information Packet.

To apply, email a resume, cover letter and contact information with two references as a single PDF to Dr. Cathy Viverette (cbvivere@vcu.edu) by April 2, 2025.