Internships in Puerto Maldonado, Peru

I did a volunteer internship with ASA in 2024, and learned so much. Being in the Amazon itself is a blessing, and the environment is teeming with incredible wildlife. It was also wonderful to engage with Peruvian scientistis, as well as fellow interns from all over the world. I feel like our discussions and preparatory readings helped to frame the context of where we were, and allowed us to better understand the uncertainty over its future. The opportunity to work on and develop our own independent projects was special, and I felt like it was guided in a very informative way. Amenities were adequate, though rustic and not always reliable. Program managment and communication was also somewhat sporadic, though was very structured at the beginning of the program. The experiences I had on this program forever changed my worldview, and inspired to me to continue with tropical field research. I would not have been the same without it.

Great opportunity for students to get hands on experience outside of a typical classroom environment. Staff was amazing in educating students on sustainability in the amazon as well as supporting intern research projects. There was also great support and communication even before arriving in Peru, everyone was always responsive. Living area was well organized and managed and the food was amazing!