Remote Environmental & Marine Internships | Intern Abroad HQ

What I enjoyed most about this internship was the fact that it was abroad (albeit online). Having internships where you're from is fun, but having an internship that's remote, in a country you're not used too, learning different techniques, and immersing yourself in a different culture is very interesting. I also enjoyed the flexibility that came with the remote internship because you could do it on your own time and created your own schedule. I also thinking that learning about photo identification and writing proposals was beneficially and gave me insight into what I want to do when I'm older.

I had been researching internship programs for students when, fortunately, I came across Intern Abroad HQ. Through this internship, my supervisor and I worked together very effectively. I was able to focus on refining my skills in identifying marine organisms based on their physical characteristics, as well as learning about various habitats. Furthermore, I gained practical experience in calculating the biodiversity of a community through hands-on application. Although we encountered some minor issues regarding scheduling conflicts during the process, everything proceeded smoothly thanks to effective communication. Consequently, this internship not only helped me enhance desired skills, such as species identification and data analysis, but also taught me how to communicate effectively when working with a partner. One thing that Intern Abroad HQ does exceptionally well, in my experience, is allowing interns to engage in a thorough process of self-reflection following their internship. The reflection questions are rigorous and meaningful, prompting interns to think critically and reflect deeply on both themselves and the organization with which they collaborated.

I enjoyed learning about dolphin conservation and this internship contributed toward my personal and professional development because l got experience to office work side of conservation and I gained experience in data analysis and photo ID.

I really enjoyed my remote internship in marine mammal research. I conducted a research project into Bottlenose and common dolphins. I did the 17 week part-time program so I had plenty of time to learn QGIS and start to get to grips with R. The skills I learned will be really valuable when I go on to study a PGCERT or Masters next.

This internship was an amazing experience. I made many friends from all over the globe and learned valuable skills for my career field. I loved participating in field surveys the most and will definitely use the experience gained in the future.

It was valuable to learn various methods and perspectives of sustainable farming via the remote Sustainable Farming internship (hosted out of Tanzania). I learned so many new techniques in the past 5 weeks that will be used daily in my life as a student and in my future career in international agriculture.

I enjoyed learning about fundraising strategies for coral reef conservation, which enhanced my understanding of non-profit work and professional skills in advocacy. I am happy too that there is a significant change in my understanding of fundraising and communication skills along with where the non-profit sector stands in the current world.

While I have wanted to pursue marine biology since I was a little girl, I’d never had any professional experience in the field before this internship. Every project and assignment that I was given only furthered the passion I have for the ocean and its inhabitants. My favorite part of the internship was experiencing research techniques and skills that real scientists utilize every day. Truly a life changing experience!

What I enjoyed most about the internship was the extensive amount of knowledge I gained. Throughout my internship I gained a deep understanding of a broad range of topics within the fields of marine law, international law, and climate change. My learning will no doubt help me professionally in the future.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this internship was the opportunity to work on real-world projects that made a tangible impact. I appreciated the supportive environment, where I was encouraged to ask questions, offer ideas, and collaborate with a team of motivated individuals. This internship helped me grow both personally and professionally. I gained practical skills in communication, research and outreach, developed greater confidence in my abilities, and gained valuable insight into the professional world. Overall, it was a rewarding experience that has helped shape my goals and prepared me for future challenges.

This placement has contributed towards my university placement year and has also prepared me for my following placement in Greece where I will completing similar work and activities.

My favorite outcome from the internship was the constant learning that I experienced. Whether the learning had to do with the more personal side or the actual internship side of things, there was always something new. The most significant learning point was finding a way to balance the workload from the internship and school. I learned how hard that it could be, but also how rewarding it was to do the internship.

What I enjoyed most about this internship was the independent research and study activities, because I was able to finally develop my scientific research and writing skills (without the immediate help of others).

This internship with Intern Abroad HQ has helped me to clarify my ideas and allowed me to decide to enroll in a marine biology master's degree program, this is to enable me to go after my dream job in the future.

I chose this program because it promised flexibility and career insight. I enjoyed a lot of independence and was able to work on a research project which was structured as realistically as possible. I enjoyed meeting my mentor and appreciate all I was able to learn from her. I think it is always beneficial to have some kind of experience to be successful in any work field. Since I started without any knowledge about scientific research with marine mammals, everything I was able to do, and that was shared with me by my mentor, was a learning point.

After doing this internship, I now feel more confident with my scientific writing skills, as well as more capable in writing literature reviews, and project proposals. I went into this remote internship experience feeling a little nervous but my supervisor was extremely understanding and there to assist me. The feedback I received will definitely help me in my field and I appreciate my supervisor for taking time out to review all my assignments. The feedback provided will be of great help to me academically in the future, since I'm planning on applying to a Master program in Marine & Environmental Science.

My remote internship has been a wonderful experience. I have loved connecting with professionals who work within my field of interest and learning about marine life conservation. I hope that one day I will be able to visit the Institute in person! As an intern, I worked within the environmental law and policy team. During this time, I researched dolphinariums and legislation pertaining to dolphins in captivity. Ultimately, this assisted with the organization's promotional and development work surrounding the new dolphin sanctuary being built in Greece. I think I underestimated how flexible the role was and I worried about this very much before I started. I loved how I could work on everything in my own time. I think I would advise others not to worry about this.

After doing this internship, I now feel more confident with my scientific writing skills, as well as more capable in writing literature reviews, and project proposals. I went into this remote internship experience feeling a little nervous but my supervisor was extremely understanding and there to assist me. The feedback I received will definitely help me in my field and I appreciate my supervisor for taking time out to review all my assignments. The feedback provided will be of great help to me academically in the future, since I'm planning on applying to a Master program in Marine & Environmental Science.

What I enjoyed most about this internship was the independent research and study activities, because I was able to finally develop my scientific research and writing skills (without the immediate help of others).

I chose this program because it promised flexibility and career insight. I enjoyed a lot of independence and was able to work on a research project which was structured as realistically as possible. I enjoyed meeting my mentor and appreciate all I was able to learn from her. I think it is always beneficial to have some kind of experience to be successful in any work field. Since I started without any knowledge about scientific research with marine mammals, everything I was able to do, and that was shared with me by my mentor, was a learning point.

My favorite outcome from the internship was the constant learning that I experienced. Whether the learning had to do with the more personal side or the actual internship side of things, there was always something new. The most significant learning point was finding a way to balance the workload from the internship and school. I learned how hard that it could be, but also how rewarding it was to do the internship.

It was a lot of work. The actual internship is actually conducted by a separate organization from InternAbroadHQ. The internship organization I was placed with did not respect the fact that I was only supposed to have a 5 week internship, which I submitted to them before beginning my internship. The on-site supervisor that I was placed with was unhelpful and rude. When her schedule conflicted with mine, it was always my fault. The scheduling issue where she got the most mad at me was caused by her being out of the office and had nothing to do with me.

I learned a lot about professional communication and how to work in a workplace with someone you are reporting to. I have also learned valuable skills in writing about research. I was able to construct my own literature review and research proposal. I was able to get feedback on these papers as well, helping me improve my skills. My host organization was always willing to meet with me if I needed anything. They made it clear that if I was ever confused or unsure of my tasks, they were more than willing to help me! During my research, I conducted my own research project using data collected from observations done in the Aegean Sea. I wrote both a literature review and research proposal in order to prepare for the study. I used a behavior cataloging software, BORIS, to collect data on the videos. Additionally, I used GIS mapping software to create maps to compare location of sightings to numerous variables. My biggest takeaway was learning how to use GIS software. A GIS class is a requirement in my major at university and I feel much more confident going into that class knowing that I have some experience with it.

It was so exciting to meet an international marine biologist working in conservation and to also see a research facility welcome young scientists from various locations. The remote option of this internship itself was brought up in conversation with my supervisor - she showed pride that her institute offered a remote option for those who can't travel at the moment and still gives those who seek experience in the field a great opportunity to expand their resume and connections. Going into my internship I thought because I would be working with a professional marine mammal institution that they wouldn't be as willing to help a remote intern as much because I would just be starting. However, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that if I need help, my supervisor is more than willing to provide it. If I could give myself advice or others who would want to pursue a remote internship, I would say don't be afraid to ask for help. Your placement institution wants to help you learn and gain experience for your future. It is very useful to email your supervisor frequently with questions and to not be afraid to reach out if you need it. To briefly describe my internship role, I looked at the seasonal behaviours of the Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) in Greece and compared the results to other papers for similarities and differences. I became familiar with scientific literature research and writing, as well as using the behaviour analysis software BORIS. In the short term, my experience can help identify the general behaviours displayed by local fauna and create a baseline for future studies. Long-term we can create a database of behaviours through seasonal, annual and diurnal research to provide evidence of population distribution, abundance and risks. The risks can be assessed and may be taken into consideration for future MPA's, fishery regulations and other conservation plans. This internship placement was a little overwhelming at first as there is definitely supervision but it isn't like school, it made me into an individual who took more initiative than before. My opportunities have opened faster because of these new skills obtained. In my future career, I hope to research shark behaviour and reproductive biology. This internship provided relevant experience that I can apply to my future career. This internship was perfect and was almost exactly what I want to pursue for the rest of my life.

My internship supervisor always showed me kindness and encouragement. Being the head of the Marine Mammal Research department, she had many other responsibilities but always made time to give me proper feedback and make sure that I was doing well throughout the internship. I am very grateful for her and all the work that she has done, not only for me but for the institute. My favorite memory or outcome from the internship has been seeing my hard work pay off in my final report. It looks professional and organized, and I had a very challenging time putting it all together and it is very rewarding knowing that I put in my best effort. I was able to complete this internship mostly independently and that instilled a new confidence in myself that I didn't have before. I know now that I am more than capable of figuring things out on my own and succeeding. My most significant learning points were the importance of communication and organization. Time management is something I got better at and will definitely continue to improve. I got more familiar with certain computer programs I may need in the future as well.

Having completed my internship, I have gained a huge amount of knowledge and awareness relating to marine mammals and conservation. The biggest part of my role was analyzing photos of dolphin fins to assess the quality of the photos, the type of fin and whether they were already included in the organization’s catalogue. By identifying and cataloguing individuals from a marine mammal species (such as the short-beaked common dolphin) the researchers could estimate the population in that study area to understand whether it has decreased or increased throughout the years. As a result, I feel more confident and comfortable talking to others in this field and feel I can act on matters that are relevant to my studies and my career. Overall, I feel more empowered in my field. Despite being restricted from doing physical field internships because of the pandemic, I am eager to learn more about marine conservation, and no obstacles will stop me from doing so. I think this will be beneficial in the future both on paper and in interviews, as it shows my eagerness and passion for marine conservation and my problem-solving skills.

The first week of my remote internship experience was very exciting. I had no idea what it would entail when I first started, but my supervisor was there to answer questions when I needed them. My main goal from this internship was to gain experience in a field that I have always been interested in and I definitely achieved that. Doing research with photo-ID has been something that intrigued me for a while and I was able to gain first-hand experience with it. My task was to devise a project that utilized photographic identification and present my findings. I was involved with assessing the data and coming up with a hypothesis that would be further studied. I chose seasonal variations within the Aegean Sea. I mapped the sightings and then categorized them by seasons. Then I divided the area in quadrants to get a representation of how many sightings of each season were in the quadrants. This provided more information on the dolphins within the study area as a short term benefit. This also could be a potential starting point for a longer term survey. If I were to stay in this position indefinitely, I would love to do further research on the seasonal variations of abundance and examine trends over a couple of years to assess the long term effects. I would also love to go more in depth about habitat preference and possible trends in that topic. From this remote internship, I now have experience I can use in future internships/jobs. I improved my communication skills and completed my first project that wasn't for school. From here, my goals are to gain more experience in this field with more internships. I want to learn as much as I can and I would love to expand my skills into other fields as well!

During my time as a remote intern, I was part of the Marine Mammal team. Under the direct supervision of the Marine Mammal Team Leader, I organized and identified individual bottlenose dolphins using five years of photo-id data. From the data I derived a study on individual association and population patterns of common bottlenose around the study area of Samos Island, Greece, in the eastern Mediterranean. Using statistical and spatial analyses, I examined the association rate, residency, and hotspot analysis of bottlenose dolphins around Samos Island. The results of this study and similar studies conducted by the Marine Institute of Conservation allow for future conservation tactics to be employed to ensure the security of common bottlenose dolphins within the Mediterranean as a whole. My favorite outcome from the internship would definitely have to be the research experience and the opportunity to work on such an important conservation matter. Another big takeaway was that it solidified that this is the field of work that I want to pursue for the rest of my life. Among the self-discoveries that were made during this remote internship (determination, drive, work ethic) I also learned more than I could have ever imagined, going into this remote internship position.

When I first started my remote internship, I thought it would be like learning like I am in school. I was highly wrong and I now know that I have the choice about everything in the remote internship - how I learn, do work, and thrive. I am very excited with all of the information given to me so far and I have the option to choose between which study I want to focus on. For example, doing a photo identification study of the short-beaked common dolphin population in the Mediterranean or a behavioral study using software to watch and log different common behaviors of the dolphins. Both options are very enticing to me! It is widely known that for a person in marine science to get a “good job,” they must complete internships and boost up their resume. With this internship, I will be able to expand my experience in marine related science, as well as increase my knowledge on how marine populations are surviving in this world. If I were to study the behaviors of cetaceans, I will be well-versed in software involving behavior monitoring, and connected to many people who I could work for. If I were to start the photo identification project, I will be able to get experience on population monitoring, which can increase my skills on knowing marine mammal populations across the world and deciphering between different individuals. With either of these studies, it can set me up perfectly for a job with other marine scientists after I graduate from college.

When considering my future and career goals, this current internship role is providing me with experience in marine research. The research project I will be working on is to do with seabirds as well as marine mammals which is really beneficial for me as I would like to go into seabird research. If I were to describe my internship, my main role is looking at the behavioural patterns observed between cetaceans and seabirds in the Aegean Sea. However I may also be involved with drone footage analysis. This role benefits the organisation because it provides them with further research and analysis. It also allows them to outsource any extra tasks such as drone image analysis in order to gain more data.