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AGI's 2020 Remote Summer Internships Provide Geoscience Policy Experience

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomes four geoscience university students to an innovative remote adaptation of the traditional AGI/AAPG Geoscience Policy Summer Internship and AGI/Paleontological Society Policy Internship.

Because of limitations presented by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, AGI has retooled its geoscience internships to be conducted remotely while still providing policy-relevant experience.

“We are pleased to have four very talented young geoscientists joining us this summer to work on projects to support the geosciences’ role in policy making,” says AGI Director of Geoscience Profession and Higher Education Christopher Keane. “The generous support of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Paleontological Society, and the AGI Foundation has been key to making these opportunities available.”

The four individuals who are participating this summer are:

  • Lyndsey Farrar, MS in geology from Miami University (2019), is creating guidelines for museums on accessioning and managing physical collections, especially orphaned and specialty collections as part of the AGI/Paleontological Society Policy Internship Program.
  • Stephanie Plaza-Torres, BS in geology from University of Puerto Rico (2019), is creating a parallel effort on the issues of digital data and metadata relative to paleontological collections and how these relate to their value to researchers and museums. Her work is part of the AGI/Paleontological Society Policy Internship Program.
  • Anthony Guajardo, master’s student in geology with a focus on geophysics at Northern Illinois University, is leading efforts in policy factsheet development supported by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association and the American Association of State Geologists. His work is being supported by the Critical Issues Program as part of the Center for Geoscience and Society.
  • Emilie Sinkler, PhD in geophysics, scientific teaching, and outreach from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (expected 2021), is leading the AGI’s 2020 Geoscience for America’s Critical Needs document to completion and will be working with key election campaigns to ensure geoscience is considered in their science platforms. Her internship is part of the AGI/AAPG Geoscience Policy Internship Program.

For more than 20 years, with generous support from various organizations, AGI has offered internships to students and early-career geoscientists. Learn more about AGI internships and fellowships online at https://www.americangeosciences.org/workforce/internships