NEVBD

Internship Duration

Summer internships occur over a 10-week period, starting in June 2024. Specific start dates may vary based on internship location and field site partner.

Work Hours

Generally, interns will be expected to work day shift hours Monday through Friday. Some variation may happen based on internship site location and project activities.

Interns are expected to contribute a minimum of 30 hours and maximum of 40 hours per week on internship activities.

Enrichment Activities

• Complete a weekly ‘blog’ providing short summaries of internship activities and what you have learned; this blog will be available to you after the internship is completed as part of your professional portfolio.
• Participate in a monthly video-linked seminar with other NEVBD interns and trainees.
• Complete evaluation surveys at the beginning and end of the internship period.

Each student who completes the internship experience will receive a certificate of completion from NEVBD.

Minimum Qualifications

• Age 18 or older.
• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a community college or accredited university OR graduated from an undergraduate program within the past year.
• In good academic standing (GPA of 3.0+). If your GPA is not 3.0 or higher and there are extenuating circumstances, please apply and provide a brief explanation of your special circumstances that requires attention.
• Licensed to drive in your current state of residence.
• Able to meet the time commitment for the entire 10-week internship period.
• Able to meet physical requirements of internship, which may include walking in uneven terrain, lifting up to 50 lbs, and working in variable outoor conditions.
• Interest in biological sciences and/or public health.

Desired Qualifications

• A background or prior experience in biological sciences and/or public health is desirable, but not required.

Applications for the 2024 program are now closed.

Selected applicants will receive a stipend that includes financial support for living expenses and travel. Stipends will be provided through Cornell University Department of Entomology.

• A stipend of $7,000 will be provided for the 10-week internship period.
• Stipend amounts will be increased for internship placements in areas with high costs of living, such as New York City.
• Interns will have access to up to $500 to offset travel costs associated with the completion of this internship experience.

Students are responsible for their own transportation and housing as well as costs associated with relocation to internship sites. Resources will be provided to help interns search for housing options in the area of their internship field site, if required.

MaineHealth Lyme & Vector-Borne Disease Lab, Scarborough, Maine

• Intern: Samuel Payne
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: Participate in sample collection of both tick and mosquito species relevant to public health and animal health concerns in Maine. Participate in identification of important vector species that will be sent to the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Labortory or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing. Keep detailed documentation of survey work, including related environmental information at survey sites, and assist with data entry. Participate in meetings of the vector-borne working group.

Visit Sam’s summer blog

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets, Environmental Surveillance Division, Montpelier, Vermont

• Intern: Ramsey Anis
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: 1) Culiseta melanura bloodmeal study in collaboration with the CDC. 2) Routine mosquito surveillance (WNV/EEE). 3) Larval mosquito collections for reference collection. 4) Summer tick surveillance. 5) Aedes albopictus oviposition survey. 6) Go out with all field technicians once to see all the mosquito sites in VT. 7) Go out with all field technicians once to see all the mosquito sites in VT.

Visit Ramsey’s summer blog

Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project, Northborough, Massachusetts

• Interns: Aoife Fitzgerald and Audrey Fletcher
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: Become familiar with the operation of a comprehensive mosquito surveillance program, including trapping techniques for abundance data and arbovirus monitoring. Learn mosquito species identification practices and proper specimen handling for West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis testing. Aim to demonstrate an understanding of the WNV & EEE arbovirus cycles, and be able to educate the public encountered in the field. Gain the ability to identify and inspect species specific habitats, for both adult and larvae stages. Participate in pesticide resistance monitoring projects.

Visit Aoife’s summer blog

Visit Audrey’s summer blog

Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project, Yarmouthport, Massachusetts

• Intern: David Piccirilli
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: Obtain a Massachussetts pesticide applicator license and participate in larval surveillance and larvicide applications. Conduct adult surveillance using CDC light traps, gravid traps, and resting boxes. Identify adult mosquitoes to species. Collect egg rafts for use in insecticide resistance bioassays. Set and maintain ovitraps, rear the eggs to larvae, and identify larvae to determine presence of invasive mosquito species.

Visit David’s summer blog

Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Arthropod-Borne Disease Lab, Yaphank, New York

• Intern: Michael Bianchi
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: Participate in a variety of activities in the laboratoy and the field. Work individually and as part of a team to collect, identify, and process mosquitoes and ticks for pathogen analysis. Additional duties will include data analysis, data entry and related laboratory functions. Participate in additional projects as time allows.

Visit Michael’s summer blog

Hunterdon County Mosquito and Vector Control Program, Flemington, New Jersey

• Intern: Abigail Golembiewski
• Dates: June 3 to August 9, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: 1) Assist the program in collecting larvae and adult black flies. Learn the basics of black fly identification and technique involved with preserving/organizing specimens for reference and regulatory purposes. 2) Assist in conducting experiments to understand optimal concentrations of larvicide for Asian tiger mosquito control. Compare control laboratory concentrations of insecticide to concentations used in field operations.

Visit Abigail’s summer blog

New Jersey Office of Mosquito Control Coordination, Trenton, New Jersey

• Intern: Drake Guo
• Dates: June 26 to September 4, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: Learn about and participate in vector surveillance and control practces in NJ. Assist personnel with vector monitoring and help process samples for arboviral testing. Participate in field research studies, and learn how decisions are made regarding the need for control practices.

Visit Drake’s summer blog

University of Maryland Department of Entomology, College Park, Maryland

• Intern: Ellen Osterman
• Dates: May 28 to August 2, 2024
• Objectives and Work Plan: 1) Describe the life cycle and ecology of common mosquito vectors of disease in the state of Maryland. 2) Describe multiple approaches to mosquito trapping/sampling and determine which trapping method to use based on a vector surveillance objective. 3) Deploy mosquito traps and collect trapped samples at surveillance sites in the Washington D.C. metropolitan region. 4) Morphologically identify trapped mosquitoes to genus using a mosquito identification key. 5) Use molecular techniques to identify morphologically similar mosquitoes to species level. 6) Learn and implement best practices for data collection and storage in scientific research. 7) Summarize the results of their surveillance activities that were collected during the 10- week internship period.

Visit Ellen’s summer blog