Undergraduate Research Opportunities

We are excited to announce a paid undergraduate research opportunity focused on Agricultural and Farmworker Health for the Spring 2025 semester! This position offers a unique chance to gain hands-on experience in research while making a meaningful impact in agricultural communities.

Position Details:

• Compensation: $15 per hour for 10 hours per week
• Duration: Spring 2025, with potential to continue into the summer
• Preferred Background: Students with farmwork experience, those from farming families, or individuals with a strong interest in agricultural and farmworker health are encouraged to apply.

What You’ll Do: As a research assistant, you will collaborate with dedicated research mentors on a variety of community-engaged projects. You will

• learn to design and implement research projects,
• engage in team-based scientific approaches, and
• participate in a network mentor program with professionals and graduate students working in agricultural and farmworker health.

How to Apply: If you are interested, please email Catherine LePrevost at celeprev@ncsu.edu with your resume or any questions you may have.

This opportunity is funded by the NC Farmworker Health Program in NC Dep

Job description
The Crystal skipper (Atrytonopsis quinteri) is a small butterfly only found on a 50 km stretch of barrier islands on the North Carolina Crystal Coast. With the threat of sea level rise from climate change and increased urban development on the barrier islands, we need to 1) determine what limits Crystal skipper populations and 2) develop a rigorous monitoring program capable of detecting Crystal skipper population responses to environmental change or conservation action. Potential future conservation actions cannot be accurately implemented without this information. The students in this position will help overcome this knowledge gap by aiding in fieldwork. Specific activities include:

• surveying Crystal skippers using a variety of techniques including transect-based surveys and mark-recapture
• observing and handling Crystal skippers for demographic experiments and surveys
• measuring habitat and environmental variables
• estimating floral nectar production
• rearing Crystal skippers from egg to adulthood
• data entry
• contributing to outreach and communication activities related to the Crystal skipper
  

This position is supervised by Dr. Elsa Youngsteadt and Laura Taylor: http://youngsteadtlab.org/

Work location: Morehead City, NC (lodging will be provided); field sites range from Hammocks Beach State Park to Cape Lookout National Seashore

Required skills and qualifications

• Interest in entomology, biodiversity, climate change, or related fields
• Punctuality
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Ability to follow established protocols
• Ability to work outdoors in high heat and humidity
• Attention to detail
• Ability to handle small, live insects
• Valid driver’s license
• Desirable skills and experience
• Coursework in entomology, ecology or related fields
• Proven track record of accurate data entry
• Experience identifying butterflies and/or caterpillars

Hours: Up to 20 hr/week during the spring semester (March-April)
Full time in the summer
Salary: Anticipated hiring range: $13-14/hour
Lodging will be provided from March 17 – August 15, 2025
To apply: Send a resume, contact information for two references, and a paragraph explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position as a single PDF file named Lastname_Firstname.pdf. Submit applications to Laura Taylor at latayl25@ncsu.edu with subject line “Crystal skipper field technician.” Applications will be reviewed beginning December 12th, 2024 and the position will remain open until filled.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is offering the following summer internship opportunities for 2025. Interns will work closely with NCWRC staff, gaining valuable experience in applied management and conservation as well as hands-on
skills critical for future employment in the field of natural resources.

All internships will run for a duration of 10 weeks from May 19th through July 25th and will be paid at a rate of
$15/hour. Please note that working hours per week vary by position and housing will not be provided for any listed position. Positions requiring field work will have access to NCWRC vehicles with a valid driver’s license.

Minimum Requirements

• Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university.
• Applicants must carry a 2.5 or greater overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old by January 1, 2025.
• Applicants must be able to provide legal proof of identity and work authorization within three working days of employment.

How to Apply
Applicants should apply online. Please include a one-page cover letter, resume with two to three references, and unofficial transcript with application. Applicants may apply for up to three internships and will be asked to rank preferred positions. Deadline for application is 11:59 pm on January 24th, 2025. Applicants selected for an interview will be notified by 5 pm on February 10th. Questions about the internships or application process can be directed to research@ncwildlife.org.

NC State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology in Morehead City, NC enthusiastically supports undergraduate research. Our summer scholars programs provide undergraduate students with mentored opportunities to design independent research projects and gain hands on experiences in marine science.

With our faculty advisors, each student will:

• Design a summer research project addressing current issues in marine and coastal science;
• Participate in research implementation, data analysis, and effective presentation of results; and
• Gain an understanding for the logistical challenges, ethical issues, and positive rewards surrounding environmental research.

A description of programs at CMAST and our resident faculty can be found online at the CMAST website.

Our summer scholars programs are designed to broaden access and participation in undergraduate marine science education. The McClelan-Green Summer Fellows Program is open to all North Carolina undergraduate students at the university, college or community college level. The Bob Simpson Scholars Program is open all undergraduate students who identify as belonging to groups typically underrepresented in marine science. Selection for the program is based on expressed interest and a statement on why a summer research experience is personally and professionally important to the student.

The ten-week summer research program will begin May 27. 2025 and run through August 1, 2025. Housing is available at CMAST Coastal Quarters.

Students must APPLY ONLINE HERE. Students are required to upload the personal statement, academic transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable) or a copy of undergraduate courses taken, and provide contact information for two references. In your personal statement, please specify whether you are applying to the McClellan-Green or Bob Simpson program. This posting will be open until February 10, 2025. Applicants will be notified of our decision by early March 2025.

For further information about the program contact Dr. Tal Ben-Horin at tbenhor@ncsu.edu or Dr. David Eggleston at eggleston@ncsu.edu.

Topics: Stream Ecology, Aquatic insects
Supervisor/Lab: Alonso Ramirez
Email: alonso.ramirez@ncsu.edu
Lab website

We are studying the effects of water temperature on the growth and development of aquatic insects. Water temperature is increasing due to climate change and urban cover. While this is happening globally, in tropical regions these increases in temperature could have devastating effects. Tropical streams have constant and stable temperatures and aquatic biota are adapted to those stable thermal conditions. Temperature increases could push tropical aquatic insects beyond their tolerance limits. Students could support our ongoing research and explore potential projects using our laboratory setup.

Topics: Water Quality Monitoring, Imperiled Species Conservation, Aquatic Ecology
Supervisor/Lab: Greg Cope & Sean Buczek
Email: greg_cope@ncsu.edu
Yates Mill Aquatic Conservation Laboratory

This research opportunity will provide students with experience in both sample collection and laboratory analysis of water quality parameters as part of a newly established Tar and Neuse River Basin Water Quality Monitoring Project. The project is designed to evaluate water quality and physical habitat to improve the survival, growth, reproduction, and long-term health of mussels and other organisms reared at the YMACL and deployed at reintroduction sites in North Carolina. 

The student will assist with the implementation of a monitoring strategy developed to measure an array of standard physicochemical parameters, ecological and biological indicators, and stream morphological characteristics important for the reintroduction and restoration of priority species (Dwarf Wedgemussel, Yellow Lance, Atlantic Pigtoe, Tar River Spinymussel, Carolina Madtom, and Neuse River Waterdog) in the Tar and Neuse River Basins. Research information gained by this study will be used to identify the most significant factors contributing to population stability and current distributions across the Tar and Neuse River Basin. Assessing the relative importance of these factors may help us to predict future population trends under various environmental scenarios and guide targeted conservation efforts.

In addition to experience in standard analytical procedures, the student will become familiar with water quality regulations, data management, geomorphological assessment, and method development to characterize resource limitations for filter-feeding organisms.