Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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.

The Yates Mill Aquatic Conservation Laboratory exists to promote conservation of North Carolina’s most imperiled freshwater species through propagation, research, education, and public outreach.  We work primarily with rare freshwater mussels, but also snails and rare fishes.  Volunteer opportunities exist for undergraduate students interested in aquatic ecology and able to commit to a regular and recurring schedule.  These opportunities can range from assistance with aquatic animal care up to conducting an individual research project under the supervision of lab staff.  Students may pursue an area of our work they find most engaging, but available research topics will vary by time of year, overall time commitment, and aptitude.  Interested individuals should contact:  Chris Eads (chris_eads@ncsu.edu).

The research focus of the NC State Apiculture program is to further our understanding of honey bee biology and to better our ability of bee management. To accomplish these goals, we are involved in various experiments that range from highly technical and theoretical to very applied and useful for the average beekeeper. 

Currently we have active projects exploring:

• the social interactions among honey bees and the resultant exchange of chemical agents such as antibiotics throughout the hive
• honey bee male life history and immunological responses to observe physiological trade-offs in reproduction and survival
• the response of pollinator communities in agricultural refugia to environmental perturbation such as flooding
• methods to modify nesting behavior in urban pollinators
• antibiotic efficacy testing for honey bee fungal pathogens. 

We’re especially looking for students that are interested in multi-level observations of bees from the community down through to physiology that addresses real-world problems in conservation, apiculture, and human-animal interactions.

Interested in getting involved? Our season typically starts in late spring and runs through the summer. For information on available opportunities in the lab, email: Bradley Metz (bnmetz@ncsu.edu)