The NOAA Fisheries Inclusive Fisheries InternSHip (IN FISH!) program is now accepting applications for the summer 2022 program. Launched in 2021, IN FISH! is a paid summer internship for diverse undergraduates interested in careers in:
- Fisheries
- Marine and environmental sciences
- Resource management
- Education
- Outreach
“We are excited about putting together another class of talented students who are considering careers in the kinds of science and management we do in NOAA Fisheries,” said Nicole Cabana, deputy director of NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “We know that a lot of bright, hard-working undergraduates are interested in the work we do, and we look forward to hosting students from colleges and universities across the country, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions,” she said.
The 2022 IN FISH! class will be announced in mid-March. Staff will visit campuses to meet potential applicants in January and early February, if pandemic conditions permit travel. In the meantime, IN FISH! staff are available now via video conference to answer questions and to talk with interested students and faculty. Inquiries about recruitment and application may be directed to our Academic Programs Office’s Help Desk.
The IN FISH! Program
Our IN FISH! interns take a two-credit course, work with a mentor on a science or management project, and participate in career-building workshops and symposia. At the end of the program, students present their project work in a symposium open to the public. Projects are tailored to meet the student’s interests and career goals.
The 2022 program runs from June 6 through August 12. Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST February 18, 2022. Late applications may be considered; however, we will give priority to those submitted by the deadline. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Participants receive a $5,000 stipend and tuition is covered. Travel, housing, and food expenses are also covered when the program is residential.
Organizers are planning for a residential program in 2022. We are prepared to offer parts or all of the program virtually if pandemic conditions do not allow for an in-person program. In 2021, pandemic conditions required a virtual program. Students took the course and did their projects while remaining in their home communities.
As a residential program, students will spend 2 weeks at the NOAA Fisheries James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. They take a course on complex systems and ecosystem dynamics, and participate in career-building workshops. When the course ends in mid-June, the students move to another community. They spend 8 weeks working on research or management projects with a mentor from NOAA or one of NOAA’s partner institutions. The labs and offices hosting the projects are located throughout the United States.
“We prefer bringing students together for the 2-week course and then sending them to the labs and offices of NOAA Fisheries and our partners throughout the country,” said Kwanza Johnson, project coordinator at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Academic Programs Office. “But we know from experience we can offer a good virtual program with students working from their home bases, should that be necessary.”
Training for NOAA Fisheries’ Future
“This collaborative program involves multiple partners—including Alaska Fisheries Science Center and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. With host institutions throughout the country, we are able to offer our interns a wide range of science and management experiences,” said Doug Mecum, acting regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Region.
IN FISH! was established by NOAA Fisheries in 2021 to increase diversity in its scientific and management communities. The program is open to all undergraduates. We especially encourage students from groups underrepresented in the scientific research and resource management fields to apply:
- African American
- Hispanic American
- Native American
- Asian Pacific Islander
- Alaska Native
IN FISH! is a collaborative program hosted by NOAA Fisheries in partnership with academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. Principal partners are:
- University of Maryland, Eastern Shore
- Gulf of Maine Research Institute
- Monmouth University
- NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region
“The IN FISH! program is designed to build a diverse cohort of students trained for careers with NOAA and NOAA Fisheries,” said Natalie Huff, director of the NOAA Fisheries Program for Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity. “It is critical to NOAA’s success that our scientists and managers in the 21st century are drawn from the full range of talent in the country.”
