About the Internship Program
Internships bridge academic achievement and professional employment by providing students with the opportunity to build and gain practical experience. While the experience does not guarantee employment after graduation, students will find that their internship experiences will count toward locating employment and establishing a foundation for networking.
Student Spotlight
• From San Clemente, CA
• Researching laser systems’ ability to detect physiological changes in a water fern caused by lead contamination
• Research mentor: Dr. Herietta Dulai and grad student Kelly Traux
• Funded by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)
Click here to read more about our students’ research and internship experiences.
Internship Program Details
ATMO/ERTH/OCN 395
Students may choose to receive college credit for certain internships and research initiatives through ATMO/ERTH/OCN 395. The student’s internship must be affiliated with an employer or advisor outside of UH Mānoa and must be unpaid.
395 can count towards 1-3 college credits. One credit is considered the equivalent of 4 hours of work per week (and 64 hours over a 16-week semester).
For example, a student that enrolls in 2 credits of 395 is expected to work 2 credits x 4 hours/week x 16 weeks = 128 hours over the semester.
SOEST will provide information on available internships on a regular basis. Students are required to apply for the internship and submit necessary requirements. The host employer will make the final selection and placements are not guaranteed.
For more information, contact Heather Saito at 808-956-8763 or hsaito2@hawaii.edu.
Visit the guidelines for host agencies.
Forms to download:
- General Syllabus 395
- Internship Evaluation Form (updated 05-19-23)
- Internship PreApproval Form
ATMO/ERTH/OCN 499
For students completing internships and research affiliated with an employer or advisor at UH Mānoa and if the project corresponds with the student’s research thesis, they may receive college credit through ATMO/ERTH/OCN 499. The Earth Science: Basic Sciences and Research (BS) and the Global Environmental Science (BS) programs both have required research dissertations as the last step to awarding the student’s degree.
For more information, contact your department advisor.
Past Internship Experiences
Why participate in an internship? Mariko Quinn shares
her experience at the Hagedorn Lab at HIMB (YouTube)
Gisele Henry on her second internship at the Maui Ocean
Center Marine Institute (YouTube)
Environmental Earth Sciences student Emma DeBenedictis
on her experience as an intern with STEMworks (YouTube)
“I’m majoring in Atmospheric Sciences because I was always interested in the weather since I was a young kid. I enjoy surfing, diving and fishing so knowing this is very important.”
— SOEST undergraduate
