The Summer Intern Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) introduces undergraduate students to the complex environmental issues facing coastal ocean and estuarine systems globally. As part of William & Mary, VIMS has strong faculty commitment to excellence in education. The major objectives of the intern program conducted from 2020 to 2024 were to: (1) provide meaningful research and training opportunities for undergraduates in coastal marine science and (2) increase the participation of under-represented groups in the ocean sciences. Internships were available in the areas of marine ecology, biological and chemical oceanography, biogeochemistry, geological and physical oceanography, and marine policy. Student participants were recruited from throughout the United States and included individuals from under-represented groups, women, and those from non-research colleges and universities. The research activities of enrolled interns were mostly STEM-related, contemporary, and often resulted in peer-reviewed publications. A majority of interns rated their summer research experiences highly, and career trajectories of alumni demonstrated success.

The intellectual merit: The coastal ocean is an accessible natural laboratory, faces significant environmental pressures, and is of high socio-economic value to the nation. Through this intern program, we provided hands-on opportunities in coastal ocean science research training and STEM education for talented undergraduate students. Interns accepted into the program contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge through independent research and participation in ongoing long-term faculty research projects, including 37 conference presentations with REU intern co-authors with published abstracts (2016-2024), another 6 conference presentations without published abstracts or with REU interns acknowledged during that time frame, and 27 publications in peer-reviewed journals with REU intern co-authors (2016-2024). Several other publications and proposals with intern co-authors or contributors are in preparation.   

The broader impacts: The success and broader impacts of the program can be seen in our record of accomplishments over all funding cycles (including 2016-2024). NSF funds supported 218 interns for the period 1997-2015 and 94 students in 2016-2023. For students in the recent time frame, 46% were from ethnic or racial groups that are traditionally under-represented (URMs) in marine science (African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Native Pacific Islander, Asian). This helps to ensure a more diverse community of scientists and a well-prepared workforce in the future. Our successes with students from all groups, including those that are traditionally under-represented in the sciences, also have societal benefits. These students will likely be leaders in science, academia and other professional careers in the future. From our survey of VIMS REU Alumni Career Trajectories from 2016-2023, with 73 interns reporting (38% of which were under-represented minorities [URM]) of 94 matriculating, we documented that many REU alumni are in careers in ocean science, geoscience, or a related science (28% URM, 42% Maj). Both URM and majority (white, but not Hispanic or Latino) students pursue careers in science, but URMs tend to obtain jobs and/or pursue education in a greater variety of scientific fields than Ocean Science (e.g., ecology or engineering). URMs are seeking PhD degrees over Master's degrees, contrary to what has been seen in our previous comparisons presented in posters and oral presentations at the REU PI meetings and other national meetings for the 1997-2015 program years. No matter what career path they have chosen, participation in our REU program has better prepared our alumni to understand the science and technology issues that increasingly permeate all aspects of our lives.

Last Modified: 04/10/2024
Modified by: Rochelle D Seitz