Memphis-Area Biodiversity Researchers & Educators
2nd Meeting: Student Employment, Internships & Other Workforce Development
January 29, 2021
Goals: To identify new opportunities/partners for employment and workforce development, including biodiversity scientists, educators, and employers willing to mentor undergraduate and graduate students via internships, job shadowing, and other education/job training (unpaid, paid, course credit).
Organizations Represented (33 individuals attended):
AgLaunch Initiative
Agricenter
Christian Brothers University Department of Biology
Christian Brothers University Career Services
City of Memphis, Division of Public Works
Lichterman Nature Center
Lone Oaks Farm (University of Tennessee)
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park (state of TN)
Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Zoo
Museum of Science & History (incl. Pink Palace Museum)
Overton Park Conservancy
Pinecrest Camp & Conference Center
Pink Palace Museum
Rhodes College
Shelby County Schools
Strawberry Plains Mississippi Audubon Center
State of Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
Tennessee State University 4-H / Youth Development, Dept. of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
T.O. Fuller State Park (state of TN)
University of Memphis Department of Biological Sciences
University of Memphis Program in Bioinformatics
University of Memphis Center for Biodiversity Research
University of Memphis Agriculture & Food Technologies Research Cluster
University of Memphis Meeman Biological Station
University of Memphis Career Services
US-Biologic Inc.
Wolf River Conservancy
Outcomes: A questionnaire was completed by nearly all attendees and served as the basis for the information about opportunities listed below.
------------------
Opportunities: Memphis-area organizations offering biodiversity-related jobs, job shadowing, internships (paid, unpaid, course credit), & other training*
*Please send updates & edits to biodiversity(at)memphis.edu
AgLaunch Initiative
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training Possible
Contact Person
Yes
Yes
Yes. Potentially @ companies we work with
Yes
Jade Clark, jclark(at)aglaunch.com
Agricenter International
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes
Yes. Course credit possible in exchange for assisting with research trials 3-4 hr/week.
Maybe. Possibly part time. Science oriented & communication, education.
Maybe. Safety, education
Bruce Kirksey,
bkirksey(at)agricenter.org
City of Memphis
Department of Public Works
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes. Mploy (ages 14-22) & the Urban Fellows program (college students, recent grads)
Maybe
--
Maybe
Tyler Stegall, tyler.stegall(at)memphistn.gov
Lichterman Nature Center
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
--
Yes. Course credit possible.
Yes
--
Anne Ballentine, anne.ballentine(at)memphistn.gov
Memphis Botanic Garden
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes. Students hired seasonally.
Maybe. Tasks can vary, requires flexibility. Course credit possible.
Maybe
Yes. Training or educational programs, incl. Master Gardeners and Urban Forestry Advisors
Rick Pudwell, Rick.Pudwell(at)memphisbotanicgarden.com
Memphis Zoo
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes. Summer Conservation Research Internships, May 1- Aug 31.
Yes. Course credit possible.
Yes
Yes. Husbandry training. Day shadows, etc. Many possibilities.
Dr. Steve Reichling, sreichling(at)memphiszoo.org
Museums of Science & History
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Maybe. We receive interns through a program with the City of Memphis
Yes. Course credit possible.
--
Yes. Docent training for volunteer work
Alex Eilers, alex.eilers(at)memphistn.gov
Overton Park Conservancy
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact
--
Maybe. Fundraising, development, marketing/ events, forestry
Yes
--
info(at)overtonpark.org
Pinecrest Camp & Retreat Center
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Maybe
Yes
Yes. Including summer camp counselor positions (college students).
Yes. Wilderness First Aid cert. through NOLS. Outdoor ed/ EE programming.
Charity Siebert,
charity(at)camppinecrest.org
Shelby County Schools (STEM Programs)
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes. Through MPLOY and/or as tutors.
Yes. Work with teachers and/or programs within the district— STEM or science labs, tutoring, teacher assistants.
Maybe
Yes
Dedric McGhee, mcgheed(at)scsk12.org
Strawberry Plains Audubon Center
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Maybe
Yes. Must be paid or class credit.
Maybe. Seasonal.
--
Stephanie R. Green,
sgreen(at)audubon.org
TN Department of Environment & Conservation
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact
Yes
Yes
Yes. Contact the Nashville Office
Yes
T. O. Fuller State Park (Tennessee)
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
--
Yes
Yes
--
Jimmy Warren,
Jimmy.Warren(at)tn.gov or
Jessica Gossett,
Jessica.Gossett@tn.gov
University of Tennessee Lone Oaks Farm
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes. Several county extension offices offer student internships.
Yes. UTK may have placements for county based programs and at Lone Oaks farm.
Yes
Yes. Including agriculture, youth development, and family and consumer science.
John Toman, UTAgExtPersonnel(at)utk.edu.
U.S. Biologic Inc.
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Yes
Yes. For example, biotech, data analytics, marketing.
Yes
Yes
Chris Przybyszewski, chris.przybyszewski(at)usbiologic.com
University of Memphis
Department of Biological Sciences
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Maybe
Yes
--
Yes. Some faculty may be interested in offering short-term training seminars.
Eli Hatcher, hatcher2(at)memphis.edu
University of Memphis
Meeman Biological Station
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
Maybe
Yes. For students with a commitment to field and lab research.
Maybe. Conducting research with Dr. Bowers or for Meeman Biological Station.
Yes
Dr. Keith Bowers, ekbowers(at)memphis.edu
Wolf River Conservancy
Paid Internships
Unpaid Internships & Job Shadowing
Student Employment
Other Training
Contact Person
--
Yes
Maybe
--
Cathy Justis,
education (at)wolfriver.org
Memphis-area organizations with students potentially interested in biodiversity-related jobs, job shadowing, internships, & other training
Christian Brothers University Department of Biology
Contact Person
Amy Ware
aware1(at)cbu.edu
LeMoyne Owen College
Department of Natural & Mathematical Sciences
Contact Person
Dr. Sherry Painter
Rhodes College
Department of Biology
Contact Person
Dr. Sandi George Tracy
Tracy(at)rhodes.edu
https://www.rhodes.edu/student-life/services-and-support/career-services
Tennessee State University Extension
Contact Person
Dr. Thomas Broyles
tbroyle1(at)tnstate.edu
University of Memphis Department of Biological Sciences
Contact Person
Duane McKenna
dmckenna(at)memphis.edu
or
Eli Hatcher
hatcher2(at)memphis.edu
Contact Us
Center for Biodiversity Research (CBio)
3700 Walker Avenue
Memphis, TN 38111 USA
901-678-2581