2022 Young Summer Scholars

Summer brings a bevy of scholars to NCEI from locations around the country. Their work ranges far and wide: studying harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, combating climate injustice via policy, bettering scientific communications, and supporting renewable energy are just some projects these students have taken on in 2022. Get to know our scholars!

Cooperative Institute Internships

Internships are arranged through several of our cooperative partner institutions including the Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, and the Northern Gulf Institute. This summer, ten students are working virtually through our cooperative partner institutions to contribute to the improvement of climate science tools and research:

• Liem Nguyen is a University of Maryland undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Nguyen is creating an automation program for linking NOAA projects to the NCEI archive and on a data access tool for the North American coastal climatologies. 
• Trey Williamson is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Health. Williamson is using community-based research to support local community action and policy changes to address climate injustices.
• Karla Weidner is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Health. Weidner is using community-based research to support local community action and policy changes to address climate injustices.
• Kristen Cowan is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill doctoral student pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and a graduate certificate in Geography. Cowan is using community-based research to support local community action and policy changes to address climate injustices.
• Kelly Sewell is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Health. Sewell is using community-based research to support local community action and policy changes to address climate injustices.
• Dylan Major is a University of North Carolina at Asheville undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Science and Computer Science. Major is evaluating satellite precipitation products.
• Anna Ikelheimer is an undergraduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. Ikelheimer is researching extreme precipitation events.
• Carolyn Pugh is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science. Pugh is currently a graduate student at University of California, Los Angeles, pursuing a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning and supporting communication efforts for promoting climate research findings and products.
• Alexis Visovatti is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. This fall Visovatti will start a graduate program at North Carolina State University and her work this summer is examining how to communicate climate change indicators to a general audience.
• Matthew Mair is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Bachelor of the Arts in Economics at Appalachian State University and is working in communications and outreach to develop information resources.

William M. Lapenta Student Internship Program

The William M. Lapenta Student Internship Program is a paid summer internship for sophomore and junior undergraduate students and enrolled graduate students. The program supports work in areas that will provide robust research and/or operational experience that will prepare the student for further study in NOAA fields. This summer, two students are participating in this program at NCEI:

• Ricardo Bourdon is a Cornell University undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Atmospheric Science with a concentration in Ocean Sciences. Bourdon is looking into the spatial and temporal relationships between nutrients and harmful algal bloom concentrations in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
• James Frech is a University of Maryland undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics. Frech is looking at how to use the NOAA NCEI Blended Sea Winds dataset to support offshore renewable energy. 

Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Program

The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Program is a scholarship and internship program that supports undergraduates in gaining practical experience in NOAA-related science, research, technology, policy, management, and education activities. This summer, two interns are participating in the program at NCEI:

• Kim Ho is a University of South Florida undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Quantitative Economics with a minor in Political Science. Ho is looking for ways to apply a socio-economic context to climate data. 
• Lauren Janicke is a Carnegie Mellon University undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Statistics. Janicke is looking at temperature extreme data for evaluating climate change trends. 

NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunities

The NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunities program is an internship that supports graduate students through Cooperative Science Centers in gaining practical experience in NOAA mission-aligned science, technology, engineering, mathematics, policy, natural resource management, and social science research and training at NOAA facilities. This summer, two interns are participating in the program at NCEI:

• Selenea Gibson is a University of Maryland, Baltimore, graduate student pursuing a degree in Geography and Environmental Systems. Gibson is analyzing climate and socioeconomic data for a project looking at air quality in Baltimore.
• Timothy Medina is pursuing a doctorate at the City College of New York in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Medina is looking at climate change impacts and evaluating trends in temperature extremes from Baseline Gridded Temperature Fields.  

Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) is a summer-long internship bringing undergraduate students into research projects on topics funded by the National Science Foundation. This summer, one intern is participating in the program at NCEI:

• Brooke Kotten is a University of Wisconsin student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Astrophysics. Kotten is researching solar flare locations to support space weather forecasting.

Check out our NASA DEVELOP summer fellows who are supporting climate research in Brazil and the Sonoran Desert.