Projects and Internships

Herbarium

Learn methods of professional plant specimen preservation, assist in organization of the NRS collection, and learn to use floras for plant identification. Knowledge of local flora is helpful. Location: Muir Biology building. Time commitment requested: 4 hours per week minimum (unlimited number of positions).

Web outreach

Work with the Reserves Manager to update web-based access to and information about the reserves. Select, organize, and upload photos of the reserves to Web servers. Time commitment requested: 4 hours per week minimum (number of positions: 2).

Study of wetland plant community changes and drivers

Field work includes marsh mapping, plant measurements, and analysis. Annual pickleweed (Salicornia bigelovii) germination and growth conditions experiments. Ground truth aerial photos and conduct change analysis. Location: Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, Mission Bay, San Diego. Time commitment requested: 10–15 hours per week (1–2 positions).

Transition-ecotone

Restoration: Horticulture of native plants; field mapping and data collection of existing conditions; soil sampling for analysis. Field assistance for other projects. Location: Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, Mission Bay, San Diego. Time commitment requested: 10 hours per week (1 position).

Docent leader

Coordinate training and scheduling of student and community volunteers who will carry out public environmental education through outreach activities (tours, workparties, etc.) Location: Scripps Coastal Reserve and campus office in AP&M. Time commitment requested: 4 hours per week; some weekend days (two positions).

Community liason

Develop public outreach program for Kendall-Frost Marsh in Mission Bay, including coordinating open houses, tours, and work parties at the Reserve field station in Pacific Beach. Some knowledge of tidal wetlands helpful. Location: Kendall-Frost Marsh field station in Pacific Beach and campus office. Time commitment: 4 hours per week, plus some weekend days (1 position).

Map making

Using GIS software, create user‐friendly maps for all four reserves in the Natural Reserve System. Knowledge of ARCGIS software required. Time commitment: 4 hours per week (1 position).

Field assistant

Work with the NRS Steward to carry out field projects, including electronics, light construction, computer-aided design, reserve user support. Knowledge of SoftWorks software, communications, and electrical system basics very helpful. Time commitment: 6 hours per week (1 position).

Intertidal

Compile research in reserve and along San Diego County coast for MLPA cooperative. Map rocky intertidal plots at Scripps Coastal Reserve. Time commitment: 6 hours per week (1 position).

Contact:

Isabelle Kay
Academic Coordinator and Reserves Manager
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0116
Phone: 858-534-2077
Fax: 858-822-0696
Email: ikay@ucsd.edu

Office location:
Muir Campus
Applied Physics and Math Annex Building
Rooms 2802&2808