New internships available to students with Zoo Miami

Image by Robert Trabucco, courtesy of Creative Commons

Raul Herrera/Assistant News Director

It’s been a few months since FIU partnered up with Zoo Miami, and now students can reap the benefits of this collaboration.

New internship opportunities with Zoo Miami are now available for FIU students.

According to an FIU Newsroom press release, a memorandum of understanding was signed between FIU and Zoo Miami on July 16, 2013, establishing a partnership for the purpose of employing students with aspirations to participate in internship opportunities at the Miami Metro Zoo. The students to be employed are to come from College of Arts & Sciences and Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Michael Heithaus, executive director of the School of Environment, Arts, and Society said that the purpose of partnerships like this is to “enhance student research.”

“The hope is that these internships empower students through the knowledge and contacts gained to forge their future careers,” Heithaus said.

Provost Douglas Wartzok had said in the press release that the partnership “brings together two world-class institutions to help define a 21st century zoo as a locus for high quality research and conservation leadership.”

The press release also pointed out that the partnership is modeled after theWorld Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ conservation strategy, which includes integration of the research community and the public consciousness to bring about scientific decisions for benefit of wildlife.

The partnership initiated a collaboration of lectures, called the FIU-Zoo Miami lecture series. The next step is internships.

“We just announced the first round of internship opportunities at the Zoo in a variety of areas.” said Heithaus. “We also hope to see more FIU classes taking advantage of the zoo as a great resource.”

Heithaus said that these internships are available for both undergraduate and graduate students, from either the College of Arts and Sciences or the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Management.

“The internships are ongoing, filled as needed by each area,” Heithaus said in a follow-up email to student media. “The current plans are based on available resources and the needs of Zoo Miami.”

Heithaus later mentioned that the internships will be unpaid, but that “the Zoo hopes to make these paid internships once the funds are available.” One possibility that he cited was using research grants. He also said that interns can re-apply once they finish an internship semester.

According to the aforementioned press release, work is subject to begin immediately involving collective research initiatives in conjunction with internship opportunities. It also states that the memorandum of understanding is to result in the creation of many programs, including Ph.D. projects, public seminars on biodiversity and conservation, and courses on zoo policy and management.

“The Zoo and FIU are working together on a number of fronts. There will continue to be exciting research collaborations, student opportunities, and community events from the Zoo-FIU partnership,” Heithaus said.

Heithaus expressed his belief that this partnership will be a benefit to the university.

“The internships give students the opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge and experience in areas such as horticulture, restoration, education, and programming,” Heithaus said.

“Students will also have the opportunity to get research experience by participating in one of the many joint research projects being conducted by FIU faculty and Zoo staff.”

-bbc@fiusm.com