2024 Summer Internship Program

2024 Projects

Students interested in an internship may have the opportunity to work on one of the below projects. These projects will be identified on the USAJobs.gov vacancy announcement in which students will be able to choose their top 3 preferences. For more information about the research project, contact the individual listed.

TWL Profile Database Expansion

Rangley Mickey: rmickey@usgs.gov

Expand the existing database of seamless topographic and bathymetric profiles associated with the TWLCC viewer to update existing sites, include newly added sites, and historic data. The intern would use existing methods of MatLab coding and interpolation to expand this database with the opportunity to be a co-author on the associated Data Release product.

Storm Surge Impact Modeling

Johnathan Woodruff: jwoodruff@usgs.gov

This research opportunity focuses on the analysis of storm surge impacts and propagation in Tampa Bay and along the Western Florida continental shelf. Using state-of-the-art numerical models, statistical analysis, and field observations, applicants will seek to understand the complex hydrodynamics that occur during tropical cyclone events. Interested candidates should have an interest in numerical modeling, hurricane storm surge, and extreme water level analysis. Experience coding with python, matlab, or similar is strongly preferred.

Water level extraction from camera imagery

Mark Buckley: mbuckley@usgs.gov

This research opportunity focuses on the analysis of remotely sensed coastal hazards data using machine learning and python coding. A machine learning model will be used to extract water level time series. Candidates will run the machine learning model and develop methods to test the accuracy of the model and identify instances of low accuracy. This data will be used for the development and validation of empirical and numerical coastal hazards models.

Lidar wave runup extraction

Michael Itzkin: mitzkin@usgs.gov

This research opportunity focuses on analyzing morphological and water level data using an automated beach lidar system. Candidates will assist in developing Python code to run the data collection and analyze the surveys. Analysis will focus on extracting wave runup elevations and key morphometric parameters (i.e., dune base elevation, dune crest elevation, and beach slope) for characterizing coastal hazards. 

Numerical wave runup predictions

Benjamin Tsai: benjamintsai@usgs.gov

This research opportunity is centered on employing the SWASH numerical coastal model to predict wave runup. Candidates will be tasked with running the model using a benchmark case to assess its feasibility and pinpoint potential weaknesses. The results of this investigation will inform future enhancements in numerical coastal modeling.

Shoreline Analysis Puerto Rico

Legna Torres-Garcia: ltorresgarcia@usgs.gov

As part of the Coastal Change Hazards working group, we are seeking a summer intern to perform analysis of data collected in Puerto Rico. Analysis will include the use of use of Geographic Information Systems (Esri ArcGIS) related to shoreline type and changes. In addition, Matlab or similar software to analyze oceanographic time series data (i.e. pressure, waves).   

Microbial Analysis Beach Sand

John Lisle: jlisle@usgs.gov

The association of human fecal bacteria with coastal beach sand: Submerged beach sand and overlying water samples from coastal beaches will be collected and analyzed for total and fecal coliforms and E. coli and sediment characterization. The data from the bacterial samples will be correlated with the associated beach sand types to develop a module to be included in sediment transport models. 

Marine Operations Support

Billy Reynolds: breynolds@usgs.gov

This internship is with the Marine Operations team and may participate on tasks such as assisting in the design, engineering, fabrication, and machining of devices and tools that aid in collection of scientific data for a variety of projects; processing and analysis of data collected during field operations, such as GPS and hydrographic data; maintenance of marine operations equipment, facility, vehicles, and vessels; and summer field efforts in a variety of locations along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

SfM Coral Reef Model Support

Selena Johnson: selenajohnson@usgs.gov

Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry has become a standard monitoring protocol for coral reef restoration and monitoring efforts world-wide.  USGS has developed one of the most extensive  SfM coral reef (3D and 4D) model archives in the world and assistance is needed to catalog, process, and analyze these models.  

Coral Restoration Lab

Ilsa Kuffner: ikuffner@usgs.gov

Research opportunity in Coral Reef Science lab. Our group focuses on understanding coral growth along environmental gradients and science to guide the management and restoration of reef resources. Work will involve laboratory duties, sample management, data analysis, and possibly fieldwork.

Groundwater Salinity/Temp FL

Christopher Smith: cgsmith@usgs.gov

Examine the seasonal variability in marine groundwater salinity and temperature response to water column disturbances along three regions of the west-Florida shelf. The applicant will have the opportunity to compile and reduce groundwater salinity and temperature data from a groundwater piezometers in three different submarine hydrogeologic units within the nearshore region of the west Florida shelf.

Paleoclimate Proxy Archives

Madelyn Mette: mmette@usgs.gov

The student will codesign a research project focused on shells of one or more bivalve species from the Florida region. They will learn methods in sclerochronology to study lifespan, temperature preferences, and other life history information collected from shell growth bands and shell stable oxygen isotope profiles. The project will establish new understanding of which Florida bivalve species can be targeted as paleoclimate proxy archives.

Wetland Shoreline Change

Kathryn Smith: kelsmith@usgs.gov

Coastal wetlands serve important ecologic and economic functions; however, throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico, wetland shorelines are eroding due to wave attack, sea-level rise and subsidence. Therefore, the rate and processes of shoreline change are important considerations when evaluating the overall health and vulnerability of coastal wetlands to future scenarios of sea-level rise, climate change, and global carbon budget. The intern will utilize various python-based tools to map shoreline position from satellite imagery and evaluate their accuracy for estimating recent trends in wetland shoreline change and rapid-response assessment following storms.