Mentoring the next generation: USGS, NPS, and University of Florida Cooperative Research Unit Invasive Reptile Intern Program
Invasive reptiles like the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) and black and white tegu lizard (Tupinambis merianae) are exerting tremendous harm on Everglades ecosystems, but these problematic species present an excellent opportunity to engage the next generation in science. Since entering into an agreement with Everglades National Park in late 2013, the Invasive Species Science Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey's Fort Collins Science Center has provided internships for, and, in turn, benefitted from, young people conducting research on invasive reptiles in the Everglades.
In 2014, USGS, NPS, and the University of Florida developed the Invasive Reptile Internship Program that is at the core of our ongoing applied invasive reptile research. This internship complements the Everglades BioCorps Internship Program, both of which trains early-career biologists to conduct rigorously scientific field and laboratory work. The programs provide research interns opportunities to develop their skills in wildlife research and conservation while expanding their networks for graduate school and enriched careers in the biological sciences. Interns participate in field-based research on Burmese python ecology, survival, reproduction, and diet in Big Cypress National Preserve, Early Detection and Rapid Response and removals of black and white tegu lizards in Everglades National Park, and may also participate in related lab-based research.
Throughout the year-long research internships, interns utilize radiotelemetry equipment to track transmitted pythons throughout the various habitats in Big Cypress National Preserve to collect detailed data that will serve as the basis for scientific analyses and publication. Interns in our program will spend 6-8 hours every day using these skills, becoming fully skilled. Laboratory research in Everglades National Park offers various opportunities to investigate the biology of Burmese pythons, black and white tegus, and other invasive reptiles found in southern Florida through detailed necropsy investigations.
One of the hallmarks of this internship program is providing opportunity to grow professionally. As our internship program continues to develop over the years, so too do our partnerships with resource managers and research collaborators. Since its inception, the internship program has provided excellent research, mentorship, and career building opportunities to recent graduates from across the United States. Many former interns have contributed to peer-reviewed publications, pursued graduate degrees in the biological sciences, or gone on to become wildlife professionals across the world. Research college graduate? Come join us!
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
USGS Everglades Research Office - Florida
Ecology and Control of Invasive Reptiles in Florida
Invasive reptiles like the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) and black and white tegu lizard (Tupinambis merianae) are exerting tremendous harm on Everglades ecosystems, but these problematic species present an excellent opportunity to engage the next generation in science. Since entering into an agreement with Everglades National Park in late 2013, the Invasive Species Science Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey's Fort Collins Science Center has provided internships for, and, in turn, benefitted from, young people conducting research on invasive reptiles in the Everglades.
In 2014, USGS, NPS, and the University of Florida developed the Invasive Reptile Internship Program that is at the core of our ongoing applied invasive reptile research. This internship complements the Everglades BioCorps Internship Program, both of which trains early-career biologists to conduct rigorously scientific field and laboratory work. The programs provide research interns opportunities to develop their skills in wildlife research and conservation while expanding their networks for graduate school and enriched careers in the biological sciences. Interns participate in field-based research on Burmese python ecology, survival, reproduction, and diet in Big Cypress National Preserve, Early Detection and Rapid Response and removals of black and white tegu lizards in Everglades National Park, and may also participate in related lab-based research.
Throughout the year-long research internships, interns utilize radiotelemetry equipment to track transmitted pythons throughout the various habitats in Big Cypress National Preserve to collect detailed data that will serve as the basis for scientific analyses and publication. Interns in our program will spend 6-8 hours every day using these skills, becoming fully skilled. Laboratory research in Everglades National Park offers various opportunities to investigate the biology of Burmese pythons, black and white tegus, and other invasive reptiles found in southern Florida through detailed necropsy investigations.
One of the hallmarks of this internship program is providing opportunity to grow professionally. As our internship program continues to develop over the years, so too do our partnerships with resource managers and research collaborators. Since its inception, the internship program has provided excellent research, mentorship, and career building opportunities to recent graduates from across the United States. Many former interns have contributed to peer-reviewed publications, pursued graduate degrees in the biological sciences, or gone on to become wildlife professionals across the world. Research college graduate? Come join us!
Below are other science projects associated with this project.