Science Internships at Northwest Indian College …blogs.nwic.edu/nesinternshipopportunities/files/2012/11/... · · 2016-10-12Science Internships at Northwest Indian College Summer

Science Internships at Northwest Indian College Summer 2012

By Brian D. Compton, Ph.D. Science Internship Coordinator

Northwest Indian College

October 24, 2012

Science Internship Final Report - Summer 2012 DRAFT dist.doc ii

Acknowledgements Thanks to those who supported the work described herein, including the persons, Tribes, programs and institutions identified in the Appendix to this report listing internship personnel and partners. Thanks also to Dr. Wendy R. Townsend, Program Coordinator of the Summer 2012 NAPIRE Program; Joel Green, NWIC Science Director; Megg Pedlow, Program Assistant to the NWIC Science Director; and Mark Moss, Native Environmental Science Faculty. Gratitude is also extended to the following sources of funding which helped to support science internships: An Administration for Native Americans grant to the Swinomish Tribe, the Center for Coastal Margin Observation & Prediction (CMOP), the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE) program of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), the Promoting Research Investigations in the Marine Environmental for Community College Students program (PRIME 2012), the Student Technology Transfer Research Internship Program (STTRIP) and the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP).

Science Internship Final Report - Summer 2012 DRAFT dist.doc 1

Contents Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................................ii Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................2 Overview of the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program Projects and Presentations .................................5

Lummi Campus........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE), Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS)..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Nez Perce Extended Campus Instructional Site ................................................................................................................. 9 North Cascades National Park Native Plant Nursery...................................................................................................... 12 Shannon Point Marine Center............................................................................................................................................. 13 Swinomish Extended Campus Instructional Site ............................................................................................................. 14 Other Science Internships Not Formally Associated with the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program ........... 14

Appendix: Internship Personnel and Partners................................................................................................16


Introduction This report provides details regarding the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program at Northwest Indian College (NWIC) which began on June 25th and ended on August 17th. Unlike some previous years, the Native Environmental Science Program did not support internship funding to students during the preceding academic year. As in the past, an application process was conducted to identify interested and eligible students to participate in internships. A total of 25 students applied for summer internships. An Internship Selection Committee comprised of the Science Director, Science Internship Coordinator, science faculty Jeff Campbell, water quality technician Charlotte Clausing and student advisor Tyson Oreiro, evaluated their application materials. One applicant was determined to be ineligible because of late and incomplete submission of application materials. Unlike past years, time and other constraints prevented the presentation of an orientation meeting to familiarize interns and their supervisors regarding aspects of the internship program. This summer the available funding was insufficient to support all of the eligible applicants so funding determinations were based on a ranking of the candidates including their need for credits in NESC 497, Internship/Practicum in Native Environmental Science and other considerations. A total of 20 students participated in science internships during the summer of 2012. Seventeen students formally participated in the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program associated with the Native Environmental Science Program, down from the record high number of 22 students who participated in the summer program in 2011. These included Cathy Ballew, Winona Bearchum, Coral Bernal, Forrest Callaghan, Paul Cline, Caroline Edwards, Margaret Finkbonner, Josephine Kamkoff, Michelle Kernak, Mary Lawrence, Julia Orloff-Duffey, Donald Sampson, Sandra Slickpoo, Buffy Towle, Kayla Warden, Holly Williams and Linda Willup. Three other students participated in science internships not formally associated with the program: Sam Bearcub, Gregory Gustafson and Douglas Olinger. Funding was provided in the form of internship wages to 14 of the students with some receiving additional support in the form of transportation and tuition costs. Students who formally participated in the summer program (excluding those who may have been funded in other ways) received $12.00 per hour for their efforts. Interns generally worked up to a total of 35 hours per week. Several interns received external support through funding or other support provided by the Swinomish Tribe or other sources, including the Organization for Tropical Studies, Promoting Research Investigations in the Marine Environmental for Community College Students (PRIME) and Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) and the Student Technology Transfer Research Internship Program (STTRIP) at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. Cathy Ballew, Winona Bearchum and Paul Cline participated in internships at the North Cascades National Park Native Plant Nursery at Marblemount, Washington with supervision by Cheryl Cunningham, Manager of the Native Plant Nursery and funding from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (for Cathy and Winona) and the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) (for Paul). Coral Bernal, Josephine Kamkoff and Buffy Towle participated in internships at the Lummi Campus involving topics in aquatic biology and water quality, with Josephine Kamkoff also working on analysis of clams for the presence of domoic acid and Buffy Towle working on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Jeff Campbell (NWIC Faculty) and Charlotte Clausing (Water Quality Technician at NWIC) provided supervision. The Center for Coastal Margin Observation & Prediction (CMOP) and NASA provided funding (the former in support of Coral and Josephine and the latter in support of Josephine and Buffy).


Forrest Callaghan participated in an internship at the Shannon Point Marine Center of Western Washington University (WWU) at Anacortes, Washington with support from PRIME 2012 and COSEE. Dr. Jude Apple (WWU Faculty) supervised Forrest and NASA provided additional funding in support of this internship. Caroline Edwards, Margaret Finkbonner and Linda Willup participated in internships associated with the Swinomish Extended Campus Instructional Site with supervision by Dr. Jessica Gigot (NWIC Faculty) and Gaylene Gobert (Swinomish Site Coordinator) and other contributions from Scott Andrews, Larry Campbell, Todd Mitchell and Theresa Trebon. Support for Caroline came from an Administration for Native Americans grant to the Swinomish Tribe. NASA provided funding for Caroline and TCUP provided funding for Linda and Margaret. Another Swinomish student, Gregory Gustafson also participated in an internship there but not as part of the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program. Michelle Kernak participated in the Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE) program of the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) at the OTS Las Cruces Biological Station in Costa Rica with supervision by Dr. Richard Bigley of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and The Evergreen State College and support from NAPIRE On-campus Mentor, Brian Compton, NWIC On-campus Mentor for NAPIRE. NAPIRE provided funding for Michelle. Mary Lawrence, Sandra Slickpoo and Kayla Warden participated in internships associated with the Nez Perce Extended Campus Instructional Site with supervision by Dr. Thomas Backman (NWIC Faculty) and other contributions from Paul Brusven, Elisabeth Brackney and Mary Fauci. NASA provided funding for Mary Lawrence and TCUP provided funding for Sandra Slickpoo and Kayla Warden. Julie Orloff-Duffey participated in an internship with the First Alaskans Institute in collaboration with the Alaska Peninsula Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska supervised by Lena Jacobs, Athabascan Leadership Manager and with support from the First Alaskans Institute and the Alaska Peninsula Corporation. Donald Sampson and Holly Williams participated in internships at the Lummi Campus involving a preliminary assessment of the Northwest Indian College rain garden with supervision by Brian Compton and funding from TCUP. Sam Bearcub and Douglas Olinger participated in internships funded by the Student Technology Transfer Research Internship Program (STTRIP) at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana with supervision by Dr. Sharlene Sing, Research Entomologist - Weed Biocontrol, USDA-USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems, Bozeman, Montana. Thirteen students participated in internships for academic credit in NESC 497, Internship/Practicum in Native Environmental Science, which is a requirement of the Bachelor of Science in Native Environmental Science program at NWIC. Other students obtained internship credits in other subject areas and course levels (i.e., in BIOL 297, NESC 297 or NESC 397). Many of the students also completed posters or oral presentations as part of their internships. Mark Moss (NWIC GIS Lab Manager) provided technical support to students regarding digital imaging and poster preparation. Many of the students received training during their internships in effective oral presentation and poster development using guidelines developed by the All Nations Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (ANLSAMP). These same guidelines are employed for student presentations at the annual AIHEC (American Indian Higher Education Consortium) Student Conference and the annual AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Societies) National Conference. Because of logistical, scheduling and other considerations, only five students and three NWIC science personnel participated in a final internship symposium held at the Lummi Campus on August 17th, 2011. Four of those


students who did attend presented posters or oral presentations and discussed their work with their fellow students and other attendees. At the time of the writing of this report one of the Summer 2012 internship students attended the SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) National Conference which was held October 11-14 in Seattle, WA for the purpose of presenting her poster. Several of the summer interns have been accepted to attend and present on their research at one or more other science conferences as follows: Michelle Kernak, Mary Lawrence, Sandra Slickpoo, Kayla Warden, Holly Williams and Aissa Yazzie are scheduled to present posters at the AISES (American Indian Science and Engineering Society) National Conference to be held November 1-3, 2012 in Anchorage, AK. Cathy Ballew and Michelle Kernak are scheduled to present posters at the 2012 FALCON Annual Conference to be held October 27-30, 2012 in Albuquerque, NM. And Michelle Kernak is scheduled to present her poster at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM to be held February 28-March 2, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Additional details regarding student projects and presentations from the summer of 2012 are provided in the following section.


Overview of the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program Projects and Presentations

Lummi Campus Coral Bernal worked on aspects of aquatic biology and water quality with Jeff Campbell. This included an introduction to watersheds and oxygen dynamics in marine systems, her participation in two pelagic ecosystem apprenticeship cruises with Dr. Jan Newton aboard the R/V Centennial, two Bellingham Bay hypoxia study cruises, lessons in crab ecology and field sampling for crab. She did not complete a poster or oral presentation. Josephine Kamkoff worked on aspects of aquatic biology and water quality with supervisor Jeff Campbell and on an analysis of clams for the presence of domoic acid. Her poster (shown below) is entitled "Domoic Acid: A Marine Biotoxin."


Donald Sampson and Holly Williams collaborated on a preliminary assessment of the rain garden at the Lummi campus of NWIC with their supervisor, Brian Compton and support from Charlotte Clausing. Their project involved basic research on rain garden rationale, design and implementation as well as the assessment of rain garden functionality. They conducted a preliminary assessment of the NWIC rain garden focusing on vegetation including reference to ethnobotanical characteristics of the plants. Donald and Holly's internship poster (shown below) is entitled "Preliminary Assessment of an Ethnobotanical Rain Garden at Northwest Indian College."


Buffy Towle continued her ongoing work with supervisor Charlotte Clausing on the use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in marine research, specifically to observe invasive tunicates associated with aquacultural practices at the Lummi Nation Shellfish Hatchery. Her internship poster (shown below) is entitled "Feasibility Study of Monitoring Invasive Tunicates Using a Small Remote Operated Vehicle."

Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE), Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) Michelle Kernak independently applied for and received a research position with NAPIRE and OTS. She researched aspects of tropical forest ecology and related policy issues with her research mentor, Dr. Richard Bigley and with support from her NAPIRE On-campus mentor, Brian Compton. For her research internship Michelle produced a research report entitled "Measures of Tropical Premontane Reforestation Success: Early Tree Species Survival, Growth and the Influence of Policy" (see abstract below), made oral presentations at the end of her research program in Costa Rica and at the Lummi campus and produced an internship poster (see below).

Abstract from Michelle's report and poster: Much of the landscape in Costa Rica is dominated by abandoned cattle pastures. The government responded with stringent deforestation policies and incentives feasible for local farmers. There is keen interest in matching plantation success with financial incentives for reforestation. To measure plantation success, I tested the relativity of 2 year survival of native tree seedlings planted into an abandoned pasture I than examined the 13 year growth of the species at an existing plantation at the Las Cruces Biological Station in Southwest Costa Rica. There were considerable species differences in both survival


and growth. First year mortality averaged 9%, second year 38%. Height of planted trees at year 13 varied between 6 and 14 meters. Both survival and growth were different between species which illustrates an important link between tree species selection and success of reforestation under current incentive programs. This information will contribute to the development of, reforestation plans that are available under the Costa Rican government incentives; the Environmental Services Program (PSA). This information will help ensure successful reforestation, and also will increase the confidence of local farmers to reforest pasture lands.


Nez Perce Extended Campus Instructional Site Mary Lawrence was one of three students who participated in internships at the Nez Perce Site. She participated in a range of activities working with Paul Brusven aspects of biological control and integrated weed management focusing on yellow starthistle, leafy spurge, rush skeletonweed and spotted knapweed root weevil. Her internship poster (shown below) is entitled "Introduction to Methods and Processes of Integrated Weed Management."


Sandra Slickpoo also received an internship position at the Nez Perce Site. She participated in a range of activities working with Elisabeth Brackney regarding wetland assessment focusing on aspects of plant identification, soil sampling and hydrology. Her internship poster (shown below) is entitled "Nez Perce Tribal Wetlands Study."


Kayla Warden also received an internship position at the Nez Perce Site. She participated in a range of activities working with Mary Fauci on topics related to air quality at Kamiah and Lapwai, Idaho. Her internship poster (shown below) is entitled "Nez Perce Tribe, Environmental Restoration & Waste Management Division's (ERWM) Air Quality Program."


North Cascades National Park Native Plant Nursery Cathy Ballew was one of three students who participated in internships at the North Cascades National Park. Cathy worked with Cheryl Cunningham and participated in a range of activities associated with the park's native plant nursery as well as with youth and other programming at the park associated with traditional native plant uses. She produced two posters during her internship (shown below), entitled "North Cascades National Park" and "xwelhol" Camas, Camassia quamash 2012."


Winona Bearchum also participated in an internship through the North Cascades National Park, working with Cheryl Cunningham and other NWIC interns on a range of activities including collection of plant materials, contributions towards the development of an ethnobotanical garden and accompanying signage, production of plant medicines, and the development and presentation of ethnobotanical curriculum to youth. She did not prepare a poster or oral presentation. Paul Cline was the third student who participated in an internship through the North Cascades National Park, working with Cheryl Cunningham and other NWIC interns on a range of activities as described above for Winona Bearchum. He did not prepare a poster or oral presentation.

Shannon Point Marine Center Forrest Callaghan researched effects of climate change on plankton communities in the Salish Sea with Dr. Jude Apple with a focus on the effects of CO2 levels on algae and the marine food chain. His internship presentation was uploaded to YouTube along with another video that depicts the use of a CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) probe to sample water quality in the San Juan Islands at <http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPMl3tP4p-Ct8z5JaN7aHqg?feature=results_main>. He also produced a


poster based on his internship work (further details regarding a poster were not available at the time of the production of this report).

Swinomish Extended Campus Instructional Site Caroline Edwards was one of three students who participated in internships at the Swinomish Site as part of the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program. She participated in a range of activities working with Scott Andrews, Environmental Coordinator for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Her internship involved a review of Tribal codes drafting proposed amendments to better address climate change adaptation. Her project included the development of outreach and education materials for the public and several public meetings to discuss options being explored to address adaptation to sea level rise at the Swinomish Reservation. She wrote articles for Kee Yoks, the Swinomish Tribal News intended for fall 2012 publication, plans to continue outreach aspects of this project, has been developing an education binder for the Swinomish Water Resources department and will present about the materials she developed and the students she mentored this summer in the future. Margaret Finkbonner also received an internship position at the Swinomish Site. She participated in a range of activities involving tribal land management policy working with Larry Campbell, Historic Preservation Officer, and Theresa Trebon, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Archive at the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Her project involved the application of cultural resource preservation within the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. She reviewed basic texts on the field, including the state and federal regulatory apparatus governing cultural resource protection and the practice of cultural archeology, and received training in a departmental filing system that was implemented in the Swinomish Tribal Historic Preservation Office to manage historic and current information on land use planning and culturally significant land management areas. She will be attending conferences with Mr. Campbell in fall 2012 and working on more independent study in this area as well. Linda Willup received a third internship position at the Swinomish Site. She participated in an internship involving environmental education at Lone Tree Point and the Swinomish Marine Interpretive Center. She worked with Todd Mitchell, Water Resources Manager for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. No further details regarding a poster or oral presentation were available at the time of the production of this report.

Other Science Internships Not Formally Associated with the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program Sam Bearcub and Douglas Olinger independently applied for and received internships with the Student Technology Transfer Research Internship Program (STTRIP) at Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. They worked with supervisor Dr. Sharlene Sing of the USDA-USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station and Dr. David K. Weaver from the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences of the College of Agriculture at Montana State University to assist Douglas Olinger (see below) on a project involving classical biological control of weeds with insects. Douglas prepared a research report entitled "Growth Inhibition of Yellow Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris Vs. Mecinus janthinus Male Dominancy Emphasis" (see extract below). He worked with Sam and others on a project represented in the poster (shown below) entitled "Tribal & U.S. Government Agencies Working Together to Ensure the Preservation of Culturally Significant Plants."

Extract from Douglas' report: This study is set down to identify the variables of inhibition of Yellow Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris by Mecinus janthinus stem-boring weevil used as a biological control agent, to slow and prohibit the invasive behavior of L. vulgaris. In this study, our research is designed to identify male and female behaviors in unison to the reduction of host plants, sex ratios on each subjected specimen will predictably show inhibition before breeding and without breeding, and determine by sex ratios which count and sexed groupings are the


overall dominance in reducing plant growth which ultimately should determine how much and how fast each grouping eradicates or controls the host specimens.

Gregory Gustafson worked with Gaylene Gobert and Dr. Jessica Gigot on the development of a 13 Moons Swinomish Community Garden at the NWIC Swinomish site. His internship involved the planning, installation and maintenance of the garden during the summer quarter and associated curriculum development. No further details regarding a poster or oral presentation were available at the time of the production of this report.


Appendix: Internship Personnel and Partners

• Scott Andrews, Environmental Coordinator, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, La Conner, WA worked with Caroline Edwards.

• Dr. Jude Apple, Marine Scientist, Shannon Point Marine Center, Western Washington University, Anacortes, WA worked with Forrest Callaghan in an internship with PRIME 2012 (Promoting Research Investigations in the Marine Environmental for Community College Students) and COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence.

• Dr. Thomas W.H. Backman, Department of Fisheries, Nez Perce Tribe, Orofino Field Office, Orofino, ID and Native Environmental Science Faculty, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA (Nez Perce Extended Campus Instructional Site, Lapwai, ID) supervised internship activities involving Mary Lawrence, Sandra Slickpoo and Kayla Warden.

• Dr. Richard Bigley, Riparian Adaptive Management Team Leader, Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Faculty, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA served as Research Mentor and supervised Michelle Kernak in the NAPIRE (Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience program with the Organization for Tropical Studies in Las Cruces, Costa Rica.

• Elisabeth Brackney, Wetlands Planner, Nez Perce Wetland Program, Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources, Lapwai, ID worked with Sandra Slickpoo.

• Paul Brusven, Coordinator, Nez Perce Tribe Bio-Control Center, Lapwai, ID worked with Mary Lawrence.

• Jeff Campbell, Native Environmental Science Faculty, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA supervised Coral Bernal and Josephine Kamkoff.

• Larry Campbell, Historic Preservation Officer, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, La Conner WA worked with Margaret Finkbonner.

• Charlotte Clausing, Water Quality Technician, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA supervised Buffy Towle.

• Dr. Brian D. Compton, Native Environmental Science Faculty and Science Internship Coordinator, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA supervised Donald Sampson and Holly Williams, served as NAPIRE On-campus mentor for Michelle Kernak and coordinated the 2012 Summer Science Internship Program.

• Cheryl Cunningham, Native Plant Nursery Manager, North Cascades National Park, Marblemount, WA supervised Cathy Ballew, Winona Bearchum and Paul Cline.

• Mary Fauci, Environmental Specialist, Nez Perce Tribe, Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM) Air Quality Program, Lapwai, ID worked with Kayla Warden.

• Dr. Jessica Gigot, Native Environmental Science Faculty, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA (Swinomish Extended Campus Instructional Site, La Conner, WA) supervised internship activities involving Caroline Edwards, Margaret Finkbonner, Linda Willup and Gregory Gustafson.

• Gaylene Gobert, Site Coordinator, Northwest Indian College, Lummi Nation, Bellingham, WA (Swinomish Extended Campus Instructional Site, La Conner, WA) supervised internship activities involving Caroline Edwards, Margaret Finkbonner, Linda Willup and Gregory Gustafson.

• Lena Jacobs, Athabascan Leadership Manager, First Alaskans Institute, Anchorage, AK supervised Julia Orloff-Duffey in an internship with the Alaska Peninsula Corporation.

• Todd Mitchell, Water Resources Manager, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Swinomish Office of Planning & Community Development, Water Resources Program, La Conner, WA worked with Linda Willup.

• Dr. Jan Newton, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Oceanography, School of Oceanography, College of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

• Dr. Sharlene Sing, Research Entomologist - Weed Biocontrol, USDA-USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Grassland, Shrubland and Desert Ecosystems, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT


supervised Sam Bearcub and Douglas Olinger in internships as part of the Student Technology Transfer Research Internship Program (STTRIP) - Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University and USDA Forest Service - Rocky Mountain Research Station.

• Theresa Trebon, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Archive, La Conner WA worked with Margaret Finkbonner.

• Dr. David K. Weaver, Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana worked with Sam Bearcub and Douglas Olinger.

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Science Internships at Northwest Indian College …blogs.nwic.edu/nesinternshipopportunities/files/2012/11/... · · 2016-10-12Science Internships at Northwest Indian College Summer