Interdisciplinary Environmental Internships in Bridgeport, CT
The city of Bridgeport, the largest city in CT, is offering several internships to Manhattan College students through the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability for this summer and next academic year, as part of its extensive sustainability program BridgeportCT.org which contains over 60 initiatives Bridgeport Sustainability Initiatives. Below is a list of opportunities for interested students from numerous disciplines including engineering, environmental studies, biology/chemistry, economics, communications/social marketing, among others. These positions may be modified to accommodate student interests and areas of study in accordance with city needs. Other projects related to student-faculty interest from the city’s ongoing initiatives may also be considered. For further information please contact Dr. Jeffrey Myers, Director of the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES).
1. Carbon Footprint Forecasting Reduction –Examine existing conditions relative to energy use today and forecast out various reductions based on current rate of reduction as well as other stochastic methods. [5-10 hours per week]
a. Based on List of City Proposed Projects
b. Using Greenhouse House Gas Study (RPA 2010)
c. Bridgeport Energy Strategy (RPA 2010)
2. Energy Analyst
a. Analyze the City of Bridgeport’s current energy portfolio, including traditional utilities, solar energy, anaerobic digester, and Eco-industrial park projects and categorize existing data on energy consumption, costs and savings.
b. Assist with the implementation of energy projects.
3. Property Value Changes due to Parks Enhancements (Research Question – How do parks and/or open space lead to changes in property values? Review the primary literature on property value changes due to proximity to park/open space location and forecast changes in property values) [5-10 hours per week]
a. Based on Parks Master Plan
b. Using Water Front Recapture Overlay
c. Climate Mitigation Data for Sea Level Rise
d. City of Bridgeport GIS for Property Values
e. TPL Trust for Public Land data
4. Green Zones- Economic Incentives (Research Question-Do Green Zones Work? Examine the existing p and z standards and ordinances in the city, the extant literature and propose economic incentive programs tied to areas such as zoning bonuses, green building standards etc.) [5-10 hours per week]
a. Review of existing enabling ordinances etc. that exist today.
b. Review of existing best practices.
c. Functional versus physical view of green zone concept, i.e. incentive program versus spatial location.
5. Green Infrastructure - (Research Question- What are the specific water quality enhancements due to green infrastructure as well biological enhancements due to the reduction in anthropogenic impacts of non-point source pollution. (Review the literature such as nitrogen standards and the University of New Hampshire Storm Water Center and make recommendations). [5-10 hours per week]
a. Review green infrastructure plan.
b. Develop different green infrastructure strategies.
6. Biodiversity in Urbanized Areas – (Development of baseline biological surveys of terrestrial and aquatic and marine organisms). [5-10 hours per week]
a. Yellow Mill
b. Pleasure Beach
c. Pequannock River
d. City Parks
7. Valuation of Biodiversity in urban areas. (Examine the components of natural capital in the literature as well as recreational capital and propose aggregate indices and values of those systems). [5-10 hours per week]
8. Film Project: Visual and Performing Arts/New Media, Communication, etc. - “Bridgeport Know-How” a series of 1-5 minute video clips that would show residents a snap shot of city projects and provide information on how to use it. [5-10 hours per week]
a. instructional videos on how to use city services
b. video of green infrastructures, e.g. new park improvements, etc.
Urban Agriculture Internship with Groundwork Hudson Valley
This summer Manhattan College’s Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability will offer a unique paid internship opportunity for undergraduate students. For the first time three selected students will have the opportunity to learn how to farm intensively on a urban rooftop. Interns will grow organic produce to sell at an affordable farmers market in downtown Yonkers. Through a partnership with Yonkers’ non-profit Groundwork Hudson Valley students will learn how to plant, maintain, harvest soil crops, and grow vegetables hydroponically aboard Groundwork’s Science Barge. They will then have the opportunity to vend their produce at the farmers market.
Housing will be included for interns within Manhattan College’s Overlook Apartment and interns will each receive a weekly share (CSA) of vegetables and fruits from the market. Interns will also be asked to research methods of composting with the goal of slowly implementing campus composting. Students will have the ability to earn credit toward specific majors/minors including environmental studies.
To apply students can complete the following application. Deadline for completion is Wednesday, April 3, 2013. Face-to-face interviews may be asked during the week of April 1st. Decisions will be made by April 5, 2013. The internship is open to any undergraduate student currently attending Manhattan College.
Specific Duties Will Include:
- Rooftop garden maintenance 20 hours/week ( April – September)
- Planting, watering, weeding, harvesting
- Vending produce at Saturday markets
- Training in hydroponics at the Groundwork Hudson Valley's Science Barge
- Research of composting methods
- Initiating campus composting at the college
For questions please email Nathan Hunter at nhunter.student@manhattan.edu