Volunteer Internship Announcement - Deadline for Applications is 15 April 2006
Please View Details online at http://www.sirenian.org/LogisticsInternBelize.html
(this is an unpaid internship, however your accommodation and meals are donated by the Hugh Parkey Foundation for Marine Awareness and Education and the Spanish Bay Conservation & Research Center)

Title: Logistics and Research Internship, Behavioral and Habitat Ecology of Manatees in Belize, Central America
Primary Funding Agency: The Earthwatch Institute, the Hugh Parkey Foundation for Marine Awareness and Education, Spanish Bay Conservation and Research Center

Additional support for this project has been provided by: Texas A&M University, University of Massachusetts, Loma Linda University, Project AWARE, the Lerner-Gray Fund for Marine Science Research at the American Museum of Natural History, the NSF Graduate Fellowship Program, the Conservation Action Fund at the New England Aquarium, Manta Ray Charters, the Sidney Turton Family.

Principal Investigator: Caryn Self Sullivan, Ph. D. Candidate, Texas A&M University
Co-PIs for 2006: Leszek Karczmarski, Ph.D., Texas A&M University Galveston, University of Pretoria South Africa, University of Hawaii Hilo; Marie-Lys Bacchus, M.S. Student, Loma Linda University, California; Katherine S. LaCommare, Ph.D. Student, University of Massachusetts-Boston

Base Location: Spanish Bay Conservation & Research Center, Spanish Lookout Caye, Drowned Cayes, Belize, Central America

Research Permits issued by: Conservation Division-Forestry Department, Belize; Fisheries Department, Belize
EW Project Details: Available Online at Earthwatch (http://www.earthwatch.org/expeditions/selfsullivan.html)
Internship Details: Available Online at http://www.sirenian.org/LogisticsInternBelize.html
Approximate Dates: 29 May - 31 August 2006
Application Deadline: April 15th, 2006 - FIRM
Introduction: Be prepared to work very hard in exchange for this opportunity to participate in a unique manatee field research project in Belize. Our Logistics Intern has four principle responsibilities: (1) coordinate, train, and interact with a diverse group of Earthwatch volunteers; (2) coordinate camp logistics, schedule and delegate responsibilities to volunteers; (3) oversee collection and reduction of field data (including, GPS data, acoustic recordings, and seagrass samples); and (4) input data and expenses into database or delegate and oversee input (MS Access, MS Excel, MS Word). The intern may also lead snorkeling trips on the reef and kayak trips through the mangroves. Ideally, you should also be prepared to deliver a lecture or lead a discussion once per week on a topic or issue related to this project, and assist with educational programs at Spanish Bay Conservation and Research Center. Our Tentative Summer Schedule is available online at http://www.sirenian.org/LogisticsInternBelize.html. As time permits, the successful intern may attend any field course given at SBCRC during the Summer Session at no cost.

Compensation: This is a volunteer position and the intern must purchase their own airfare to/from Belize and cover any travel expenses incurred when not on Spanish Lookout Caye. While at Spanish Bay your living expenses (room and board) will be provided by our host. The intern will have time to travel around Belize (at his/her own expense) during 2 short breaks, if he or she desires.

To Apply: Read all Details and Follow complete instructions online at http://www.sirenian.org/LogisticsInternBelize.html

Our 5 phase process to selecting ONE intern for Summer 2006 will include:

• Carefully read instructions online at the above website; email Karen Petkau (internship@sirenian.org) to get contact information for previous interns; communicate with at least 2 previous interns to make sure you want to apply!
• Submit an application by email to internship@sirenian.org not later than 15 April 2006 - follow all details on webpage listed above!
• If your application is selected for further consideration, we will send each of your references a questionnaire not later than 19 April 2006, please make sure your references will be available to respond by email to this questionnaire within 72 hours (not later than 22 April 2006).
• Upon receipt of answers to the questionnaire, IF we feel your strengths are a good match for our needs, we will set up a telephone interview to be held sometime between 24-26 April 2006.
• Invitations for the internship will be sent by email or via phone not later than 27 April 2006. You must accept and commit to the internship or reject the internship not later than 29 April 2006. Commitment means that you have purchased your airfare!
• Submit your application to: internship@sirenian.org

Acknowledgments: The Hugh Parkey Foundation for Marine Awareness & Education, Spanish Bay Conservation & Research Center, and the Earthwatch Institute provide financial support for our Logistics Internships. We are extremely grateful for their help in providing internship opportunities.

Caryn Self Sullivan, Marine Scientist
Email: caryn@sirenian.org
Personal Fax: 540.907.4597
USA Mobile: 540.287.8207
Fredericksburg Office/Home 540.373.8205
College Station Lab: 979.845.0495
Belize Mobile : ++501.606.3696
Belize Office/Home: ++501.220.4024
URL: http://mermaidsandmermen.blogspot.com/
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Texas A&M University, Ph.D. Candidate
Sirenian International, President & Co-Founder
Earthwatch Institute, Principal Investigator
Hugh Parkey Foundation, Director of Research
The mission of Sirenian International is to promote the long-term conservation of manatee and dugong populations around the world through research, education, and inter-cultural collaboration. Please remember us when budgeting for your charitable donations. Donate online at http://www.sirenian.org.