Watershed Research Intern

Within the Environmental Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, several projects are working to advance our predictive understanding of the critical environmental processes that determine the mobilization, transformation, and transport of water and critical substances (e.g. nutrients, trace elements, and contaminants) in groundwater and surface water systems, and how these processes are altered by disturbance. This understanding is crucial for managing, restoring and protecting the freshwater resources and ecosystem services vital to our country’s energy security, economic prosperity, and health. The participant will contribute to these programs by participating in field- and laboratory-based research activities investigating, data analysis and interpretation, and program meetings. They will have the opportunity to interact with an interdisciplinary team of empiricists, modelers, and technical professionals and to gain perspective on the breadth of research conducted at ORNL and DOE, prospective career paths, and future opportunities.

Participants will learn: 

The Watershed Dynamics and Evolution Science Focus Area (WaDE SFA) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory seeks to advance our understanding of how the dominant hydro-biogeochemical processes within watersheds aggregate and respond to control water availability and quality under diverse hydrologic disturbance and land cover change scenarios. The participant will contribute to this program by participating in field- and laboratory-based research activities investigating, data analysis and interpretation, and program meetings. They will have the opportunity to interact with an interdisciplinary team of empiricists, modelers, and technical professionals and to gain perspective on the breadth of research conducted at ORNL and DOE, prospective career paths, and future opportunities