Florida International University - Institute of Environment · Florida · internship, fellowship · posted today
NSF IRES Wildlife Conservation Training Program in the Caribbean Florida International University – Institute of Environment St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) | 2027 cohort Application deadline: 13 November 2026, 11:59 pm (local) PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Institute of Environment (IoE) at Florida International University seeks 4 outstanding undergraduate students and 2 graduate students for a one-year NSF International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program in wildlife conservation in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The program pairs FIU research mentoring with SVG partner expertise to train the next generation of wildlife conservationists through research, applied conservation, and professional development. Students choose one of two project tracks: * Parrot conservation — monitoring and conservation of the endemic St. Vincent Amazon (Amazona guildingii), including habitat/population surveys, remote sensing and acoustic approaches to seasonal habitat use, and interviews on people–forest–parrot relationships * Cetacean conservation — photo-identification, acoustics, and drone-based work on whales and dolphins off SVG, with emphasis on a globally important area for dwarf sperm whales (Kogia sima) PROGRAM STRUCTURE (full participation required) 1) Pre-field course — Spring 2027: ~16 hours on SVG culture and history, wildlife research and conservation, field methods, proposal writing, and scientific presentation 2) Paid field internship — Summer 2027: four weeks of data collection in SVG (parrot or cetacean track), including wildlife/vegetation surveys, interviews, and field instrumentation 3) Post-field course — Fall 2027: ~16 hours on statistics, analysis and interpretation, reporting, and presentations Activities across the year include proposals, fieldwork, co-authored reports and potential peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and media products about the experience. SUPPORT * Field travel, equipment, lodging, food, and travel insurance covered * Stipend for the four-week field period (recent cohorts: $600/week) * Course credit available (students are responsible for tuition/fees and non-FIU enrollment logistics as applicable) Program page and application materials: https://environment.fiu.edu/get-involved/ires-wildlife-conservation-training-program-in-the-caribbean/ ELIGIBILITY * U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States * Currently enrolled at a U.S. university; scheduled to graduate Fall 2027 or later * Able to attend the entire one-year program, including all Spring and Fall classes * Undergraduates: at least two semesters of environment-related coursework * Strong interest in wildlife conservation; comfort with physically demanding forest and/or marine fieldwork for four weeks in SVG TO APPLY Email the following to jkiszka@fiu.edu and gannd@fiu.edu with subject line: “IoE IRES Program application” 1) Completed application form (attachment) 2) Letter of interest (400-word limit; attachment) 3) YouTube link to a ~1-minute video cover (reasons for interest, relevant experience, career goals; paste link in email body) 4) CV (attachment) 5) Two letters of recommendation from supervisors, professors, or work associates (sent directly by the letter writers) Application form (2027): https://environment.fiu.edu/get-involved/ires-wildlife-conservation-training-program-in-the-caribbean/ires_wildlifeconservationsvg_applicationform_2027.pdf Late applications will not be considered. Up to 16 candidates will be interviewed; 6 will be offered positions. Applicants will be notified by 20 November 2026 if selected for interview and by 30 November 2026 if invited to participate. Please refrain from status inquiries before those dates. Questions: jkiszka@fiu.edu and gannd@fiu.edu This program is funded by the National Science Foundation. Florida International University is an equal opportunity employer. Students from underrepresented groups in STEM are especially encouraged to apply.
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