Delaware Environmental Institute

DENIN Environmental Scholars

Photo of a young woman standing in front of her research poster — The DENIN Scholars present their research projects at a symposium held each year in May.

The DENIN Environmental Scholars Program is a paid undergraduate research internship that provides interested students with a sustained environmental research experience during the academic year. Scholars work with faculty research mentors at the University of Delaware. Students may select from the projects shown on this page. The broad theme of the opportunities relates to water in our changing coastal environment.

For the 2019-2020 Academic year, internships will begin on November 1, 2019 and end on May 07, 2020. Students make a full-time commitment to work on a project during Winter Session 2020, and work part-time during Fall Semester 2019 and Spring Semester 2020.

University of Delaware undergraduate students from any major may apply. The research project descriptions below specify any coursework or prerequisites for the opportunity. In addition to research, DENIN Scholars are also required to attend workshops in career development and effective communication, as well as occasional field trips or social events. Scholars present the results of their work at a student symposium in May 2019.

All applicants should have a minimum 3.0 GPA and must be current sophomores, juniors, or seniors.

How to Apply:

Students who are interested in applying should review the published opportunities below. You may select a first choice and second choice project. To apply, go to: http://ugresearch.udel.edu/PUB_Program.aspx

Please note that the application requires one letter of recommendation from a faculty member or another person who can comment on your experience, education, and suitability for a DENIN Environmental Scholar research project. The online application system will ask you for the name and email of your reference, and will send a request to that person by email. Please contact your reference in advance, to see if they are able to provide a letter.

Students with questions about the DENIN Scholars program or the application process should contact Dr. Yolanda Williams-Bey at DENIN.

Special Project: Spring and Summer 2020: Scrap Tire Alternate uses Research Opportunity

Current funded Projects for 2019-2020 Academic Year:

Wesley College

STEM-Education-and-Chemical-Kinetics

University of Delaware

Continued participation in citizen science (Social Dimensions)

Coupled iron-carbon chemistry in a warming permafrost environment (Threat 2)

Cover crop persistence by Delaware farmers A GIS investigation (Social Dimensions)

Data Retrieval and Analysis for Understanding Human Perceptions of Global Environmental Change (Data Core)

Data Retrieval and Analysis for Understanding Water Quantity and Quality across the Continental U.S. (Data Core)

Defining microbial community structure and function in Delaware River waters (Microbiome Core)