| MMS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM: ONGOING STUDIES | ||||||
| MMS OCS Region: | Pacific | |||||
| Title: | Joint UCSB-MMS Pacific OCS Student Internship and Trainee Program (PC-00-02-11) | |||||
| Total Cost: | $77,816 | Period of Performance: | FY 2000-2006 | |||
| Conducting Organization: | Coastal Marine Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara | |||||
| MMS Contact: | Dr. Fred Piltz | |||||
| Description: | ||||||
| Background | ||||||
| The Pacific OCS Region has had need from time to time of short term scientific assistance in gathering and analyzing data and information for use in environmental and other documents. In addition, one of the principle objectives of the Environmental Studies Program is to disseminate information collected by research funded by the Agency. These two needs can be partially satisfied through the use of student interns from the University. Furthermore, it has been a standing recommendation from the OCS Scientific Committee that the MMS institute an intern program so as to provide a long term benefit to the agency and the public. | ||||||
| At this writing, interns have developed an National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Study (NPDES) discharge database for the Pacific Region, helped develop and enter data into the Coastal Bird Surveys conducted by MMS scientists, worked on the geological interpretation of faulting in the Southern California Bight, and developed GIS maps for the MMS in partnership with Santa Barbara County to map fishing hazards in three areas in the Santa Barbara Channel. Interns have collected a water quality database, intertidal literature search, platform/facilities decommissioning database, updating a taxonomic atlas (with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History), and helped to collect beach attendance data. Interns have assisted MMS staff in developing educational materials based upon MMS funded environmental studies. | ||||||
| Objectives | ||||||
| The objectives of the Intern Program with the University of California, Santa Barbara are to target specific topics with which the MMS could use the help of an intern and at the same time provide for a program to acquaint the student with the wide diversity of the programs and actions of the Pacific OCS Region. Thus, students are trained in a real regulatory environment giving them skills to use once they move into a career path. | ||||||
| Methods | ||||||
| The MMS identifies topics annually for which interns are appropriate. The University has a regular selection process for interns and the MMS office requesting an intern selects and mentors the student intern for periods of up to one year. | ||||||
| Importance to MMS | ||||||
| It is highly desirable that the Pacific OCS Region disseminates regional study information to as wide an audience as possible. It is also desirable that the widest possible audience be familiar with the mission and processes of the agency, both to provide informed decision making outside of the federal sector and to provide a pool of talented and trained professionals for future recruitment. | ||||||
| Current Status: | ||||||
| Several interns are presently working on MMS tasks at the university and MMS offices. | ||||||
| Final Report Due: | 9/30/2006 | |||||
| Publications: | ||||||
| Affiliated WWW Sites: | Coastal Marine Institute | |||||
| Revised date: | November 17, 2005 | |||||
| ESPIS |
ESPIS - All completed
ESP Studies: |
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