Introduction
A vital part of the College Park Scholars - Science and Global Change program experience is the Practicum, an individual research, internship, or service-learning experience. The practicum is the capstone of the student's Scholars experience, conducted in or by the second sophomore semester (Semester IV). The student develops a project to be conducted on campus or elsewhere, which becomes the focus of a 1 to 3 credit course (CPSP 234G or 249G, credit level based on number of on-site hours worked).
Each student works on-site in diverse settings, under the supervision of professionals in their field. The project must involve the discovery, application, or transmission of scientific information, but could range from original independent research; internship at a working research laboratory; internship at a commercial firm or non-profit organization; science outreach projects with a museum or school; or many other options.
Some particular prospects for global change related research opportunities include (but by no means are limited to!):
- Assisting in the laboratories of various faculty on campus engaged in global change science
- The US Department of Energy's Global Change Education Program
- The Internship Program in Environmental Studies of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland
- Working behind the scenes in the laboratories or collections of institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, and the US Geological Survey
- And many other options
Scenes from Scholars Academic Showcase May 2, 2008
At the end of the fourth semester the student presents their work in the form of a poster presentation on campus, as part of the campus-wide Undergraduate Research Day or the Scholars Academic Showcase.
Individual experiential learning in a working environment and the ability to create professional quality presentations: two things that every Science and Global Change student will experience as part of the Practicum.
