Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary is one of ten parks operated by the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks. It is also one of three sites that comprise the Maryland Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (CBNERR-MD). It contains 1,700 acres of open water, tidal freshwater marshes, forested wetlands, upland and riparian forest, creeks, meadows, pine and sand barrens, and fields. Jug Bay is located in the tidal reaches of the Patuxent River (about 45 miles from the river’s mouth at Solomons Island). The Sanctuary’s mission is to increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of estuarine ecosystems through outdoor education, research, stewardship, and volunteerism. The Friends of Jug Bay (FOJB) is a non-profit organization that supports education, stewardship, and research programs at the Sanctuary.

FOJB funds annually two research and one education undergraduate/graduate summer research internship to advance the Sanctuary’s knowledge on topics of interest regarding its natural resources and social history.

Internships are open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students who will conduct a summer research project within Sanctuary grounds under the mentorship of a staff member or an associated researcher. Students are encouraged to work with staff to coordinate the use of office and laboratory space, field equipment, and other amenities (canoes, boats, storage space, etc.) to support their research project.

Research internships run for approximately 12 weeks during the summertime: June – August. The exact start and end time of the internship will vary depending on the research project and the intern’s availability.

Students applying for our research internships will submit a short proposal (five pages or less) on a specific topic/question chosen from a  list of projects of interest to the Sanctuary, or the applicant can choose to develop his/her own research question. The list of research topics/questions provided is updated every year and can be found on our website.

Qualifications

Internships are open to qualified undergraduate and graduate students who are capable of working independently with mentor guidance. Students should be self-motivated, have good communication and writing skills, and be comfortable working in physically challenging environments.

Application Requirements

Qualified applicants should submit the following:

  • A short proposal (five single-spaced pages or less that include a title, introduction, literature review, methodology, and cited literature);
  • One-page resume;
  • Copies of unofficial transcripts;
  • Two letters of recommendation.

Internship Requirements

The successful applicant is expected to fulfill the following requirements during the time of the internship:

  • Develop an expanded, detailed research project;
  • Conduct independent research with support from the project mentor;
  • Develop a final report;
  • Give a presentation at the Jug Bay’s Annual Volunteer Picnic;
  • Write an article for Jug Bay’s newsletter, “Marsh Notes,” or our website summarizing research findings.

Financial Support

The Friends of Jug Bay will provide a stipend totaling $4,000; two equal installments of $1,500 will be given during the first two months of the internship. A final payment of $1000 is made upon receipt of the final report. Interns should expect to work approximately 12 weeks during the summer (June through August).

Housing: If needed, housing at the residence of a FOJB member and volunteer will be available at no cost for one of the interns.

Transportation: Applicant must provide his/her own transportation.

For more information contact:

Patricia Delgado at rpdelg88@aacounty.org