2023 MIS Report : simplebooklet.com

Mosaics in Science 4National Park Service The Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program provides youth underrepresented in natural resource science career elds (e.g., Latino, African American, Asian, Native American/Alaskan Native, and Pacic Islander/Native Hawaiian) with meaningful, on-the-ground work experience with the National Park Service.Natural resource science disciplines covered in the Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program include air resources, biological resources, geologic resources, natural sounds, night skies, and water resources. For more information about Mosaics in Science, visit our websites, at go.nps.gov/MIS or mosaicsinscience.orgAbout the ProgramMOSAICS in SCIENCEOur primary goals are to provide meaningful and relevant science-based internships for racially and ethnically diverse undergraduates, graduates, and recent graduates, and to support the NPS mission.Program ObjectivesMosaics in Science connects students and recent graduates to valuable opportunities to learn the science skills they need. From gathering and recording data to conducting analyses, each new tool helps interns become more condent and procient. MIS accomplishes the following:• Provides meaningful and relevant science-based internships for racially and ethnically diverse undergraduate/graduate students and recent graduates, allowing the NPS to increase relevance, diversity, and inclusion• Supports high-priority resource management and visitor education and interpretation projects in national parks• Promotes the National Park Service mission Maya Nivarthi, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, NE

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Mosaics in Science 6Executive SummaryThe Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program attracts highly talented college students, recent graduates, graduate students, and participants up to age 35 who seek careers in the sciences. Their work contributes to a wide spectrum of projects taking place at national parks, including inventory and monitoring, science communications, and science education.In 2023, we were proud to host twenty one interns who participated in the intensive 12-week program and contributed a staggering 276 weeks of service, translating to over 11,000 hours devoted to their work. We also achieved other milestones, such as visits to fteen parks to meet with interns and their supervisors/mentors, with stops in Washington, Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, and California. The pinnacle of the program’s success is highlighted at the Career and Leadership Workshop, which serves to provide additional training, the opportunity for interns to meet National Park Service leaders, and to meet one another and learn about their work. Environment for the Americas is proud to serve as a partner with the National Park Service in developing and hosting Mosaics in Science. Our thanks to the many people who contribute to its success, including the park supervisors/mentors who share their passion for science with their interns, and our sta who provide guidance and mentorship throughout the program. Sincerely,Executive Director

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Mosaics in Science 7Partner OrganizationsNPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate (NRSS) The NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate provides scientic, technical, and administrative support to national parks for the management of natural resources. NRSS has a strong commitment to providing science-based on-the-ground youth career development opportunities through the management of the Scientists in Parks Program, which includes the Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program.NPS Youth Programs Division (YPD)The NPS manages youth programs with diverse missions and responsibilities. These programs aim to enhance the connection between young people and the natural and cultural resources of the NPS, while also cultivating a strong work ethic among the youth of our nation. Environment for the Americas (EFTA)EFTA is a nonprot organization dedicated to bridging the gap between underrepresented individuals and conservation through research, education, and outreach. Our mission is to connect diverse people to nature and birds. Through programs like Mosaics in Science, we help to preserve quality public lands and wildlife habitat for the generations to come.One of our key initiatives is providing opportunities for youth to engage in science and natural resource careers. By empowering young minds, we are ensuring the longevity of our natural environment. We are also passionate about increasing participation in environmental education and promoting outdoor recreation among all demographics.For over a decade, our internship programs, including MIS, have played a vital role in reducing barriers to participation in conservation eorts. Through these programs, we have been able to cultivate a diverse and talented workforce that is committed to preserving our natural resources. environmentamericas.org James Nagaoka, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, RI

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Mosaics in Science 8The Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program was created in 2013 as a collaboration between the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate and the Youth Programs Division. During its inaugural year, the Youth Programs Division secured funding to place twelve interns in parks. The NPS partnered with the Geological Society of America during its rst three years. From 2016 to 2020, the program partnered with Environment for the Americas and Greening Youth Foundation. In 2021, EFTA became the sole program partner for the Mosaics in Science Internship. In 2023, we placed twenty-one interns in parks representing almost every region of the National Park Service.MIS Diversity Internship Sites: 2013 - 2023243Interns work across the country>121,280Hours of Service128NPS Units(8 new in 2023)Funding OverviewFunds available in 2023 included some support that was not expended due to COVID restrictions, as well as the current funding. The National Park Service committed $455,700 to supporting intern recruitment, onboarding, and participation for program planning. Mosaics in Science has had a tremendous impact on interns, the work of the National Park Service, and on the many parks that have participated.

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Mosaics in Science 9Federal Hires from MISSince 2013, 32 interns have been hired into permanent, seasonal or term federal positions. One intern was hired by NPS following their Direct Hire Authority-Resource Assistant status they earned as Mosaics in Science interns.The program provides professional training and tools for preparing a federal resume. EFTA maintains communication with MIS alumni to send them job opportunities with the National Park Service and other federal agencies and to hear about their career successes! Name / Year of Internship Position Hire TermJay Stevenson Kim / 2013 Land, Chemicals, and Redevelopment Division with EPA PermanentRichard Duenas / 2015 US Census Bureau PermanentLiliana N. Calderon / 2016 Wildlife Biologist, USFWS Portland Regional Oce PermanentChelsea N Collins / 2016Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of Land ManagementPermanentGabriela Dunn / 2016Administrative Assistant, Golden Gate National Recreation AreaPermanentHowasta (Howie) Tahiry / 2016Biology Assistant, US Forest Service, Cibola National ForestPermanentRicardo Escobar / 2017Community Outreach Coordinator, Petried Forest National ParkPermanentKayla Fermin / 2017Natural Resources & GIS Program Manager, Lewis and Clark National Historical ParkPermanentBrenna Rodriguez / 2017Biological Science Technician, White Sands National MonumentPermanentFabiane Barato-Speyrer / 2017Biological Science Technician, Gulf Coast Inventory & Monitoring NetworkPermanentSophia Bass-Werner / 2017Cartographic technician, National Park Service at Boston Harbor IslandsPermanentSebastian Guillermo Alvarez Espinoza / 2018Physical Scientist, FEMA PermanentRhys Reynaldo Placido Joaquin /2018 Park Ranger, Big Cypress National Park PermanentJeanie Lai / 2018 Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service PermanentDominique Sanchez / 2018 Park Guide, Mammoth Cave National Park PermanentTania C Parra Ramirez / 2020 Biological Technician, Grand Canyon National Park PermanentBrooke Su / 2021Wildlife Biologist, USFWS Permanent

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Mosaics in Science 10 Name / Year of Internship Position Hire TermMarissa Reis / 2013 Lead Interpretive Ranger, Sequoia National ParkSeasonalSalvador (Eddie) Silahua / 2015 Biological Science Technician, Olympic National ParkSeasonalLaura Palma / 2017Biological Science Technician, NPS at Biscayne National ParkSeasonalElizabeth Rico / 2017 Big South Fork National River & Recreation AreaSeasonalLaura Palma / 2017Biological Science Technician, NPS - Everglades National Park, FLSeasonalMaaz Fareedi / 2018Geologist, Yellowstone National ParkSeasonalKatherine (Kat) Ko / 2018Biologist for the Air Resources Division, National Park ServiceSeasonalJaylin Solberg / 2018Biological Science Technician, Theodore Roosevelt National ParkSeasonalChristian Knutson / 2019 Park Ranger, Badlands National ParkSeasonalCaleb Ronald Bolin / 2020Biotech Assistant, Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monument ParksSeasonalCory Steven Zaller-Edmonds / 2020 Biology Assistant, Mount Rainier National Park SeasonalEdwin Ali Torres / 2021Biological Technician, Golden Gate National Recreation AreaSeasonalWilliam (Will) Hansell Tsai / 2021 Interpretive Park Ranger, Yosemite National Park SeasonalJulia Dahlquist / 2022Youth Engagement Coordinator, Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, USFSSeasonalLiza (Elizabeth) Hafner /2022 Interpretive Ranger, Yosemite National Park SeasonalPermanent: 17 Seasonal: 15Federal Hires from MIS 2013-2023

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Mosaics in Science 12Internship DutiesResearch• Monitoring Great Grey Owl, vegetation inventory, science communication, and data analyses at Yosemite National Park in California.• Species distributions, forest pathology, vegetation ecology, threatened species, and remote sensing at North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network in Washington.• Assessing sea turtle populations, nocturnal ﬁeld season with data collection and water conditions in Buck Island at Christiansted National Park.• Set out trail cameras and collect data on beaver movements, design and run vegetation browse transects looking at impacts of wildlife on ﬂoodplain forest regeneration and potentially help monitor ASCC plantings at the Crosby Farm site along the Mississippi National river.Inventory and Monitoring• Assessing ﬁsheries resources in light of recent changes in ﬁshing regulations at Biscayne National Park in Florida.• Coho and steelhead monitoring and a diet composition study at Point Reyes National Seashore in California.• Collecting biological data in the ﬁeld including plant monitoring, amphibian and waterbird monitoring in Skagway, Alaska• Monitor pupae for emergence and release adult butterﬂies, collect eggs, monitoring of larvae in the lab, protect IMB habitat and participate in habitat enhancement/improvement projects, conduct transect surveys to track population trends for IMB, maintain native plant nursery, seed collection and data entry and analysis.• Hiking to sites and setting up sound monitoring instruments in the ﬁeld, analyzing the data, and writing up a protocol to include the monitoring in the Wilderness Character Monitoring Plan at Glacier National Park.• Development and implementation of a woody debris monitoring protocol for the Cuyahoga River. survey, monitor, and ground-truth woody debris features identiﬁed by side-scan sonar surveys in 2020.• Conservation of in situ remains of America’s only known Columbian mammoth nursery herd. Labeling and recording new specimens for the Interior Collections Management System in Texas.GIS and other technologies• Field data collection with photogrammetry data, assisting with archeological site monitoring. ArcGIS, high-precision geographic location and document topographic changes.• Monitor bristlecone pine for signs of beetle attack, survey for and map the southern extent of bristlecone pine in the park using ArcGIS Field Maps, and collect bristlecone pine seeds for long-term storage in California.• Conducting non-motorized boat and wading surveys of 3 park lakes mapping the depths/elevations and contours to provide detailed current conditions of the lake beds Utilize GIS to produce lakebed maps and proﬁles in Virginia.Education / Interpretation• Working as a science communication assistant with a component of ﬁeld work, developing science/media communications and videography/photography at Golden Gate/John Muir/Pinnacles/Point Reyes in California• Developing and reﬁning science communication materials, scientiﬁc media development, presentations/interpretive programs for visitors and occasionally working with ﬁeld scientists at Olympic National Park in Washington.• Draft new curricula for Slater Mill environmental education programming, including two hands-on programs focused on 4th grade students for “Every Kid Outdoors” programming that meets Rhode Island science learning standards.• Update and renovate the herbarium display by gathering new specimens, updating the existing text, and researching and writing ethnobotany information about Native American use of the plants of the items on display at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.Multi-faceted• Cave inventory within park caves, GIS mapping, locating karst springs within the park, collection, identiﬁcation, cataloging and housing of fossil specimens, create a digital museum record for the specimen and house the specimen in the collection storage area of Mammoth Cave in Tennessee.• Collect, organize, analyze, and report on visitor use data related to the visitor use management planning at Great Sand Dunes. Using GIS equipment and applications; analyzing visitor use and social science data using statistical packages and ArcGIS to create descriptive and inferential statistics to evaluate the managed access system; communicate analyses via written reports.• Assist in natural resource monitoring, bat acoustic identiﬁcation, GIS & GPS inventory and mapping, database management and report writing. Assist in ongoing projects like night skies, hydrology monitoring, invasive weeds monitoring, climate change phenology, cave monitoring, trail maintenance, equipment maintenance, and historic preservation in Oregon.

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Mosaics in Science 13Date Time TopicZoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtf-utqDoiHtfRoBCLF9q3lUgkh4DQ973aMay 11 11 am MT / 1 pm ET Workplace HarassmentMay 18 11 am MT / 1 pm ET Direct Hire Authority-Resource AssistantMay 25 11 am MT / 1 pm ET Public Lands Corps Hiring AuthorityZoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pf-qprTgjHtcgAE7g1WnxKlpW7zG9MH49June 8 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET Federal ResumesJune 15 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET Networking; advocating for your professional growthJune 22 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET How to Prepare Oral and Poster PresentationsJune 29 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET Preparing for the Career and Leadership WorkshopJuly 21-28 By appointment Presentation Practice SessionsJuly 20 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET Review of DC logistics and intern presentations practiceJuly 27 12 pm MT / 2 pm ET Intern practice presentation with peersWebinarsEnvironment for the Americas provides training to interns via webinars, which serve as one of our primary means of face-to-face communication. These webinars allow us to reach a broader audience of interns and their supervisors directly. Webinars oer interns convenient and cost-eective professional development without the need to physically travel to a specic location. They also provide EFTA sta with the ability to measure attendance and promptly address questions in real time. We continually rene our webinars using the insights from previous cohorts, ensuring an improved experience for future interns. We make sure that our webinars feature speakers who are relatable to our interns and can share their relevant experiences, mak-ing them a highly popular activity among Mosaics interns.Veronica Guevara, Biscayne National Park, FL

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Mosaics in Science 17Guest SpeakersEdwin TorresVeterans Outreach Coordinator, Central Washington UniversitySangita ChariProgram Manager, Relevancy, Diversity and Inclusion, NPSMichael RizoProgram Specialist, US Forest ServiceCharles F. Sams IIIDirector, National Park ServiceEleanour SnowYouth and Education Programs Manager, Geologist,US Geological SurveyMerlene MazyckWorkforce Development Partnerships Team Lead, US Forest ServiceSara NewmanDirector, Oﬃce of Public Health, National Park ServiceRobyn ReesDirector of HR Strategic Initiatives, Oﬃce of Human Capital, Department of the InteriorEstrella SainburgM.S. Community and Regional Planning, Outdoor Recreation Planner at Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Kristian EnbyskMuseum Technician at the Midwest Archeological CenterIsabel GonzalezInterpretive Ranger and Public Historian at Fort Raleigh National Historic SiteDaniel R. WildcatAuthor, Speaker, ScholarGeorge McDonaldOﬃce of the Assistant Secretary, Policy, Management and Budget Senior Advisor, National Park ServiceKathryn TroutmanPresident, Education Through Engagement, LLCJamie CrispinYouth Programs Manager,National Park ServiceLisa Collins / EvaluatorPresident, Education Through Engagement, LLCMichael Martinez Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of the InteriorDoug HaleHuman Resources Specialist (Direct Hire Authority Resources Assistant), National Park ServiceTracy BaetzChief Curator, U.S. Department of the Interior MuseumMelissa SimsChief, HR Policy and Strategic Initiatives Workforce and Inclusion Directorate, National Park Service

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Mosaics in Science 19Intern PresentationsOral presentations Poster presentationsAs a part of the hiring authority, DHA-RA Interns are required to give oral presentations. Four interns showcased their summer research at the Yates Auditorium discussing topics including climate change eects in vegetation and beavers, bird population changes in Alaskan ecosystem, vegetation management in the Pacic northwest and sheries management in the Atlantic Ocean. Presentations were live streamed and recorded.Mosaics interns with Public Lands Corps hiring authority created posters and shared the ndings of their summer positions at the Bison Bistro. Topics varied from vegetation monitoring in Death Valley and Yosemite to education and outreach at Golden Gate and Olympic.Mosaics in Science interns share their work at the Career and Leadership Workshop through either an oral or poster presentation. This gives the interns experience communicating their research and results as they would at a professional conference. It is also an opportunity for them to demonstrate their skills, personality, and ambition to Department of the Interior leadership and employees.

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Mosaics in Science 21Workshop SurveysHow important was learning about other interns' work through their presentations? Important to very importantHow important were the DHA and PLC presentations? Helpful to very helpfulDid you benet from hearing from park leadership?Yes!Overall content of Day 1Good to very goodOverall content of Day 2Good to very goodRate the presentation by Daniel WildcatGood to excellentRate your experience at the zooGood to very goodHow helpful was the navigating federal careers panel? Helpful to very helpfulPlease rate the importance of hearing from the Director of the National Park Service.Important to very importantEnvironment for the Americas evaluates MIS to collect and analyze information about the interns’ experiences with the program’s activities, from the logistics to the Career and Leadership Workshop. We use their responses, to improve its eectiveness and to inform programming decisions. The adaptations we make address the changing needs of each cohort by identifying areas for improvement. Data are also used to track information about our participants, such as their awareness of federal careers, demographics, experience in their eld of study, and the quality of presentations at the workshop.

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Ameen AsbahiBiology AssistantMount Rainier National Park, North Coast and Cascades NetworkAmeen shared that Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most beautiful places he has ever been. Visible as a backdrop to many cities in the region, the mountain is renowned for its drastic landscapes and stunning biodiversity. Sprawling subalpine wildower meadows are an iconic feature of Mount Rainier during the summertime and a major draw for the millions of visitors the park receives. These meadows include an incredible amount of native botanic biodiversity with vibrant owers such as magenta paintbrush, broadleaf lupine, and tiger lily. However, these subalpine meadow ecosystems may be subject to change as the climate shifts. The North Coast and Cascades Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCCN) is responsible for long term monitoring projects in seven parks across the Pacic Northwest. One of Ameen’s projects focused on collecting data on subalpine vegetation in the park, including identifying the prevalence and species richness of subalpine meadows. Ameen and his team ventured out miles into the backcountry to conduct research at established long term monitoring sites, camping along the way. This year is only the second or third time visiting many of the plots, and many more years of research are needed before conclusions can be drawn about how the meadows are changing. Future results from this long term research may help inform management decisions across the entire NCCN network on how best to preserve meadows for future generations.The land administered as Mount Rainier National Park is the Ancestral homeland of the Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, and Coast Salish people.Mosaics in Science 23Project Highlights - DHA

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Michael del CastilloNatural Resource Management AssistantMississippi National River and Recreation Areas Miko’s project aimed at assessing how much of an impact beavers have on cottonwood regeneration. Cottonwood trees are an important tree for the canopy of a oodplain forest and allow many birds of prey safe nesting sites. Recently, cottonwood regeneration in the area has decined. There simply aren’t as many cottonwood saplings compared to other species like boxelder and silver maple. With hopes to collect more data on how much beaver and other herbivores are responsible for this strong decline in regeneration, the park launched a research project. Conducting cache surveys, vegetation transects, and camera trapping will add to the Mississippi National River and Recreation Areas’ knowledge of beaver impacts and result in a better idea of the overall connection between beaver and how their herbivory aects cottonwood regeneration. In the past, there have been a few examplesof how beaver can aect eastern cottonwood restoration. At a site in North Mississippi regional park, for example, beaver breached the fencing during high ood season and removed all fty cottonwood saplings that were planted. Recording these activities will help park managers identify challenges to restoring habitat and help target areas and methos for more successful eorts.ResultsFlagging the routeMethodology: Crosby farm transect pointsMosaics in Science 24Project Highlights - DHA

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Veronica GuevaraNatural Resource Management Assistant Biscayne National Park Biscayne National Park in southern Florida, is one of the largest marine parks in the National Park System. The park is 95% waterm and within its 173,000 acres, there are four dierent marine ecosystems. It encompasses mangrove forests, shallow estuarine systems with diverse bottom communities such as seagrasses and keys made of coral limestone, and oshore reefs, which are part of the third largest coral reef system in the world. The park is located inside Biscayne Bay, a hot spot for commercial and recreational shing. But due to unsustainable practices directly associated with shing, the area has suered a decrease in biodiversity and resilience. Veronica’s primary focus was to conduct creel surveys and to contribute to data collection and entry on sea turtle nesting, participating in mooring buoys use surveys, and recording water quality measurements. She collected data by interviewing visitors about their shing experience at the dierent marinas near the park. She noticed that most had no idea that they were shing in a national park and/or that the shing regulations are dierent inside the park’s boundary. Her project mainly focused on analyzing data from 2015 to 2023, which includes information about the species of sh caught, their sizes, and the areas where they were caught. The results will help to identify shing preferences, how people use the park for shing both inside and outside the park, and how uses correlate to shing violations. Through her research, she detected a repeating pattern in the species of sh caught at specic areas. Using the results, she developed a poster that describes the sh most frequently caught and the associated shing regulations. The poster is now present at marinas and oers more information with a link to a website to help visitors learn about the diversity of sh species and how they are protected. Regulaciones de PrescaFishing RegulationsMosaics in Science 25Project Highlights - DHA

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Isabella YallapragadaNatural Resource Management AssistantKlondike Gold Rush National Historical ParkKlondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is located in Skagway, Alaska at the northern terminus of the Lynn Canal. Established in 1976 to commemorate the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898-99, the park also contains an impressive diversity of ora and fauna because of its unique positioning in a transition zone between coastal temperate rainforest and interior boreal forest. Each spring, millions of migratory birds from the United States, Canada, and Central and South America make southeast Alaska a stopover site before completing their perilous, long-distance journeys to summer breeding and rearing locations. Klondike’s Coastal Waterbird Survey (CWS) was designed to comprehensively monitor the occurrence, distribution, abundance, and habitat associations of bird communities, with particular attention paid to such migratory birds in the Taiya Inlet. As ornithologists across the world have noted, however, migratory birds have generally advanced their spring migrations in recent decades in response to climate change. Isabella led a team of volunteer birders in analyzing data collected according to CWS protocols to determine if spring migration has changed over time. Results from the analysis will be used to inform future CWS procedure and the park’s avifauna management and monitoring plans. Mosaics in Science 26Project Highlights - DHA

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Mosaics in Science 27Intern Achievements Elsy MartinezNatural Resource Management AssistantOregon Caves National Monument Nestled in the Siskiyou Mountains in Southeast Oregon, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is best known for its natural beauty in the expansive granite caves throughout the park. It is also home to a diverse set of plant and animal species, which brought Elsy Martinez to the park for her Mosaics in Science internship. As an intern in the Resource Management Division, Elsy learned to implement natural resource monitoring systems, specically bat acoustic identication. Once recorded, she analyzed the bat calls using the SonoBat software and uploaded them to NaBat, the national bat database. She also worked closely with GIS and GPS inventory and mapping and other resource monitoring involving hydrology, invasive weeds, climate change, caves, trail and equipment maintenance, and historic preservation of the park. Through honing her monitoring tactics and recording these creatures, ten species of bats were found and documented near the entrances of caves at the monument.Maya NivarthiScience Communication AssistantAgate Fossil Beds National MonumentAgate Fossil Beds National Monument, located near the small town of Harrison, Nebraska, is one of the most pristine displays of Miocene-era fossils worldwide. Not only is it home to these brilliant, historical fossils but also an immensely diverse collection of plants that inhabit the area in today’s era. These plants are what brought Maya Nivarthi to the national monument as Science Communication Assistant. She was tasked with identifying and geolocating plant species with GPS coordinates to determine the habitat span of particular plant species throughout the monument. Maya also learned the skills required to collect, clean, and prepare specimens for scientic study. In conjunction with this eldwork, Maya developed a herbarium collection to document Agate’s plant biodiversity, including ve distinct plant communities: riparian, cottonwood, lowland prairie, upland prairie, and rocky blus. In doing this, she collected over 40 species, creating several collections paired with scientic ethnobotany write-ups. She is most proud of her contributions to the iNaturalist AFGO project, where she identied and uploaded 111 unique species within the park.

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Mosaics in Science 28Intern Achievements Whitney WycheNatural Resource Management AssistantGlacier National ParkGlacier National Park, saddling the continental divide, is one of the most visited parks (with 100 million visitors to date) and home to the largest glaciers in the lower 48 states. What brought Whitney Wyche to Glacier as a Natural Resource Management Assistant wasn’t just the extraordinary nature you can see in the park- but the symphony of sounds you can hear. While working in resource management, Whitney was tasked with setting up an array of sound monitoring systems across the park, collecting this data, and building a new baseline for the soundscape of Glacier National Park. This eort was all to help determine the eects of natural and human-caused sounds on the visitor experience within the park. Stationed in West Glacier, MT, Whitney noticed the need for more diversity in the park, both employees and visitors. She emphasized the importance of programs like MIS to bring diverse interns into national parks where they are typically sparse. In addition, Whitney gained invaluable experience and technical knowledge of sound monitoring systems and data synthesis and comparison. All of this data is useful to compare prior sound pollution data collected over the last few decades and decades to come. Isabel SonoraPaleontology AssistantMammoth Caves National Park, Mammoth Caves National Park is one of just ten national parks in the United States that is also a listed UNESCO World Heritage site. Containing more than 400 miles of cave passageways, discoveries of prehistoric fossils are perpetual. Most recently, in 2019, a large number of Chondrichthyan (shark) fossil specimens were discovered deep within the cave systems, which is what brought Isabel Sonora to MACA as a Paleontology Assistant through Mosaics in Science. Through this internship, Isabel was tasked with collecting, cataloging, identifying, and housing these fossil specimens for further research. Through this opportunity, Isabel gained necessary skills in caving, museum curation, and subterranean biota survey. As a result, she collected, cataloged, and housed over 600 specimens from the site encompassing over 70 species of shark-like creatures dating from 325-340 million years old. Additionally, Isabel got involved in various bird and bat monitoring projects, as well as ancient cave art and cave passage surveying initiatives throughout the park.

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Mosaics in Science 29Intern Achievements Briana Alyce SalcidoPaleontology AssistantWaco Mammoth National MonumentWaco Mammoth National Monument, established in 2015, hosts the largest concentration of Mammoth fossils from a single incident globally. It is hypothesized that the 24 mammoths that lie here were victims of a ash ood, preserving their skeletons within layers of earth for thousands of years. Prior interns observed that the conservation and maintenance of these fossils were being mishandled. In order to combat this issue, new interns were brought in as part of an eort to properly handle and conserve these specimens for future study and observation. Part of this initiative included Alyce Salcido who joined as the Paleontology Assistant. During her time at the park, Alyce was tasked with cleaning, preparing, preserving, and carefully handling fossil specimens collected over the last 30+ years. Methods used included jacket preparation to remove excess sediment, screen washing to observe smaller specimens and conservation for display and scientic purposes. Her eorts contributed to the reconstruction of fossils for all of these uses and a STEM outreach day to display replica assembled fossils and educate visitors on the micro-fossils found in the park. This event attracted over 1,155 people. Saani BorgeBiology AssistantSan Juan Island National Historical ParkSan Juan Island National Historical Park is a place rich in history and home to extraordinary wildlife. The park is home to the fascinating story of the Pig War, a little-known battle between Washington State and British forces over the island’s ownership. But the park oers more than just history - it’s also a sanctuary for rare species. One such species is the Island Marble Buttery (IMB), thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1998. These beautiful butteries are now endangered, with their last remaining habitat being the American Camp Unit within the park. However, the park faces another threat - the invasive Canadian Thistle, which is disrupting the natural dune movement and putting the Sand Verbena Moth (SVM) at risk. Enter Saani Borge, a Biology Assistant working at the park through the Mosaics in Science Internship Program. Saani’s important role involved trapping, identifying, and surveying insects, with a focus on the SVM. Their research revealed a decline in moth populations as the invasive species encroached on their natural habitat. They skillfully collected and analyzed data, acquiring valuable knowledge and skills along the way.

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Mosaics in Science 30Intern Achievements James NagaokaEducation AssistantBlackstone River Valley National Historical Park Established in 2014, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park was created to preserve the local history in the area, mainly the rst successful textile mills in the United States. Located between Rhode Island and Massachusetts, this park is best known for its rich, post-colonial history. Dating back to the late 18th century, this area was the heart of the rst industrial revolution in the States. What often goes forgotten about BLRV is its immense natural history and beauty. Blackstone has much to oer with abundant sh, wildlife, and diverse species- but no science-based education existed in the park. This need is where James Nagoka contributed to the upstart of a K-12 science-based curriculum for the park as an Education Assistant. Working closely with the Interpretive Park Rangers there, James helped develop a diverse set of educational talks and awareness presentations regarding the health of the Blackstone River and its tributaries. He sought to inform the public of the detriments to the river, including water pollution. He also ran pop-up activities for visitors, educating them on the historic mills’ eects on the river and the problems they still cause today. Julio Campis DiazBiology AssistantYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park in California attracts more than four million visitors every year. Renowned for its geological wonders and scenic landscapes, the park is also home to a diverse range of species that inhabit its glacial valley. Among these species is the endangered Great Gray Owl. Taking up the role of Biology Assistant, Julio Campis Diaz was drawn to Yosemite to contribute to the conservation eorts for these majestic owls. His primary tasks during the internship included gathering location data on the owls, observing their nesting sites, and studying the vegetation they rely on. Using sophisticated techniques such as radio telemetry and vegetation monitoring protocols, Julio established 202 vegetation plots, generating valuable data that will aid in reducing the mortality rates of the Great Gray Owls in the future. The project focuses on nests near roads, monitors the owls, investigates the causes and eects of collisions with vehicles, and develops strategies to mitigate risks in high-risk zones. Throughout this internship, Julio honed his skills in various aspects such as bird banding, utilizing forestry instruments, data collection and analysis, and conducting bird surveys. Julio is eager to leverage the expertise gained from this experience and apply it towards serving the NPS.

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Mosaics in Science 31Words From Mentors / SupervisorsKristen Ewen / Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic SiteThis is an excellent internship and we have hired locally, providing students with an experience that will help them be part of our park in the future.. Carolyn Mills / Death Valley National ParkWe have worked great because Caitlyn and I have learned a lot and worked on clear communication. This way, we have fulﬁlled our work plan and the intern took leadership in their role. This is my ﬁrst experience hosting a Mosaics intern and it has been wonderful! Vanessa McDonough / Biscayne National ParkTomorrow is oﬃcially the last day of the internships of my AMAZING LHIP and MIS interns. Wow, they were truly fantastic. We celebrated their success today with a beautiful day out in the ﬁeld visiting the reefs, then indulged in some homemade key lime pie ice cream that I made for them once we made it back to headquarters. I’m going to miss them! Nancy Duncan / Mississippi National River and Recreation AreasOur intern just gave his presentation for us and it is pretty stellar. I was impressed! He has been working on it very hard! You can see he got help from his crew mates and hopefully he’s learning a great lesson in teamwork thanks to Mosaics!

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Mosaics in Science 32Words From InternsJulio Campis Diaz / Yosemite National ParkI thank Environment for the Americas and Mosaics in Science for providing an opportunity for underrepresented minorities such as myself who wish to make a diﬀerence in the ﬁelds of STEM and conservation. Internships like these demonstrate the importance of diversity not only in wildlife but in our teams and organizations. I hope my passion and dedication serves in two ways: 1. to provide a good example and facilitate the employment of future stem minorities and 2. To be an honorary example to all minorities who wish to protect our wildlife and wild places. Whitney Wyche / Glacier National ParkThank you to my supervisor, Jillian McKenna, for your support, mentorship, and guidance. Big thank you to Damon Joyce from the National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, who taught me how to use the sound monitoring equipment and analysis software. Special thank you to Raven Devaney for doing ﬁeldwork with me. Huge thank you to the Environment for the Americas staﬀ and the Mosaics in Science program who made this incredible internship opportunity possible. Savannah Domenech / Prince William Forest ParkI really enjoyed working at Prince William Forest Park this summer. And, as a result, it is hard to narrow down my summer to one or even two favorite parts. However, some of my favorite unique moments were seeing bats in person, seeing a baby turtle and other creatures up close, and holding alive ﬁsh (they were caught in the macroinvertebrate net) in my hands. Michael Castillo / Mississippi National River and Recreation AreasThis training has provided a lot of crucial knowledge about the ecosystem around me and I feel adequately prepared for my role here on the river. I had so much fun on this project. I collaborated with some awesome folks who helped further my understanding of ﬁeld methods and plant ID tremendously! I feel very grateful for the opportunity to participate.

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Mosaics in Science 34Site VisitsEnhancing Internship Experience and UnderstandingSite visits to national parks provide opportunities for Environment for the Americas sta to meet face-to-face with interns to learn about their activities, successes, and challenges during their internships. We also have the opportunity to meet with supervisors/mentors and learn about the park. Each site visit provides us with information that we use to improve the experience for future interns. Connecting with Interns Across National ParksIn 2023, Environment for the Americas and NPS sta completed a total of fteen in person site visits. These included Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore; Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Glacier National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument/Christiansted National Historic Site, Prince William Forest Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Coast and Cascades Network and Olympic National Park.Addressing ChallengesWe identied a variety of issues during site visits that were manage that ranged from logistical challenges to concerns about expenses and work. For example, interns at Olympic and Yosemite faced a communications challenge with the lack of Wi-Fi in many areas. Environment for the Americas addressed the situation by providing the interns with a stipend to purchase a hot spot they could use to complete their work and communicate with their family and friends. The costs of working at parks also varies widely. In Alaska, for example, food is expensive. During a site visit, supported the intern by purchasing some additional food to help alleviate the cost to the intern. Meeting interns and their supervisors also helps us to build relationships, demonstrate our support for the interns, and to strengthen the program for future participants. Olivia Montoya, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, CO

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Articles■ Let Me Count the Ways: How Citizen Scientists Helped a Park Measure Visitor Impacts Rocky Mountain National Park Wildly popular Rocky Mountain National Park wanted to assess the extent of resource damage from all that love. It needed the help of some ardent supporters. ■ My Park Story: Sylvia Touchstone Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Kennesaw Mountain National Battleﬁeld Park■ Conserving the Island Marble, One Poke in the Rear at a Time San Juan Island National Historical Park "One Sunday morning (in the lab) the warm sun came up and – pop! – out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar…"■ Intern Spotlight: Kai Victor Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park■ My Park Story: Elise Chan Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Rainbow Bridge National Monument■ Environmental Factors Blackstone River Valley This park, nestled along the river’s edge, is part of a unique riparian habitat—a dynamic zone where land and water meet. Mosaics in Science 37Intern Media HighlightsLucy HurlbutOutreach and Digital Communications SpecialistYouth Programs DivisionNational Park Service

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Mosaics in Science 38InstagramGolden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashorehttps://www.instagram.com/p/Cu15FyDLi_p/?img_index=1“Avani Fachon tells us all about her MIS internship experience as a science communications assistant!”Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Sitehttps://www.instagram.com/p/CtzjAgdJtY-/?img_index=1“Larissa Sweeney, your island-loving adventurer from the vibrant shores of St. Croix, US Virgin Islands! Work-ing from the comfort of her home, she is ready to embark on a journey of conservation and exploration.”Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Parkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CuDDUKtp2Kz/?img_index=1“Birding, for Isabella, is a practice of patience and meditation. While she is resting on a rocky outcrop, she realizes that nature follows its own timeless rhythm.”Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park“James is determined to make a diﬀerence as an environmental education intern this summer at Black-stone River Valley National Historic Site. His mission is to raise awareness about the river's environmental and ecological well-being.”Mammoth Cave National Parkhttps://www.facebook.com/MosaicsInScienceInternship“#YourParkStory: Arriving at Mammoth Cave. Isabel Sonora, aka Izzie, is a Paleontology Assistant at Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA), located in Kentucky. As she arrived at MACA, she couldn't help but be amazed at the park's rich history and the fact that it was established as recently as 1941.” Social Media Content QuotesFacebookMississippi National River and Recreation Areashttps://www.facebook.com/MosaicsInScienceInternshipMY PARK STORY: LOOKING BACK AT THE BEAVER PROJECTMiko Delcastillo's personal project for his time at Mississippi National River and Recreation Areas as a Natural Resource Management Assistant was to study the foraging ecology of beavers.Mount Rainier National Parkhttps://www.facebook.com/MosaicsInScienceInternshipMeet 2023 Mosaics intern Ameen Asbahi, a Biology Assistant at Mount Rainier National Park, North Coast and Cascades Network.Blackstone River Valley National Historical Parkhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CuhPt5zrUG6/?img_index=1“James is determined to make a diﬀerence as an environmental education intern this summer at Blackstone River Valley National Historic Site. His mission is to raise awareness about the river’s environmental and ecological well-being.”

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This program could not have happened without the vision and dedication of our many partners. We gratefully acknowledge the work and support of the following:Mosaics in Science 39AcknowledgementsRecruiting Partners• Barnard College Columbia University• Colorado State University, Fort Collins• Franklin & Marshall College• Indiana University• Indiana University, Bloomington• Kennesaw State University• Lamar University *• Middlebury College in Vermont• Northland College• Nova Southeastern University in South Florida *• Ohio State UniversityMIS Host Sites• Agate Fossil Beds National Monument• Biscayne National Park• Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park• Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Site• Cuyahoga Valley National Park• Death Valley National Park• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area• Glacier National Park• Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes National Seashore• Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore• Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve• Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park• Mammoth Cave National Park• Mississippi National River and Recreation Areas• Mount Rainier National Park, North Coast and Cascades Network• Olympic National Park• Oregon Caves National Monument• Prince William Forest Park• San Juan Island National Historical Park• Waco Mammoth National Monument• Yosemite National Park• Ohio Wesleyan University• University of California Merced *• University of California• University of California, Berkeley ** • University of Colorado, Boulder• University of Miami *• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor• University of Minnesota• University of Puerto Rico*• University of Texas at El Paso *• Williams College*Hispanic Serving Institution **Minority serving institution

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Mosaics in Science 41Appendix I: Intern ProlesJulio Campis Diaz, Universidad de Puerto RIco, Rio PiedrasBiology Assistant, Yosemite National Park Julio Campis Díaz is an undergraduate biology student at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Julio is looking forward to the opportunity to work with biologists while also representing Latino scientists motivated in environmental sciences. He is certain that his site and study, the Great Gray Owl research in Yosemite National Park, will serve as a stepping stone to achieve his professional goals of being an ecologist for the National Park Service. He wishes to help protect our national parks and the magic each park holds. He will do this by pursuing ecology and conservation eﬀorts in Puerto Rico and around the world as he grows into a scientist and educator. He is interested in population dynamics and how animals react to anthropogenic factors. Julio fell in love with birds through the Fish and Feathers Internship and wishes to continue onto a Ph.D. in ornithology. During Julio’s free time, he enjoys playing the guitar, hiking, birdwatching, and exploring the freshwater bodies around his island.Saani Borge, Barnard College Biology Assistant, San Juan Island National Historical Park Saani Borge is a California native with a degree in Evolutionary and Ecological Biology from Barnard College, Columbia University. What started with beekeeping in high school evolved into a full-blown passion for wildlife and biodiversity by the time she started college. As part of Columbia’s neuroscience and psychology departments, she conducted research studies on a variety of subjects, including rhesus macaques, numbats, squirrel monkeys, and other college students. After a short stint in medical biotechnology with the groundbreaking startup Cresilon following graduation, she realized her passions lie in wildlife and natural resource management, community forestry, and the conservation of ecosystems. She most recently spent the summer season stationed at the Indiana Dunes National Park as part of the Wisconsin Conservation Corp, where she conducted invasive species removal and promoted the growth of native insect populations that regularly migrate through the forest. She is thrilled at the opportunity to work with the only remaining population of the federally endangered Island Marble Butterﬂy through her internship at San Juan Island National Historical Park. She is especially looking forward to raising and releasing newborn butterﬂies back into the wild for repopulation. After participating in the Mosaics in Science program, she aims to continue working in resource management in either the private or public sector.Ameen Asbahi, University of MichiganBiology Assistant, Mount Rainier National Park, North Coast and Cascades Network Ameen Asbahi is a junior at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, studying the Program in the Environment with a major specialization in conservation biology. Ameen has been obsessed with wildlife since he could read. After college, he plans to pursue a Masters of Science in either vertebrate or restoration ecology, with the goal of helping to reform our relationship with land in the United States. Through habitat restoration and community-based conservation, he hopes to plant forests on forgotten land and create a future where diverse ecosystems can be easily experienced at a local level. Growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago, he did not have easy access to outdoor experiences. In his community, there is minimal knowledge of conservation and ecosystem services, as people do not recognize the impact of nature on their daily lives. He is eager to meet other passionate BIPOC students who are drawn to nature. This summer, he is so excited to work with the North Coast & Cascades Inventory Monitoring Network, based in Mount Rainier National Park. His position involves science communication and sub-alpine vegetation monitoring. He is eager to further his skills in science communication and one day educate his community at home about the value of conservation and ecosystem services. He also cannot wait to experience the Paciﬁc Northwest for the ﬁrst time and is grateful for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful area.Elise Chan, Middlebury College Geomorphology Assistant, Glen Canyon National Recreation AreaElise Chan is a junior at Middlebury College in Vermont pursuing a major in geology and a minor in geography. In these ﬁelds, she is most interested in geomorphology and the interconnection between both the human and geologic processes shaping the Earth’s surface. She is also interested in applying GIS and remote sensing tools to study the impacts of these processes. While volunteering as a search-and-rescue responder in her home state of Washington, she realized how important it is to serve her community in her career. Combining this with her academic interests has led her to plan to pursue a career with a state or federal land-management agency. She was drawn to Mosaics in Science for the opportunity to experience working with a federal land-management agency and meet people who are working in roles that she could see her future self in.

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Mosaics in Science 42Michael del Castillo, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Natural Resource Management Assistant, Mississippi National River and Recreation Areas Miko del Castillo is a third-year student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation biology. He grew up in an area that bordered the St. Croix River, which heavily inﬂuenced his passion for wildlife and nature. When he is not in school, he is hiking, rock climbing, or fossil hunting. Being able to have an opportunity to participate in the Mosaics in Science program makes him feel very grateful. As a Minnesotan, he loves that he will be working on the Mississippi ﬂoodplains surrounding St. Paul. It provides a unique experience that will add greatly to his perception of the local ecosystems. Throughout this internship, he hopes to develop a better understanding of the impacts that animals, speciﬁcally beavers, have on forest regeneration. He is interested in learning more about the ecology of the Mississippi River and using his knowledge for the betterment of the area. He loves the idea of a career based outdoors with real-world applications that lead somewhere.Savannah Domenech, Ohio Wesleyan UniversityHydrology Assistant, Prince William Forest Park Savannah Domenech is a student at Ohio Wesleyan University and a double major in Environmental Studies and Geography. Her primary duty as a Hydrology Assistant is to use GPS to gather data in a lake. This focus excites her as she is passionate about water and Geographic Information Systems. In particular, she is interested in the intersection of GIS with hydrology to better understand water resources. Furthermore, she looks forward to being both in the ﬁeld and oﬃce, and working with a government agency (NPS) excites her as she has only worked with non-proﬁt organizations previously and this will allow her a new experience. She is looking forward to meeting and interacting with a variety of people who share an interest in science and learning about their sites. Professionally, she is interested in water management, particularly relating to water quality and availability, GIS, waste management, and regenerative agriculture. In addition, she is interested in how waste, especially single-use plastics and industrial manufacturing waste, aﬀect water quality. To better understand waste and where it comes from, reading about how GIS can be used to trace and manage point and nonpoint sources of pollution and their eﬀects intrigues her. The amount of embedded/hidden water that is used in the creation of commodities also fascinates Savannah. Spending a summer on a regenerative farm revealed how much animal and plant waste is created and water is consumed even when farming is done sustainably. For these reasons, one of her professional goals is to support crop and livestock farmers and various (especially manufacturing) industries in pursuit of more water friendly and conscious actions.Avani Fachon, University of Colorado, Boulder Science Communication Assistant, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, John Muir National Historic Site, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, Point Reyes National SeashoreAvani Fachon graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 2021 with a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a minor in Media Production. As the recipient of a National Science Foundation Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship, Avani studied barn swallows and their movement behavior, breeding biology, and habitat use with the CU Safran Lab. She is interested in the intersection of ecological research and media-making and is involved with several art-science projects that aim to inspire action toward a more inclusive and sustainable future. She is excited to participate in the Mosaics in Science Program as a Science Communication Assistant, as it provides a unique opportunity to build her multimedia-making skills around a topic which she is very passionate about — climate change and how it is impacting biodiversity and ecosystem processes. She is inspired by the way in which narratives can encourage critical thinking and awareness about environmental issues through audience-relevant, creative, and eﬀect-driven approaches, and is looking forward to creating outreach materials that share compelling stories from the San Francisco Bay Area Network’s vital signs monitoring programs. She aspires to design resources that can serve as accessible entry points for communities underrepresented in STEM to develop a greater sense of belonging in nature and science, and is grateful for the opportunity to work toward this goal with the support of Mosaics in Science and the SFAN science communication team.

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Mosaics in Science 43Veronica Guevara, University of Miami Natural Resource Management Assistant, Biscayne National Park Veronica Guevara is an undergraduate student at the University of Miami majoring in Ecosystem Science and Policy and minoring in Sociology, Geography, and Marine Science. Veronica will apply to the Master of Professional Science program next fall at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science at the University of Miami, concentrating in Fisheries Management and Conservation. When she graduates, she wants to specialize in human activities that directly inﬂuence coastal areas speciﬁcally in Florida, but also sensitive, delicate, and endangered environments due to anthropogenic changes in diﬀerent coastal areas around the globe. This program oﬀers an opportunity for her to better understand and practice concepts that she sees frequently in class studies, such as conservation, management of the commons, compliance, integrative knowledge, and meaningful participation. The program will also allow her to learn about human complexity and ﬁrst-hand experience how people react and have reacted not only to the environment but regulations. She believes understanding people and creating ways through which they can connect and identify with the environment around them and with how important it is to protect it, is an essential part of changing the narrative and bringing about change. She wants to learn as much as she can to be able to improve and collaborate with the systems-thinking cycle in which the political, economic, and social arenas move, perceive, and approach the environment. Caitlyn Klemm, University of California, Merced Natural Resource Management Assistant, Death Valley National Park Caitlyn Klemm graduated from the University of California, Merced, in 2022 with a B.A. in English. She intends to continue her education in the future and pursue a degree in biology or ecology. Her prior internships with the National Park Service have not only inﬂuenced but also rekindled her love for conservation work both in science communication and ﬁeld work. As a humanities graduate with an interest in the sciences, she ﬁrmly believes in the interconnectedness of conservation. Caitlyn hopes to add to the eﬀort by continuing her work with the National Park Service; her upcoming position in Death Valley monitoring and digitizing will not only add to this, but also engage her interest in modern botany, an interest that had been spurred by her ﬁeldwork in Yosemite. Caitlyn dreamed of working in nature as a child — one that she thought she had forfeited in college to engage with literature analysis instead. However, her various opportunities with the Park Service have shown her that this dream is not only possible but also within grasp.Elsy Martinez, Lamar UniversityNatural Resource Management Assistant, Oregon Caves National Monument Elsy Martínez was born in Honduras and moved to the U.S. at the age of 11. She majored in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at Lamar University. Her interests are in aquatic ecology and conservation. She has worked with bivalve mollusks, echinoderms, and benthic organisms during her college years. She took an interest in the Mosaics in Science program because it would bring diversity within the parks and inspire young women in the STEM ﬁeld. She is excited and looking forward to working this summer at Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve as a Natural Resource Management Assistant. This opportunity will allow her to expand her skills and knowledge in cave and hydrology monitoring, which are necessary to help grow as a professional. Olivia Montoya, Colorado State University Visitor Use Management Assistant, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserv Olivia Montoya is indigenous to the Ute tribe of Southern Colorado and Taos Pueblo of Northern New Mexico. She currently attends Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, where she is studying Geological Sciences with a concentration in hydrology, and minoring in Geospatial Information Science and Geography. Olivia’s professional goal is to become a National Park Geologist or Ranger, become an educator and mentor, and study geology and the outdoors. Her professional interests include rock identiﬁcation, data collection, and cartography. She enjoys Native American literature and history books, as well as nature and landscape photography. She is honored to have been selected to work in the San Luis Valley, the place she calls home, and looks forward to working closely with the Great Sand Dunes National Park Natural Resource Department. She is looking forward to collecting data, working outdoors, and connecting with park mentors and employees. She acknowledges and honors the Diné, Jicarilla Apache, Cheyenne, and Ute tribes of the land upon which the Great Sand Dunes National Park stands, and expresses gratitude to the stewardship of all the Indigenous peoples, both past and present, to whom this land belongs.

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Mosaics in Science 44James Nagaoka, The Ohio State UniversityEducation Assistant, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park James Nagaoka graduated from The Ohio State University in May 2022 Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Evolution and Ecology. He really enjoys learning about the natural world and how many of the environments and organisms came to be and interact with each other. He applied to the Mosaics in Science Internship because he really likes the emphasis on diversity in STEM and believes that the ﬁeld would be better by bringing more people with diﬀerent backgrounds to the table. He is excited about the opportunities for professional development through MIS that align with his professional goals. Speciﬁcally, he chose the Education Assistant Internship to become further prepared to enter the education ﬁeld following his internship. This program will provide him with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the education ﬁeld. He loves nature and teaching. Being able to teach about nature while in nature is a dream for James. Last, he is very excited to be living in Rhode Island, a region of the country that is new to him as he has lived in California, Ohio, and North Carolina.Maya Nivarthi, Indiana UniversityScience Communication Assistant, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Maya Nivarthi is a junior at Indiana University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology and a minor in Law and Public Policy. Maya’s interests include conservation eﬀorts and natural resource management. Maya is looking forward to focusing on botany, ethnobotanical implications of native species, and the rich historical background of the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Her role will assist in improving the accessibility of the herbarium and scientiﬁc information to all groups of people, which aligns with her interest in science outreach to children and people who may not have much exposure to the sciences. She is also excited to work in the remote region of western Nebraska, a region of the country she has not yet explored. In the future, she wants to pursue a career where she has the ability to improve the lives of others through science while being environmentally responsible. Some of her professional interests and goals include working as a research scientist for the National Park Service, working toward solutions to improve food security globally, and generally making and leaving a positive impact on the world. She is looking forward to gaining many new and valuable experiences through her internship, as well as meeting the awesome people that work at the site and exploring her new home. Aside from her professional and academic interests in this opportunity, she also loves nature, being outdoors, and exploring new places.Briana Salcido, University of Texas at El PasoPaleontology Assistant, Waco Mammoth National Monument Briana Alyce Salcido is currently in her last semester as a Master’s student in Environmental Science at the University of Texas at El Paso. As she prepares to embark on the next stage of her career, she is excited to join a program that shares her commitment to diversity and inclusion. As a woman of color in a ﬁeld that is still dominated by men, she is all too aware of the challenges that can arise from feeling like an outsider. That’s why she was immediately drawn to this program, which emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive community for underrepresented groups in STEM ﬁelds. She believes that by working together and sharing our unique perspectives, we can achieve real progress toward a more just and sustainable world. Looking ahead, she is eager to explore a range of professional opportunities in the environmental science ﬁeld. Whether it’s conducting research, advocating for policy change, or working with communities to develop sustainable practices, she is excited to use her skills and knowledge to make a positive impact. Ultimately, her goal is to help create a world where people and nature can thrive together, and she is excited to be part of a program that shares that vision. She is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and looks forward to making a meaningful impact in the ﬁeld of earth sciences.

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Mosaics in Science 45Maya Scanlon, University of California, Berkeley Point Reyes National Seashore, Biology Assistant, Golden Gate National Recreation Area Maya Scanlon is a rising junior at the University of California, Berkeley, studying Natural Resources with an emphasis in watershed and waterways. Additionally, she is pursuing a minor in Geospatial Information Systems and Technology. She has various professional and extracurricular experiences that have helped her develop her critical thinking and problem-solving skills in team settings. Her academic and personal career goals relating to conservation stem from her childhood growing up in Arcata, California, surrounded by the giant redwoods that provide habitat to the unique fauna that thrive within the Six Rivers National Forest. Her professional goals relate to natural resource management and conservation of public lands, speciﬁcally in Humboldt County. She hopes to work in wildland ﬁre ecology, watershed conservation, and sustainable ﬁshery management methods within a changing climate. Being away from Arcata has made her recognize not only how special it is, but also how much room for change there is. Before she moves back, she wants to gain as much experience as she can in diﬀerent biomes and various ﬁelds. Participating in this program will be an excellent opportunity for Maya to further her experience conducting ﬁeldwork while also learning about the research process that underlies conservation eﬀorts needed to restore and maintain diverse ecosystems. Through this program, Maya will be able to use her passion for environmental resource management to better local communities and create an equitable, sustainable future.Isabel Sonora, Northland College Paleontology Assistant, Mammoth Cave National Park Isabel Sonora is currently a senior at Northland College, where she works as a teaching assistant for an evolution course and as a research assistant for the Plant & Ecology Research Lab. Through this lab, she has had the opportunity to work with various great scientists on many vegetation-monitoring projects. She has also produced her senior capstone through the lab, which encapsulates temporal change in understory community composition of mesic, hardwood forests in northern Wisconsin. As a biology major, Isabel has studied a variety of disciplines, including botany, mammalogy, and wetland ecology, and ﬁnds herself gravitating toward paleontology. Since she was young, she has been intrigued by paleontology. The opportunity to work with a specimen collection from the late Paleozoic and gain insight into ﬁeld techniques at Mammoth Cave National Park seemed unbelievable. Gaining experience in the ﬁeld of paleontology will help Isabel reach her educational goal to attend graduate school, with a focus on paleontology. Isabel realizes, as she enters her fourth year of undergraduate study, that she is providing a pivotal example to her younger self, proving that it is possible to accomplish her dreams. She hopes to show people of underrepresented communities considering any ﬁeld in science that the ﬁght is worth the gained comprehension, experience, and conﬁdence. Most of all, she strives to be a role model to younger generations hoping to pursue a college education and career in a scientiﬁc ﬁeld.Larissa Sweeney, Nova Southeastern UniversityNatural Resource Management Assistant, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted National Historic Site Larissa Sweeney was born and raised on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She is currently a junior at Nova Southeastern University in South Florida, pursuing a degree in Psychology. She has always loved being outside and exploring the national parks on St. Croix from her youth through early adulthood. Larissa had the experience of working with resource management and getting involved in multiple projects including the native ground lizard re-introduction, mangrove propagation, coral treatments, and sea turtle research. Assisting on this project allowed her to learn new skills in the oﬃce and assist with ﬁeld work. This experience brought her attention to a diﬀerent aspect of science outside of her major. Environment for the Americas allows her to explore interests and passions that arose later in her undergraduate career. Although the Mosaics in Science program is not directly focused on bird conservation, she is interested in exploring this area of work during the internship and beyond. Larissa ﬁnds it comforting to do research and learn more about the environments she has grown up around all her life, and she is excited that this internship can lead to more opportunities on her professional path.

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Mosaics in Science 46Sylvia Touchstone, Kennesaw State UniversityNatural Resource Management Assistant, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Sylvia Touchstone attends Kennesaw State University, where she is majoring in Geography with a minor in Environmental Studies and a certiﬁcation in Geospatial Science. While at Kennesaw State, she has had the opportunity to explore various ﬁelds within Geography, such as cultural geography and human-environment interactions to cartography and geospatial analysis. These courses have provided her with a strong foundation in the fundamentals of geography and have also equipped her with skills in using GIS software and statistical analysis to solve real-world problems. Sylvia has a passion for understanding the interconnectedness between people and their environment. She is excited about the prospect of applying her knowledge in geospatial science and environmental studies to collaborate with like-minded professionals in Cuyahoga National Park this summer as a Mosaics in Science intern. As our planet faces numerous environmental challenges, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion, Sylvia ﬁnds it essential for us to work toward ﬁnding innovative solutions that balance environmental protection, environmental functionality, and sustaining its beauty. Her ultimate career goal is to leverage her background and skills to contribute to environmental protection. She is excited about the possibility of pursuing a career in environmental conservation and sustainability.Rick Usami, Williams College Science Communication Assistant, Olympic National Park Rick Usami studied History and Environmental Studies at Williams College in Massachusetts. Rick is looking forward to the opportunity this summer to be in nature and explore the outdoors, as he believes there is no substitute for the tranquility nature can oﬀer. Rick seeks to pursue a career in wildlife conservation or communication for the promotion of renewable technology and sustainable lifestyles. He believes that Mosaics in Science oﬀers a unique opportunity where he can spend time outdoors and gain valuable experience with people with backgrounds in those ﬁelds. He is very excited to join the Olympic National Park team and learn as much as he can over the next several months.Whitney Wyche, Franklin & Marshall College Natural Resource Management Assistant, Glacier National Park Whitney Wyche graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a degree in Environmental Science in May 2023. She greatly looks forward to starting her Mosaics in Science internship at Glacier National Park this summer. This position aligns with her passion for the environment and natural resources. Being from Montana, she is familiar with the ecosystems in the West and enjoys hiking and camping. She became interested in an internship with Mosaics in Science because of their partnership with the National Park Service and their commitment to interns both in their continued support throughout the program and in their goal to make science a more diverse ﬁeld. These qualities were important to her so that she could have a smooth transition from undergrad into her career post-graduation. Working as a Mosaics in Science intern at a National Park will support her short-term goal of preparing for graduate school by gaining experience working outdoors on a research project. Her project this summer is part of a larger research eﬀort to monitor changes in the wilderness through the park’s natural soundscape due to the increase in visitors over time at Glacier National Park. Following this program, her long-term goals are to manage natural resources for a sustainable future and become an ecologist. Besides being outdoors and enjoying nature, in her free time, she likes to learn new crafts, meditate, and take lots of photos.Isabella Yallapragada, Indiana University Bloomington Natural Resource Management Assistant, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Isabella Yallapragada is a public aﬀairs and environmental science graduate student at Indiana University, Bloomington. Isabella is excited to gain greater hands-on experience with natural resource management through her Mosaics internship, as well as develop her abilities to communicate and cultivate relationships with the public. She is also excited about the opportunity to grow her technical writing and communication skills. Her perspective on conservation is greatly shaped by a deep appreciation for the natural world that sustained her mother’s family for generations as coﬀee farmers in Honduras. While she understood that much of her family’s survival depended on the responsible stewardship of natural resources, this value was more simply and emotionally embedded through the knowledge of her grandfather’s spiritual use of native plants. Her desire to work in conservation is driven by the knowledge that our natural resources not only sustained her family physically and ﬁnancially, but that it had sustained them emotionally and spiritually as well. Ultimately, her goal is to work alongside indigenous organizations to integrate emerging climate science with an indigenous land ethic to create climate change mitigation/adaptation frameworks that draw upon the unique power of community and culture.

2023 MIS Report

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