July 27, 2022

Meet the first Community Engaged Intern of Washington Sea Grant, Zachary Levitan

Zachary Levitan is Washington Sea Grant’s (WSG) first Community Engaged Intern (CEI). During his ten-week summer internship, Zachary is working on coastal research projects affiliated with WSG with an emphasis on the European green crab. Originally from the Bay Area, Zachary came to Washington state to pursue his education at Whitman College in Walla Walla. He is in the process of completing a “3-2” program where he just finished three years at Whitman studying geology and will now transfer to the University of Washington to complete his program studying oceanography and anthropology over the next two years. So far, Zachary’s favorite part of his internship has been conducting fieldwork in the sloughs and mud to search for green crabs. As a first-generation college student learning how to navigate STEM fields, Zachary is looking forward to the mentorship structure provided by the CEI network and the staff at WSG. 

CEI is a paid program facilitated by Sea Grants across the country, designed for undergraduate students from underrepresented communities. The overarching goal of this program is to provide training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists and decision-makers. Interns are placed in Sea Grant offices to work on projects related to place-based research, education, communication and outreach that emphasizes various ways of knowing. Over the course of the internship, each student will have completed a project that extends the knowledge of coastal community stakeholders in addressing an issue of  environmental, economic or social issues of importanceStudents are also given opportunities to  broaden their horizons in marine and coastal careers through networking and professional development. This includes training opportunities, mentoring by Sea Grant professionals, virtual development sessions and peer discussions with other interns.  

To learn more about the Community Engaged Internship Program, check out the National Sea Grant website.

Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
www.wsg.uw.edu.

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